[427] WMOT-JAZZ 89 CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF AWARD-WINNING NEWS, FEATURES, COMMENTARY

WMOT-JAZZ 89 CELEBRATES 40 YEARS OF AWARD-WINNING NEWS, FEATURES, COMMENTARY
MTSU’s NPR-Member Station Also Conducting Spring Fundraiser Through April 29


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 20, 2009
EDITORIAL CONTACTS: Keith Palmer, 615-898-2800 or kpalmer@mtsu.edu;
Gina E. Fann, 898-5385 or gfann@mtsu.edu

(MURFREESBORO)—The 89.5 FM frequency in middle Tennessee went on the air in April 1969, and now WMOT-JAZZ 89 is celebrating 40 years of providing award-winning local news, features, commentary and, of course, great jazz.
The National Public Radio-member station also will conduct its spring fundraiser through Wednesday, April 29.
“This is the perfect opportunity for the community to show MTSU administration the importance of having WMOT on the air to train and mentor students, promote the university and to provide news, arts and culture for the community as a whole,” said Keith Palmer, WMOT development manager. “Every dollar raised means a dollar less the station has to rely on university funding, which, as we’ve seen recently, has become very precarious.”
Discussions of closing or reorganizing the station to help meet MTSU’s ongoing financial cutbacks have resulted in an outpouring of support from listeners from all over the world, thanks to the station’s international reach via live streaming audio at its Web site, www.wmot.org. In 1980, WMOT became the first radio station in Tennessee to use satellite broadcasting. It began broadcasting online in 2003, expanded its signal strength with a new antenna in 2005 and began simulcasting on HD Radio in 2008 to offer better fidelity via digital technology.
“You can even listen to WMOT on your iPhone or iPod Touch!” Palmer said of the station’s ever-increasing availability to fans.
As a public broadcasting station and a public service of MTSU and its College of Mass Communication, WMOT relies on funding from MTSU and the public through membership dollars, business-support underwriting and fundraising ventures. The station recently received a $1,000 donation from the Wal-Mart Foundation and is encouraging fans to consider corporate support and including WMOT in estate-planning efforts.
For information on how your dollars can help, or to donate, visit www.wmot.org anytime or call 615-898-2800.

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IN BRIEF: The 89.5 FM frequency in middle Tennessee went on the air in April 1969, and now WMOT-JAZZ 89 is celebrating 40 years of providing award-winning local news, features, commentary and, of course, great jazz. The National Public Radio-member station also will conduct its spring fundraiser through Wednesday, April 29. “This is the perfect opportunity for the community to show MTSU administration the importance of having WMOT on the air to train and mentor students, promote the university and to provide news, arts and culture for the community as a whole,” said Keith Palmer, WMOT development manager. “Every dollar raised means a dollar less the station has to rely on university funding, which, as we’ve seen recently, has become very precarious.” For information on how your dollars can help, or to donate, visit www.wmot.org anytime or call 615-898-2800.


For MTSU news and information, visit www.mtsunews.com.

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ATTENTION, MEDIA: For a color TIFF of the WMOT-JAZZ 89 logo, please contact Gina E. Fann in the Office of News and Public Affairs via e-mail at gfann@mtsu.edu or by calling 615-898-5385.