CHAPTER SEVEN
PUBLIC RADIO SLOWLY EMBRACES TALK RADIO

The persistent stereotype of the talk show host as an opinionated oddball is one of the reasons public radio stations have been slow to add talk programming. But public radio is redefining talk programming to make a connection with communities and enhance its unique in-depth news role.

Though it may appear to be elitist or naïve, public radio programmers try to uphold higher standards of broadcasting than most of their commercial dial-mates.

Bill Siemering was one of the founders of public radio

Bill Siemering, a creator of NPR's All Things Considered, once said listeners should be able to trust public radio programming "the way they trust that their water is pure." This philosophy continues today and is a defining difference between public radio and commercial radio. In pursuit of balance, fairness and objectivity, public radio has sometimes been sometimes bland and boring. For instance, public radio programmers have sometimes been slow to recognize the importance of appealing hosts.

Since the early 1990s, call-in talk and interview programs have become an increasingly important way for public radio stations to enhance hometown service and create signature programming not available on commercial stations and satellite radio.

Some of the first regularly scheduled daily call-in talk shows on public radio were on WAMU-FM in Washington, DC in the 1980s. Fred Fisk, Steve Martin (then "Steve Palmer") and Diane Rehm hosted prime time weekday programs.

The first public radio station to air a fulltime talk schedule was Wisconsin Public Radio's "Ideas Network." It debuted in September of 1990.

In 1991, Talk of the Nation debuted on NPR as a daily update on the first Gulf War. John Hockenberry and Daniel Schorr hosted the first Talk of the Nation programs.

In 1995, NPR began national distribution of The Diane Rehm Show and The Derek McGinty Show. Also in the 1990's Native America Calling and Powerpoint were added to public radio national distribution.

According to NPR, as of fall 2003 Fresh Air's weekly audience was approximately 4,300,000; Talk of the Nation's weekly audience was 2,600,000; and The Diane Rehm Show weekly was just under 1,300,000.

The Talk Radio Initiative estimates there are about 80 daily weekday call-in talk and interview programs on over 60 stations.

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