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CAPE FEAR MEMORIAL BRIDGE CLOSURE: UPDATES, RESOURCES, AND CONTEXT

NPR announces changes to midday lineup

NPR

This morning, NPR stations received word that the network has made major changes to its midday lineup. Here are the changes, starting July 1:

  • Talk of the Nation will cease production
  • But rest easy, Ira Flatow fans: the popular Science Friday will remain on the schedule
  • NPR and WBUR in Boston will collaborate on a  2-hour midday news program, Here and Now
  • Here and Now will be co-hosted by Robin Young of WBUR and Jeremy Hobson, who will be leaving Marketplace Morning Report

We do not yet know if we will be carrying WBUR's Here and Now. It has been on the air in some markets as a one-hour midday program, though not on WHQR. The partnership with NPR is designed to produce a robust news presence for NPR between Morning Edition and All Things Considered, so the pedigree is good.

Obviously, we will have to consider carefully what the impact of these changes will be on our own lineup. Talk of the Nation has done a stellar job for many years, but Neal Conan is said to be ready to change his work assignments to other types of shows, and apparently this seemed to be a good time for a re-boot of NPR News in a significant way.

NPR stations did not learn about this until today. The Talk of the Nation staff properly heard the news first, at 9 o'clock this morning, and then stations. We will keep you posted on developments as we learn about them and make our decisions after a thorough review.

And no, we don't know what will happen to Ken Rudin's Political Junkie segment.