August 14, 2012 — UVa Today Radio, which has aired as a five-minute program weekly since January 2010 on WTJU (91.1 FM), is becoming part of WTJU's new locally produced public affairs hour, "Soundboard."

UVa Today is produced by the University of Virginia Office of Public Affairs. "Soundboard" launched in the spring and in July became part of a programming schedule update at WTJU, U.Va.'s community radio station. It airs weekdays from 9 to 10 a.m.

Starting Thursday, listen for UVa Today at around 9:40 a.m. each week on "Soundboard." The new segment will be five to 10 minutes long and feature more extensive interviews with faculty, staff and students about research and news at U.Va. of interest to the wider community.

The first segment airing Thursday features summer reading recommendations from Deborah McDowell, an English professor in the College of Arts & Sciences and director of the Woodson Institute for African American and African Studies. She will be interviewed by Anne Bromley of the Media Relations staff.

The UVa Today features will expand to twice a week later this year.

"Previously, our news segments were each 90 seconds long, which didn't let us explore topics as fully as we would like," Marian Anderfuren, director of media relations, said. "We hope everyone – listeners as well as the folks we interview – will enjoy the longer format."

The radio segments will continue to be posted on the UVa Today News Blog and in iTunesU, as well as appearing with UVa Today news releases.