January 16, 2019 Public Radio Broadcast of 'The Slowdown' Launched

A new radio edition of the celebrated poetry podcast “The Slowdown” is now available to public radio listeners in several regions across the country.

Hosted by U.S. Poet Laureate Tracy K. Smith and produced by American Public Media, “The Slowdown” has been bringing the power of poetry to listeners across the globe as a weekday podcast since its launch in November 2018. The radio feature of “The Slowdown” will present the same five-minute program every weekday, encouraging listeners to make a daily space for poetry in an increasingly busy and chaotic world.

Serving her second year as the nation’s 22^nd poet laureate, Smith aims to spark conversations that prove poetry helps readers and listeners slow down, think more passionately and deeply, and see the world through the eyes of others.

“The Slowdown” will air each weekday, and listeners can find their area’s specific air time by visiting their local station online. “The Slowdown” had its broadcast premiere Monday, Jan. 14, on a growing list of public radio stations, including:

• KALW (San Francisco)
• KHPR (Honolulu)
• KSFC/Spokane Public Radio (Spokane, Wash.)
• WEKU (Lexington, Ky.)
• WGTE (Toledo, Ohio)
• WPPB (Southampton, N.Y.)
• WVPB (Charleston, W.Va.)

“The Slowdown” is made possible through funding by the Poetry Foundation, a national independent literary organization and publisher of Poetry magazine, and the support of the Library of Congress, which appoints the nation’s poet laureate. The program is available at no charge to stations. Learn more about the radio broadcast on APM’s station website.

Podcast or radio broadcast listeners can also find all episodes and more information on “The Slowdown’s” website. Listeners can also subscribe to receive a daily newsletter of each episode’s poem in their inboxes every morning.

About American Public Media 
American Public Media® is the national programming division of Minnesota Public Radio® and reaches nearly 21 million listeners via more than 1,000 radio stations nationwide each week. APM is one of the largest producers and distributors of public radio programming in the world, with a portfolio that includes BBC World Service, Marketplace®, and the leading classical music programs in the nation. APM offers a diverse array of podcasts featuring the best in food, culture, entertainment, business and investigative journalism. For more information on APM, visit americanpublicmedia.org.
Source: Data are copyright Nielsen Audio. Data are estimates only.

About the Library of Congress
The Library of Congress Poetry and Literature Center is the home of the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry, a position that has existed since 1937. The Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of poetry. For more information, visit loc.gov/poetry.

The Library of Congress is the world’s largest library, offering access to the creative record of the United States – and extensive materials from around the world – both on-site and online. It is the main research arm of the U.S. Congress and the home of the U.S. Copyright Office. Explore collections, reference services and other programs and plan a visit at loc.gov, access the official site for U.S. federal legislative information at congress.gov, and register creative works of authorship at copyright.gov.

About the Poetry Foundation
The Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine, is an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in American culture. It exists to discover and celebrate the best poetry and to place it before the largest possible audience. The Poetry Foundation seeks to be a leader in shaping a receptive climate for poetry by developing new audiences, creating new avenues for delivery, and encouraging new kinds of poetry through innovative literary prizes and programs.

Follow the Poetry Foundation and Poetry magazine on Facebook at facebook.com/poetryfoundation, Twitter @PoetryFound and Instagram @PoetryFoundation.