Editor’s Note: Early into 2017 Phoenix, public radio went through major programming changes. As acting Ombudsman and sole Public Relations and Communications representative, it was my duty to respond to the barrage of inquires with something that could be said over phones, on-air, and in written release. This is the original written piece that was sent out as an emergency response Press Release.
FAQ:
-What Is The Show?
KJZZ’s Original Production The Show is a different way to look at your day. It is a news magazine that includes Phoenix and Arizona news and follows national and international news stories. The Show talks with newsmakers, experts and people who are affected by these news and policy decisions. KJZZ’s The Show evaluates and analyzes national and international issues and relates them to how they impact the Southwest Region. The Show uses the immediacy of radio to give you the headlines and then to also get behind the headlines to see what the real impact may be on all of us. The Show creates a unique mix of stories by using roundtable discussions, probing interviews and compelling storytelling to produces a broad, in-depth type of program unparalleled by any other station.
-What happened to Diane Rehm?
After nearly four decades on public radio, Diane Rehm has retired. She will pursue other interests and areas of concern. Diane’s departure from public broadcasting is a huge void that will continue to be missed; she has stated that she will work to produce her series of weekly podcasts in lieu of her departure from public radio.
Podcasts can be found here: http://thedianerehmshow.org/podcasts
-What is 1A?
WAMU produces 1A with Joshua Johnson, the same station the produced The Diane Rehm Show. It’s a new show with new talent and a new production team. The program is one of many from public radio stations around the country and is available to stations for a fee.
-Who chose 1A?
1A is a program produced by WAMU; WAMU also built The Diane Rehm Show. WAMU is a public radio station that services the greater Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. WAMU is not NPR but does create and distribute content through NPR. Station producers at WAMU decided what would be created after Diane Rehm’s departure.
-Why did KJZZ decide to produce The Show instead of 1A?
KJZZ has invested in reporters in Phoenix and around the state. We want to share the in-depth reporting that they are doing in the country, we also want to focus the national conversations on the impact they will have on Arizona and the Southwest. Many local stations are not able to provide this kind of in-depth reporting. The KJZZ Original Production, The Show, is a program where we can weave the national conversations and Arizona news together. The program also includes international updates as we want to provide a full picture of what is happening in the news. KJZZ is also a steward of public funds and the public trust and wanted to leverage its investments effectively. While we are confident that 1A is an excellent program, it was decided that it would be the most responsible action to continue listening and evaluating its development to see how it could fit into the KJZZ schedule and budget as programming continues to evolve.
-How does public radio programming work
Public radio programming is unique. Numerous vendors are producing original content; different content has different subscription periods and lengths. These differing periods and costs make budgeting and scheduling a problematic task as stations can’t decide to “try out” a show as they are financially tied to airing the show after purchasing the subscription. Therefore, stations will often monitor new programs during an evaluation period to see whether they fit the station’s needs, budget, and scheduling.
-Where do you get your programming from?
KJZZ/KBAQ receive their programming from numerous sources, including creating its original content to serve Arizona listeners. NPR is, of course, one of our vendors, as is American Public Media, PRX, PRI, BBC, and WBUR, among others. We’re working very hard to curate the very best of all the vendors to produce the best stations, at the best value for our listeners.
-What happened to Prairie Home Companion?
Garrison Keillor’s departure, similar to Diane Rehm’s, is a huge loss for public radio—his voice has become synonymous with the contemporary radio tales he told weekly. The change of hosts has placed the production in a more truncated schedule which results in the creation of far less shows throughout the year. Less shows have not translated to less programming costs for stations choosing to air Prairie Home Companion. This is supposed to change over the next few years, and as more shows return to the Prairie Home Companion production schedule, we’ll be able to re-evaluate it for our schedule and budget.
(HOLD THIS UNTIL LATER THIS YEAR – IT IS NOT GOING AWAY UNTIL SUMMER/FALL 2017)- What happened to Car Talk?
Car Talk began airing its program in 1977 with its last original show in October 2012 (Confirm date)—since then, the program has been edited “best of” shows. NPR has decided to produce Car Talk no longer. The beloved program will bid a fond farewell, later this year.
NOT SURE WHAT THIS OFFERS US? WHY ARE YOU SUGGESTING WE USE THIS?
-My favorite station in <insert city> is carrying < favorite insert show> why aren’t you?
There are different audiences for different cities, as such timing for programs, and programs themselves aren’t always going to fit with the voice of the station. Additionally, there are lots of stations that choose to rebroadcast shows–much time this is due to budgetary reasons. In an attempt to provide substantial value for our listener’s funds, we have very little re-broadcast shows and work tirelessly to ensure there is unique content at all points of the day.