On Monday, July 1, Wisconsin Public Radio will make some changes to the schedule on its Ideas Network stations to provide better service to listeners and respond to program changes made by NPR.
Changes To The Weekday Schedule
On weekdays, "The Kathleen Dunn Show" will move from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. This two-hour daily current affairs talk show will fill the spot vacated by "Talk of the Nation," which was cancelled by NPR this spring. "The Kathleen Dunn Show" will continue to be broadcast Monday through Thursdays. WPR will continue to offer "Science Friday," with Ira Flatow, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays.
"On Point," with Tom Ashbrook, will move from its current 6 p.m. start time and replace "The Kathleen Dunn Show" at 9 a.m. "On Point" is a live, national call-in show. This new, live, morning time slot will provide listeners the opportunity to share their Wisconsin perspectives on issues of the day with national audiences. "On Point" will air from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday through Thursday. "45 North," with Anne Strainchamps, will continue to be heard on Fridays from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m.
"The Larry Meiller Show" and "Chapter A Day" are unaffected by these changes and will continue to broadcast from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. As noted above, "The Kathleen Dunn Show" will fill the 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. slot. "At Issue," which experienced the departure of host Ben Merens this winter, will be replaced with a new magazine-style show, "Central Time," with co-hosts Rob Ferrett and Veronica Rueckert. "Central Time" will air Monday-Friday from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. and feature a mix of news, culture and ideas with a distinctly Wisconsin personality.
"Q" with Jian Ghomeshi, will move from its current 5 p.m. time slot to 7 p.m. "To the Best of Our Knowledge," WPR’s national show of big ideas, will fill the vacancy at 6 p.m. caused by the move of "On Point." "To the Best of Our Knowledge" will air Monday through Thursday for an hour and still be available for weekend listening.
On Fridays nights, WPR’s Ideas Network stations will continue to offer "The Moth Radio Hour" alongside a new NPR story-telling program, "Snap Judgment" with Glynn Washington. "The Moth Radio Hour" will air at a later time, 9 p.m., followed by "Snap Judgment" at 10 p.m.
* Some local programs that were previously heard on weekday evenings will move to new timeslots. In Eau Claire, "The West Side" will move to Mondays from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. and "Spectrum West" will be heard on Thursdays at 10 a.m. In La Crosse, "Newsmakers" will broadcast live at 10 a.m. on Thursdays. And, Wausau’s "Route 51" will also be heard on Thursdays at 10 a.m. Three programs in Superior will shift later in the evening: "People of Color" will now be heard at 6 p.m. on Thursdays, "Final Edition" will move to 6 p.m. on Fridays followed by "Radio Superior" at 6:30 p.m.
Changes To The Weekend Schedule
Weekend listeners will also notice some changes, including two new shows on Sunday. On Saturday mornings, "Car Talk" will switch places with "Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me." "Car Talk," which is no longer producing new shows, will be broadcast from noon to 1 p.m. "Wait, Wait" will now be offered earlier in the day, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m.
On Sunday mornings, we’ll offer an encore broadcast of "On Your Money," Joy Cardin’s weekly personal finance segment with Kevin McKinley, at 7 a.m. "Says You" and "A Way with Words" will remain at 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. respectively. The 10 a.m. to noon block formerly occupied by a rerun of "A Prairie Home Companion" with Garrison Keillor will now be shared by the popular cooking series "America’s Test Kitchen Radio" with Christopher Kimball at 10 a.m. and "Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know? Radio Hour" at 11 a.m. Please note, "A Prairie Home Companion" will continue to be heard live on Saturday nights at 5 p.m. on WPR’s networks.
At noon, "Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me" with Peter Sagal will be followed by one hour of "To the Best of Our Knowledge" at 1 p.m. "This American Life" will remain at 2:00 p.m. followed by another new program for WPR listeners, "The TED Radio Hour," at 3 p.m. The remainder of our Sunday schedule is unchanged.
Take A Listen And Let Us Know What You Think
We understand that these changes will be significant for some listeners. While numerous programs have been shifted on the schedule, the only shows that will no longer be available to listeners are "At Issue" and "Talk of the Nation." We’ve done our best to serve those listeners with a mix of statewide and national talk programs on weekdays. And, along with our own new show, "Central Time," we’re excited that the new schedule will give Wisconsin listeners a chance to experience some of the best new nationally-syndicated public radio shows: "The TED Radio Hour," "America’s Test Kitchen Radio" and "Snap Judgment."
To help make sense of all this, see this grid of the new schedule. You’ll also find answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) about the changes online and below.
We are excited about the new schedule and hope that you will tune in and let us know what you think. Please listen and share your thoughts with us by emailing listener@wpr.org or by calling Audience Services at 1-800-747-7444.
FAQ
Q: Why are you cancelling Talk of the Nation and At Issue? What will happen to John Munson?
A: Talk of the Nation was cancelled by NPR, which produces the show. While the show was popular with our listeners and at stations around the country, the decision to end the show was beyond our control. The final broadcast of Talk of the Nation will be on Thursday, June 27, 2013.
The decision to stop producing At Issue was made by Wisconsin Public Radio. As we’ve talked about in the past, the departure of Ben Merens caused us to reevaluate our afternoon schedule. We’re proud of the At Issue team and understand why listeners are attached to the program. If you enjoyed At Issue, we think you’ll find the same compelling mix talk, interviews, news and entertainment on our newest show, Central Time .
And, finally, we thank interim host John Munson. He has done a terrific job through this transition, though he looks forward to returning to his primary duties as our northern regional manager in Superior. You may still hear him from time to time as a fill-in host on other WPR programs.
Q: I've never heard of these new shows, how did you pick them and what can you tell me about them?
A: The new Ideas Network schedule includes four new programs. Central Time, which will air from 3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. weekdays, is being produced by Wisconsin Public Radio. It was developed by a team of experienced producers at WPR with hosts Rob Ferrett and Veronica Rueckert. We sought input from listeners, consultants and colleagues at stations around the nation to create a show that balances news and culture, conversation and commentary, call-in and interview while maintaining a distinctly Wisconsin personality. A series of pilot broadcasts in June helped us further refine the program which will launch on July 1st.
The other three new programs, America’s Test Kitchen Radio, The TED Radio Hour and Snap Judgment are all nationally syndicated programs. The process for selecting national shows is not so different than selecting a movie to watch at home on the weekend. You read reviews, you listen to preview episodes and you talk to everyone who might have some recommendations for you – including WPR listeners like you. We look at our mix of programs and try to serve current and possibly new audiences with the choices we make, while maintaining an eye on our budget.
There are a lot of truly wonderful syndicated programs out there and we think you’ll enjoy the three that we selected. America’s Test Kitchen Radio, which will air on Sunday mornings at 10:00 a.m., is filled with clear, practical cooking information, without the gourmet fuss. You might recognize the America’s Test Kitchen name, the radio program is produced by the same people who created the popular public television cooking show and the national magazine,Cook’s Illustrated. On the radio, host Chris Kimball will introduce you to an eclectic collection of test cooks and food experts from the Test Kitchen, and people that approach food and cooking from unique and useful perspectives.
The TED Radio Hour, hosted by NPR veteran Guy Raz, is a journey through fascinating ideas, astonishing inventions and new ways to think and create. Each episode, airing Sundays at 3:00 p.m., includes excerpts from the renowned TED Talks plus guest interviews. And according to Snap Judgment host Glynn Washington, his program is best described as, “… storytelling with a beat.” Snap Judgment, which airs Friday nights at 10:00 p.m., tells intriguing stories about extraordinary and defining events in people’s lives. The show takes listeners on a narrative journey - leaping from one person's frying pan into another person's fire.
Q: I really loved The Kathleen Dun Show and/or A Prairie Home Companion at the old times. Why did you move them? The new times make it harder for me to listen to these shows, what can I do?
A: When NPR decided to end production of Talk of the Nation we spent some time looking at our options. That show was popular with our listeners who enjoyed its approach to current affairs and national issues. In the end, it was Kathleen Dunn who suggested the move to the afternoon spot. Her program covers a similar range of topics in a similar style and the mvoe opened up the 9:00 a.m. slot so we could broadcast On Point live - something listeners had wanted for some time. And, we felt it was important to give Wisconsinites the chance to participate in a national call-in show.
WPR’s decision to stop airing a rerun of A Prairie Home Companion on Sunday mornings was not made lightly. We love this program and know how important it is to our listeners. In the end, we made the move because it will allow listeners the chance to hear some of the best new national talent in public radio without losing one of the most iconic programs on air; A Prairie Home Companion will continue to be heard live on Saturday evenings when most listeners tune in.
Schedule changes can take some getting used to and we hope you’ll continue to listen to these shows in their new time. If you just can’t adjust your schedule, consider listening online, via your mobile device, through a podcast or on your computer. Here are some options:
The Kathleen Dunn Show: WPR will continue to offer The Kathleen Dunn Show from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday on the Ideas Network. It is also available for online listening any time at wpr.org in the audio archives, via the free podcast in the iTunes Store and on the free WPR app for mobile devices under the “Programs on Demand” tab. You can listen to past shows as well.
A Prairie Home Companion: WPR will continue to offer Garrison Keillor’s popular variety show live on both our Ideas Network and News & Classical Music stations on Saturday evenings from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. If you cannot tune in then, it is available for online listening at: http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/ You can listen to past shows as well.
Q: Why are you also airing To the Best of Our Knowledge on weeknights?
A: Originally, To the Best of Our Knowledge was produced as a daily show and so, in some ways, this new schedule is a return to its roots. We are pleased to offer a mix of new and classic To the Best of Our Knowledge programs Monday through Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. and on Sundays at 1:00 p.m. We are proud of this Peabody Award-winning program and this new schedule will allow more listeners the opportunity to experience the incredible interviews and big ideas featured on it.
Q: It seems like there have been a lot of changes at WPR lately, why is this?
A: We understand that these changes can be difficult for listeners. We do not take them lightly and only make changes like these after a careful review of listener feedback and evaluation of audience usage patterns. Wisconsin Public Radio has a wonderful audience of more than 450,000 listeners each week and, while we’re proud of those numbers, we are committed to serving more listeners throughout the state.
And, as we’ve said in the past, audience numbers aren’t the only way we measure service, but they are an important tool we use to identify opportunities for improvement. Over the past year, we’ve been evaluating our work, reviewing listener comments, learning from our colleagues in public broadcasting across the nation and developing strategies to help us serve more listeners.
WPR has a long history of innovation and enjoys a national reputation for high standards and a commitment to serving our audiences. As we continue to make changes to our schedule, one thing that won’t change is our commitment to those high standards and service.
Q: Why did you change the time for my local shows (The West Side, Newsmakers, Spectrum West, Route 51, and others….)
A: Several regional programs changed their times as well. This move allows the programs better integration into WPR’s News efforts and offers more potential listeners a chance to hear these shows. In addition, listeners across the state will have available to them the entire broadcast of WPR’s new program, Central Time, every weekday.
Q: Can you tell us what other changes you’re planning?
A: We may make additional changes in the future, but there is nothing currently in the works. Rest assured, any future changes we make will be thoughtful and designed to provide the best programs at the most convenient times to listeners around the state. We understand that changes can be difficult. We take your feedback seriously and will use it as we evaluate the effectiveness of these changes.
If we find the changes are not serving listeners well, we will make adjustments. Your feedback now is useful as we evaluate this decision. We hope you’ll continue to listen and agree that WPR is the best place in radio for unbiased news, thoughtful conversation and inspiring entertainment.
