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.^[2]

Houston was considered a "tastemaker" in the radio world, helping guide WFUV's musical direction for decades.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[4]

Houston came to WFUV in 1994 from WXPS, where she had worked since the late 1980s, hosting the program Starlight Express.^[5] She was known for showcasing new talent, such as David Gray.^[5] She began as a DJ in the midday slot, and launched her own Friday night program, The Whole Wide World, in 2001.^[5] On this show she continued to showcase new talent including Joan Osborne, Adele and Brandi Carlile who stated "Rita was the very first person to play my music on the radio".^[5] She became program director in 2014.

Houston died of cancer in December 2020, having stepped down from her role at WFUV earlier in the month.^[6] In March 2021, Houston was honored during the 63rd Annual Grammy Awards in memoriam segment.^[7]

• "Rita Houston, WFUV D.J. Who Lifted Music Careers, Dies at 59". The New York Times. 2020.