For most of the week, programming on Syracuse public radio station WCNY 91.3 FM centers around classical music. On Sunday nights though, the fiddlers take over. Bill Knowlton's long-running Bluegrass Ramble show recently racked up $4,300 in pledges from listeners from as far away as Texas and South Carolina. The program airs on Sunday nights at 9 p.m.

The staff at local public radio station WRVO were smiling at the end of this year's eight-day fall fundraiser. Listeners pledged a total of $110,000, which was $10,000 more than the station's targeted goal. WRVO and it's affiliate stations broadcast from transmitters in Oswego, Syracuse, Utica, Cortland, and Watertown.

Longtime Syracuse radio veteran Skip Clark has added Music Director responsibilities at B104.7 (WBBS). Clark has been hosting the country station's weekday evening shift since leaving Oldies 92.1's (WSEN) morning show last year.

National Public Radio news correspondent and former host of Talk of the Nation, Juan Williams, will be in town on Tuesday to discuss the terrorism crisis. Williams will present "The Nation in Crisis: A Journalist's Look at America Under Threat" at 4 p.m. in room 254 of Newhouse II building.

Next Monday, Native Noize hits area record stores. The album, put together by K-Rock's midday DJ "Silent Bob" Staffa, features a number of local acts, most of which have appeared on his Thursday night Backstage Live program at 11 p.m. on K-Rock.

Galaxy Communications has named Mimi Griswold as the group's vice president of programming for Galaxy stations in Syracuse, Utica, and Albany. Griswold, who is also known as host of TK-99/105's popular Blue Moon Cafe show on Sunday mornings, had most recently served as operations manager and program director for the chain's Syracuse and Utica stations.

Since the September 11 terrorist attacks, the Federal Communications Commission has seen a dramatic increase in the number of listener complaints about on-air content. Howard Stern's syndicated morning show leads the list due in part to comments from one member of the show proposing that New York City prostitutes provide complimentary sexual favors to city firefighters. Stern is heard locally on 95X.

With a combined increase of four points in the latest Arbitron ratings released on Wednesday, the six Clear Channel stations in Syracuse don't have much to complain about.

Premiere Radio Networks has announced they will begin charging listeners $6.95 a month to hear their syndicated shows streamed over the Internet. Included in the list of programs are those hosted by Dr. Laura and Art Bell. Both shows air on 570 WSYR in Syracuse.

With its impending purchase of the Ackerley Group, which includes WIXT (channel 9), Clear Channel Communications may be forced to sell at least one of its Syracuse radio stations to adhere to federal regulations. Look for a couple of their AM stations in Utica to be sold as well.