Veteran NPR Classical Music Host and Commentator Fred Child Joins American Public Media

Veteran NPR Classical Music Host and Commentator Fred Child Joins American Public Media

Child to continue as host of Performance Today when American Public Media Assumes Production in January

ST. PAUL, Minn., Nov. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- American Public Media(TM), the nation's second largest producer and distributor of public radio programs, is pleased to announce today that Fred Child, the highly-acclaimed host of NPR's Performance Today, will remain as host when American Public Media assumes production and distribution of the program from NPR in January.

Performance Today, a unique celebration of today's art of classical music, is America's most listened-to classical music program, reaching more than one million listeners on 230 public radio stations across the country each week. The two-hour weekday program features classical music in concert from studios, festivals and concert halls across the nation and around the world, as well as classical music news, interviews and features. On any given day, listeners to Performance Today may hear from performances in the great concert halls of New York, Prague, London, Berlin and Paris.

"American Public Media's mission is to share the finest classical music offerings from around the around with audiences on the radio and on-line," said Sarah Lutman, senior vice president of Content and Media, American Public Media. "We look forward to Performance Today extending and enriching our classical music programming. We are absolutely delighted Fred Child is staying with the program. His experience with leading artists and ensembles around the world, and lively on-air presence have informed and inspired millions of classical music listeners everywhere."

"This is a perfect partnership-the most ambitious daily classical music show teaming up with American Public Media," said Child. "No other media company in the country has comparable experience, expertise and creativity in broadcasting classical music. The team of producers, hosts and audio engineers at American Public Media is unmatched in their dedication to music. I'm proud and honored to be joining the team."

Child is also the commentator and announcer for Live from Lincoln Center, the only live performing arts series on television. He also hosted NPR's "Creators @ Carnegie," a program of wide-ranging performers in concert at Carnegie Hall.

Child's 9/11 cultural reporting was part of coverage that earned NPR a 2001 George Foster Peabody Award. His 2002 reading of the audio book "Getting to Know William Shakespeare" won an Audie Award from the Audio Publishers Association.

Before his work with NPR, Child was music director and director of cultural programming at WNYC in New York, host of a live daily performance and interview program on WNYC, and for ten years, a host at Oregon Public Broadcasting.

PHOTO OF FRED CHILD AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST

About American Public Media's Classical Music Service

American Public Media, located in St. Paul, Minn., sets the standard for connecting listeners to the best classical music programming. Through partnerships with orchestras, vocal ensembles and others, American Public Media's classical music service delivers performances from around the world to its listeners. In September, American Public Media announced that it is assuming production and distribution of Performance Today and SymphonyCast from NPR, beginning in early 2007. Broadcast production of both programs is moving from NPR headquarters in Washington, DC to American Public Media's in St. Paul. The addition of Performance Today and SymphonyCast gives American Public Media the largest broadcast audience reach of any classical music radio producer in the United States.

American Public Media's national classical music programs also include conversation and performance in Saint Paul Sunday(R); Pipedreams(R), the only nationally distributed radio program that explores the full range of the pipe organ's art and potential; and Composers Datebook(R), a daily two-minute program designed to inform, engage, and entertain listeners with timely information about composers of the past and present. Saint Paul Sunday is currently celebrating 25 years on the air. Pipedreams will mark its 25th anniversary in 2007.

American Public Media also produces and distributes national broadcast performances of the Minnesota Orchestra and The Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra as well as specials such as BBC Proms, World Choral Spectacular and Music@Menlo. In partnership with Public Radio International, American Public Media produces the nation's most listened-to 24/7 stream of live-hosted classical radio, Classical 24. Classical 24 is heard by nearly 2 million listeners each week on hundreds of public radio stations. American Public Media also owns and operates The Current(TM), an alternative music radio station based at Minnesota Public Radio.

American Public Media(TM) is the nation's second-largest producer of public radio programs, reaching 14.3 million listeners nationwide each week. National programs include A Prairie Home Companion(R), Weekend America(R), Saint Paul Sunday(R), Marketplace(R), Marketplace Money(R), The Splendid Table(R), Speaking of Faith(R) and special reports produced by its national documentary unit, American RadioWorks(R). American Public Media is the name under which Minnesota Public Radio(R) | American Public Media does national program production and distribution. Minnesota Public Radio, along with its sister company Southern California Public Radio, belongs to a larger family of companies within American Public Media Group, a national nonprofit organization whose purpose is to develop resources, services and systems to support public media for public service. A complete list of stations, programs and additional services can be obtained at http://www.americanpublicmedia.org/ .

Source: Data are copyright Arbitron, Inc. Arbitron data are estimates only. Fall 2005/Spring 2006 average

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Source: American Public Media

CONTACT: Brad Robideau American Public Media, +1-651-290-1113,
brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org

Web site: http://www.americanpublicmedia.org/

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