Louisville’s public radio news and information station is redefining its talk programming in order to better align it with the station’s long-term goal of service to the community. On Thursday State of Affairs will broadcast its final program in a celebration of its fourteen-year run.
The daily phone-in talk show provided an important platform for local voices. Host Julie Kredens says, “To have been a part of State of Affairs for nearly ten years has been a real joy and privilege. It’s been a pleasure to meet the many interesting guests we’ve had on the show, but especially wonderful to have heard from so many people in our community who called in to join the conversation day after day. They were the heart of the show.”
Todd Mundt, Vice President and Chief Content Officer for Louisville Public Media said, “I am grateful to Julie for her work on State of Affairs over the past ten years, and I’m excited that we’ll still be able to draw on her talents in the future.”
WFPL’s new approach to talk programming will allow it be more timely in the way that important issues are addressed; whether it is breaking news or discussions about topics that matter to WFPL listeners. Mundt explains, “The changes that we’re making to talk at 1 p.m. are part of the broader view of LPM’s role in providing journalism and public service to the community.”
Beginning Monday, April 25, the new format for the one o’clock hour will include WBUR’s Here & Now. The show will serve as the framework, much as Morning Edition and All Things Considered provide a framework for our local service every day. The new format will provide the station with flexibility and time to produce high quality, topical programming, including local news, interviews with newsmakers, authors, academic experts and community voices that will be inserted into the program.
The new framework will allow for the continuation of “State of the News,” a popular hour-long local news analysis program on Fridays, as well as ongoing news specials that will explore local issues in greater depth.
Being responsive to developing news aligns with the overall journalistic direction of newsroom.
WFPL will continue to provide programming that has the highest quality and greatest impact on the community. “The new format will likely take a few months to evolve,” adds Mundt, “and will continue to be responsive to our community’s news and information needs.”
For more information contact Todd Mundt at tmundt@wfpl.org, or (502) 814-6500 or visit wfpl.org.