WHYY-TV, FM AND Web Offering a Host of Programs to Celebrate Pridefest 2001

PrideFest America is the nation's premier celebration of the diversity of the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered culture - from arts and entertainment to civil rights and education. WHYY is a media partner for this week-long event.

This year's PrideFest America 2001 celebration in Philadelphia will coincide with a vast array of programming choices on WHYY-FM, TV and whyy.org, all concerning the gay and lesbian community. Beginning on Monday, April 30 and running until Monday, May 7, 91FM has a number of features planned for Morning Edition, Radio Times with Marty Moss-Coane, Voices in the Family, The Compududes and special news reports.

WHYY.org is host to internet audio archives for a variety of PrideFest America events.

Gay Pioneers will debut on TV12 on Friday, May 4 at 10:00 p.m. Now with more interviews and footage of the Philadelphia men and women who fought for homosexual rights in the mid-1960s it has been expanded to 30 minutes. This program was originally a ten-minute short that aired in April of 2000.

TV12 will also present the latest episode of In the Life at 10:30 p.m. on Friday, May 4, followed by an encore presentation of Gay Pioneers.

WHYY's Independence Foundation Civic Space at 150 N. Sixth Street will also play host to the PrideFest America 2001 Arts Award, which will be presented to the actor Sir Ian McKellan on Friday, May 4.

"The WHYY audience is the community, and that community is diverse. With such extensive programming we help to enlighten and inform all of our citizens," said WHYY Director of Radio Programming Christine Dempsey.

For more information visit the Pridefest America website.