New web and radio destination for music fans

For Immediate Release: December 5, 2008
Media Contact: Eva Dilmanian eva@buzzwordpr.com 646-654-9324

New York, NY -- Noncommercial station WFUV will today launch its highly anticipated Internet and HD Radio indie music destination, The Alternate Side. The Alternate Side will highlight the most exciting talent from the New York area, playing Santogold, MGMT and The Menahan Street Band, alongside more established acts like TV On The Radio, The National, and Sonic Youth. Listeners can experience this complete multi-media music service at www.thealternateside.org and, on HD radios, at 90.7 FM WFUV-HD3.

The Alternate Side includes a full-time music stream that features exclusive artist interviews and broadcasts from local music venues, and a state-of-the-art web site with video content, a blog, a concert calendar and other interactive features. Utilizing a Web 2.0 strategy, the site will also connect artists directly to their fans, as local bands and artists will be able to set up profiles, blog, upload mp3s and update tour information. The site's unique social networking platform puts bands and fans in control, giving local musicians the ability to share their music with a worldwide audience. Listeners can discover up-and-coming artists from all over the world and all over the musical landscape and play DJ themselves, building custom mp3 playlists from a database filled with local talent.

"New York has always been known for its musical exports. But, unless you happen to live here and be an avid venue-hopper, it's almost impossible to keep up with all the new music," said Rich McLaughlin, Content Director for The Alternate Side. "In launching The Alternate Side, for the first time ever, there's an internet site and HD Radio channel devoted to emerging New York City artists and bands. And the best part is that people in Los Angeles, Dusseldorf or Tokyo will have the same access to the local music scene as someone living in Williamsburg."

"With its launch of The Alternate Side, WFUV has become a kind of multiplex for music lovers," said Chuck Singleton, WFUV's Program Director. "If you're already a fan of FUV, we're bringing you more flavors of music, with new choices across three web streams and HD Radio channels. If you're new to FUV, it's another reason to get acquainted with New York's go-to station for musical discovery." The Alternate Side will complement WFUV's existing service, which will continue in its present format at 90.7 FM and www.wfuv.org.

The Alternate Side logo is available for download [here].

The Alternate Side is made possible, in part, by leadership support from The New York State Music Fund, established by the New York State Attorney General at Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors. The New York State Music Fund was created from a settlement agreement after the Attorney General's Office resolved investigations against major record and broadcasting companies that had violated state and federal laws prohibiting "pay for play" (also called "payola").

The award to WFUV was one of the largest made by the New York State Music Fund -- which has given nearly 400 grants totaling about $36 million -- and is on par with those made to internationally recognized New York performing arts institutions.

The Alternate Side has also received support from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Public Media Innovation Fund for the development of the web site's online social network, which will bring together New York area musicians and music fans.

WFUV is a non-commercial, listener-supported public radio station, licensed to Fordham University for 60 years. One of the nation's highest-ranking stations in its format on both the radio and on the web, and a leader in contemporary music radio, WFUV offers an eclectic mix of rock, singer-songwriters, blues, world and other music, plus headlines from National Public Radio and local news.

###