New York Council for the Humanities Grant Supports WBFO

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- WBFO 88.7 FM, a major public service of the University at Buffalo, has been awarded a grant from the New York Council for the Humanities to help support the station's "Meet the Author" series.

Announcing the grant for $11,700, Sarah Ogger, the council's executive director, said: "The New York Council for the Humanities is delighted to support WBFO's 'Meet the Author' series, which fits very well with our goal of bringing humanities scholarship to the general public by inviting top-notch writers and scholars to discuss their most recent work with Buffalo-area audiences."

Carole Smith Petro, UB associate vice president and general manager of WBFO, added: "This award, given by a highly discerning group of reviewers, recognizes the uniqueness of the series, as well as its high quality. We truly appreciate the council's confidence in us and their assistance in our on-going efforts to serve the Buffalo, Niagara and Southern Tier communities."

The "Meet the Author" series is a live broadcast that focuses on interactive public discourse geared toward those with a passion for learning, accurate authoritative commentary and open discussions. Individual programs allow the community to convene and share ideas with an important literary contributor to society. Bert Gambini, WBFO music director, is the host. The events are held monthly during the academic year, and are free and open to the public.

The New York Council for the Humanities devotes itself to insuring the presence of the humanities in the state's cultural and intellectual life and to guaranteeing the future of the humanities among young people. It does so through programs that train teachers; encourage excellence in student scholarship; forge relationships between young people, their families and New York's extraordinary range of humanities institutions; and, in a variety of imaginative ways, bring insights from the humanities to the general public. Organized in 1975, the council is a private, not-for-profit organization supported by contributions from individuals and corporations as well as by grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and private foundations.

For more information about WBFO 88.7 FM and to hear audio for past Meet the Author events visit the station's Web site at http://www.wbfo.org.

WBFO 88.7 FM, the region's most listened to National Public Radio (NPR) station, reaches an audience of almost 100,000 people through its main signal in Buffalo and through repeater stations WUBJ 88.1 FM in Jamestown and WOLN 91.3 FM in Olean. WBFO offers a depth of programming not available elsewhere in the community, including NPR/PRI news and entertainment programs, local and regional news, public and cultural affairs programming and jazz and blues.

The University at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system that is its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 28,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.