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For Immediate Release
Contact: Jeanne Hopkins
617-492-2777, ext. 4363
Boston, MA. - Boston public radio station WGBH and Paul Kelley of Kelley Communications have teamed up to provide Boston-area listeners with more music of the American songbook. They will bring MusicAmerica with Ron Della Chiesa to WPLM/99.1 FM in Plymouth beginning January 4, 1997.
"Since WGBH/89.7FM moved to a classical music format last year, we have sought other outlets to continue to present the music of the American songbook," said Marita Rivero, WGBH Radio Manager. "We've explored a number of options, and this collaboration with Kelley Communications presents us with a wonderful opportunity to provide more of this music. We've always known how much this music means to listeners, as evidenced by the organizations that formed when we focused our format of classical music. I'm glad we can now accommodate more listeners through this collaboration."
"This is a unique partnership between public and commercial radio to provide a service that we know is of interest to listeners," said Paul Kelley, president of Kelley Communications. "I'm delighted to be working with WGBH on what we hope is the first step in an ongoing partnership to expand the distribution of this and other programs in this format."
WGBH Radio host Ron Della Chiesa will host the MusicAmerica program Saturday nights from 7 p.m. to midnight. "I'm thrilled that we have this one-two lineup of great American music now on Friday and Saturday nights -- Friday nights on WGBH Radio with The Jazz Songbook (7-9 p.m.) and Saturday nights on WPLM with MusicAmerica," said Della Chiesa. "I hope those listeners who supported MusicAmerica will support this new effort and look forward with me to this new venture."
Della Chiesa will continue his regular duties at WGBH Radio, hosting Classics in the Morning on weekdays and the Boston Symphony Orchestra broadcasts on Friday afternoons.
WPLM is a smooth jazz format station broadcasting on 99.1FM, reaching a large metropolitan Boston audience. Alan Anderson, general manager of WPLM, expressed enthusiasm about the new program on his schedule.
WGBH is a producer and national distributor of radio programs for the public radio system, and provides programs to international radio systems. Kelley Communications is a media-buying and radio production firm. Paul Kelley is past executive director of the Boston Red Sox Radio Network.