Rita Houston

Rita Houston (September 28, 1961 – December 15, 2020) was the program director of Fordham University's public radio station WFUV and the host of the show The Whole Wide World.

Houston was considered a "tastemaker" in the radio world, helping guide WFUV's musical direction for decades. She was instrumental in the Required Listening series of shows showcasing new and lesser-well-known artists at The Bottom Line club in Greenwich Village; she also interviewed songwriters for the club’s In Their Own Words series. She anchored National Public Radio's coverage of the Newport Folk Festival for several years and helped NPR with their best-of-the-year lists, as well as sometimes appearing on Morning Edition. She was known for showcasing new talent, such as David Gray. In March 2021, she was honored during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in memoriam segment.