Art&Seek, my favorite place to be…just launched an absolutely fabulous new site just in time for their 2-year anniversary. Alan Melson deserves the medal of A&S….Check it out every single day.

The fabulous Belmont Hotel in Oak Cliff is host to the equally fabby KXT 91.7, “Barefoot at the Belmont” concert series. The Belmont continues its traditional poolside concert series featuring some of the best bands and musicians from North Texas, along with a breathtaking back-drop of the downtown Dallas skyline…reserve a room, wine, dine and take a dip in the Belmont pool…all the while experiencing the whole BFatB/KXT magnificence…you’ll thank me in the morning….prolly twice….

Art&Seek Artist Studio Tour with ArtCon5 Artist Jason Janik

Art&Seek Artist Studio Tour with ArtCon5 Artists Tom Sale and Judy Vetter aka The Tom and Judy Show

Art&Seek Artist Studio Tour with ArtCon5 Artist VET

Art&Seek Artist Studio Tour with ArtCon5 Artists (and artist coordinators) Vanessa Neil and Kevin Obregon

Art&Seek Artist Studio Tour with ArtCon5 Artist Jason Ice

ArtCon 5 – The Day Before – The artists gather to make their art – 9 a.m., Friday December 11

ArtCon 5 – The Day Before – The artists gather to make their art -2 p.m., Friday December 11

ArtCon 5 – Art&Seek was there and they brought glitter, glue sticks and lots of crayons!

Big ups to Tiffany Kieran and Tyler Watson for helping with video and interviews. Lots’o'fun

If you are lookin’ for me, I’m over here…

Shot this for Art&Seek and it still ranks about #1 on anything I’ve ever shot, video-wise….I love Becky and Bill and I love this video of them rehashing….

Yeah, so I know I’ve been all up in the KXT 91.7 launch, but wherever Reid Robinson and Rawlins Gilliland go…I follow. Nuff said.

Tuesday, November 10th
KNON 89.3 FM
Sonic Assembly Power Hour with Hosts Reid Robinson & Allison Gordon
Writer and commentator Rawlins Gilliland will be the guest DJ tonight! He’ll be playing his favorite Latin music choices spanning 50 years, many forms, and several countries. El Grande Combo, Elaine Elias, Antonio Carlos Jobim, and many more…

Whew! KXT 91.7 launched this morning and it’s absolutely music to my ears…literally. It feels like Austin up in here. It’s so fun over-hearing folks ’round KERA talk about Sarah Jaffe and The O’s and all things local and regional. It’s a historic day for the DdFW airwaves…drink it up like a fine wine…hiccup…you don’t even have to get up—listen live from right where you be.

In-studio performances all this week, include Sarah Jaffe, The O’s, Rhett Miller, Little Black Dress and lots more! Check it out here.

Today was media sneak-peek day at the KXT 91.7 studio. Check out the pics and starting counting down…

Working for KERA/Art&Seek has definitely opened my mind up to more than clubs in Deep Ellum. I’ll admittedly say aloud, that I find myself feeling rather foolish and….well…a li’l igneeeerraaannt about so many things going on that don’t pertain to one single one of my beloved local bands.

I’ve gone absolutely mad over one particular writer (and KERA contributor), Mr. Rawlins Gilliland. Hell, even his name is interesting. I’m seriously so smitten with this man, that I practically tackled him in the parking lot on Friday, just to shake his hand. I was just as giggly and gushy as I’ve been just sitting in front of his writings.

I’m very very much not a reader. Just ask my ex-husband, it drove him crazy that I consistantly chose bad reality shows over a decent read. But Mr. Gilliland has changed all that…well…at least when it comes to anything he pens (or commentates). You simply must read him. (Some links below)

Now I must get my giddy-self back to work so I can continue stalking this lovely and quite delightful man, every chance I get.

Love Notes to the Latin World
A Holiday Glass Half Full
Cleanliness is Next to Godliness (According to Oprah)
The Best of the Breed
Redoubling Dallas’ Resolve: Big D Dreams Double-D Big
…more

All the cool kids are hopping on board the KXT band(pun intended)wagon! Don’t miss out on a durn thang by joining the KXT Facebook revolution! It’s quite lovely in here, please do join us…

The clock is truly ticking down to the launch of the new, and quite fabulous, KXT! There’s a big announcement today on Art&Seek, including some scoopage about in-studio guests, your hosts and more! Check it here.

While you are hanging around Art&Seek, be sure to check out the videos we shot over the weekend, including Dave Little at the Taste of Greenville Avenue, and the PAC-WE eventyesterday in downtown Dallas. More? Sure thing! Take a listen to Paul Slavens’ Track by Track, this time we get another durn fine sampler of some of Paul’s favorite guests! Click.

Well kiddies, I’ve somehow managed to land a real job with my beloved KERA-Art&Seek. Lemme hip you to a few things. Fer one, they are fantastically dedicated to the arts/music/culture communities over there on Harry Hines Blvd. These here are some very very very good folks. They make it really simple to promote your events, but you gotta do a little bit of work yourselves…oh, wipe that look off’o'yo’ face. Just a teeny bit of work on your part.

I’m going to make this really easy on ya…go here and submit your “organization” (which can be your venue, your group, your church, your association, your store, your whatever). There it shall remain forever, unless you want to make changes and you just gotta let us know by clicking on the “Update Page” link on your profile page.

Next, and this is really the easy part, you go here to submit your events (like your shows or exhibits or concerts or acting gigs or whatever). That’s it. It’s my job to take care of the rest.

It’s all free of charge. And there are perks, too. Lots of those great events get featured on the site, and some of ‘em even get featured on Gini Mascorro’s radio feature on KERA Radio.

Help us. Help you. Come on over and play, we’re having a splendid time!

PS – this round of Track by Track is fantastic. Paul put together a sampler podcast this time and it’s brilliantly fabulous. It includes some Bosque Brown, Danny Balis, Doug Burr, Rhett Miller, Robert Gomez, Telegraph Canyon and Trey Johnson. It’s so freakin’ great, go listen. NOW!

Tired of what you hear on commercial radio? Ready for some locally programmed music? Then mark 7 a.m. Nov. 9 on your calendar.

That’s the day KXT 91.7 launches – a station devoted entirely to music.

In addition to the new station’s name, launch date and call letters (KKXT), KERA is also announcing some details today about what you’ll hear. Here’s what we know:

There will be nine to 11 hours of local programming each weekday, starting at 7 a.m. KXT Morning show airs 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. Mon, Thursday and Friday, 7 a.m. to noon on Tuesday and Wednesday. KXT Afternoon show airs 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays and KXT Evening follows from 6 to 8.

KXT Texas Mix features musicians with ties to our state from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Friday.
On Saturday and Sunday, you’ll hear KXT Weekend. And The Paul Slavens Show will move from KERA to KXT on Sunday night.

KXT will have its own Web site, kxt.org, with all the goodies you’d expect – podcasts, video, live streaming…

…Still to come is news about the local hosts for these shows, the program features and the special performances that will be set up to kick off the new station.

A variety of national public radio programming will complement the local productions. Below are names and descriptions of the programs. And you can check out a program grid…

Go here for all the juicy, exciting details!

Tune in tonight…. The divine Ms. Chelsea guest-stars with loads of really cool local stuff…

Petey was on the Pugs and Kelly Show today on 1360 AM, talkin’ ’bout the Dallas Observer Music Awards shindig this weekend and next Tuesday night. I must say, the boy did me proud. Kudos for talkin’ up the local scene and even ol’ Deep Ellum.

DALLAS/FORT WORTH – North Texas Public Broadcasting, Inc. (KERA) announced today that it has purchased the non-commercial radio license

“This acquisition allows KERA to significantly advance its mission and strategic direction by increasing public media services for the people of North Texas,” says Mary Anne Alhadeff, KERA’s President & CEO. “The new station will be a public radio music format programmed with the North Texas audience in mind. It will be a terrific complement to KERA’s news and information station 90.1 FM and a substantial addition to KERA’s overall multimedia services for the public.” The new station will begin broadcasting its full schedule in the fall of 2009.

KERA has yet to select a name for the new station. The programming on 91.7 FM will be within the public radio “Triple A” (Adult Album Alternative) music format with diverse, adult-oriented playlists covering a broad spectrum of music such as folk, acoustic, world music, alternative and indie rock and country. Among the programs under consideration for the new station are World Café (distributed by NPR), Echoes (from Public Radio International), Undercurrents (from Native Voice One), American Routes (from American Public Media), plus music specials. NPR news headlines will be broadcast at the top of the hour. KERA’s own local programs will include interviews, studio performances and arts-related news and commentary.

For years, KERA’s public radio station 90.1 FM carried a mix of news and music. In 1996, the weekday format was changed to news and information in order to provide the strongest possible public-affairs programming. “I arrived at the station in late 2005,” recalls Alhadeff, “and right away I heard from long-time listeners who said that they appreciated the expanded public radio news schedule but missed the music programs.” During two radio audience focus groups in 2008, the loss of the music programs was still remembered. Nothing similar has taken its place on free, non-commercial radio in the North Texas broadcast area.

KERA spent 18 months working to address all purchase and programming considerations, complete a thorough business review and secure financing. Dan Routman, Chairman of KERA’s Board of Directors, said, “The decision to purchase 91.7 FM was made by KERA’s Board of Directors. KERA sought competitive financing and was able to negotiate favorable terms even in today’s economic environment.” Financing was secured from nonprofit-focused lenders. KERA purchased 91.7 FM from Covenant Educational Media, Inc.

The opportunity to purchase the station was presented to KERA in 2007 by PRC (Public Radio Capital), a national nonprofit organization that works to strengthen public radio. “Rarely do non-commercial radio licenses become available,” according to Erik Langner, Director of Acquisitions at PRC. “The greater Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton area has only three full-market FM non-commercial FCC licenses: KERA 90.1 FM, 91.7 FM, and one other. The availability of 91.7 FM was an extremely rare opportunity and we immediately thought of KERA. There exists a very strong relationship between KERA and the communities it serves over the air and online. Also of significant consideration were KERA’s strong financial position and experienced senior management.”

About KERA

KERA is a not-for-profit public media organization that serves the people of North Texas. The station broadcasts to the fourth-largest population area in the United States. KERA produces original multimedia content, carries the best in national and international public television and radio programs, and provides online resources at kera.org. The station’s extensive coverage of the arts can be found at artandseek.org. KERA-TV broadcasts on channel 13. KERA-FM broadcasts on 90.1 in Dallas/Fort Worth/Denton, 88.3 in Wichita Falls, 100.1 in Tyler and 99.3 in Sherman. In fall of 2009, KERA’s new music station at 91.7 FM will join the airwaves.

KERA’s Mission

The mission of KERA is to serve the citizens of North Texas by excelling in production, presentation and distribution of public television and radio programming, and other multimedia resources and activities that educate, inspire, enrich, inform and entertain.

History

KERA was founded by local leaders in 1957 based on core public service and education principles much like those subsequently reflected in the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 that founded a national public broadcasting service:

Public broadcasting is fundamentally a local institution, rooted in the social, educational and cultural fabric of hundreds of communities across the country.

The programs and services of public broadcasting must be available to all Americans, regardless of their location or ability to pay.

Lifelong education is the founding goal of public broadcasting and must be preserved.

The noncommercial character of public broadcasting, as well as its editorial integrity and independence, are critical to its public service mission.

Quick’s Big Thing was splendid. Truly, it was one of the most entertaining nights this ol’ broad has experienced in awhile.

I’ve got about 3-hours worth of video to edit, so keep checkin’ back for more.

I’d like to kick things off the way they kicked things off last night….I give you the great Gordon Keith and his brilliant sidekick Don Cento…