We’re adding The State We’re In on Sunday mornings 6 a.m. The program features first-person stories from around the world about how we treat each other. Then, after On Being at 7 a.m., enjoy an additional hour of Weekend Edition Sunday from 8-11 a.m., followed by A Prairie Home Companion from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m.
At 1 p.m., enjoy a rebroadcast of Saturday morning favorite Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me, followed at 2 p.m. by This American Life. At 3 p.m., you’ll hear Fresh Air Weekend, a collection of the best recent arts and culture interviews, and then On The Media at 4 p.m., All Things Considered at 5 p.m., and Says You at 6 p.m.
Robert Resnik’s All The Traditions folk music program will move to evenings from 7-10 p.m. And at 10 p.m., round out the evening with the second hour of To The Best of Our Knowledge (the first hour airs on Saturdays at 2 p.m.)
We’re also making one addition to our Saturday schedule: you can now hear A Way With Words Saturday mornings at 6 a.m.
We hope you’ll check out the new sound of Sundays on VPR and let us know what you think!
***************************************
Update for 1/10/12:Thanks to everyone who has provided feedback about VPR’s new Sunday program lineup. Hearing your comments reminds us how important a responsibility we have to our listeners and supporters. It’s a responsibility we take very seriously, and while we know that we’ll never be able to get it exactly right for everyone, we carefully consider any change in programming and these adjustments were made after much deliberation.
We wanted to update this post to answer a few of the questions we’ve been asked over the last week.
Why move All The Traditions to evenings?
Our goal with this change was to provide listeners with a consistent experience seven days a week, with news and information during the day, music in the evening and overnight news with the BBC. All The Traditions is a Sunday fixture on VPR, and we felt that moving the program to evenings would coincide with the time of day when listeners can unwind and enjoy music, while reinforcing our commitment to locally-hosted music by making it available every night of the week. While not everyone has embraced the new time of day yet, a few listener comments from yesterday included:
"I am so thrilled to have the program with me n Sunday evening! The only
problem is that I had to forfeit Masterpiece Theater on Public television, as I was enjoying your program too much to turn on the tele(vision)."
"Congratulations on your evening program. It started out with a bang...Dylan rocks! Please bring back the blues. We were dancing in the kitchen and enjoying a look back to "the good 'ole days" as you said. We appreciate your program and will be listening to every program."
Why are Living On Earth, Selected Shorts, and Studio 360 no longer part of VPR’s Sunday schedule?
These programs were a part of the VPR News schedule for many years, but unfortunately, they didn’t gain a lot of traction with listeners. At the same time, environmental and arts reporting, as well as storytelling, has become widely available in other programs that we carry. As a result, we decided to try something new by providing music programming on Sunday evenings as we do Monday through Saturday.
You can listen to or download these shows online:
Why are you rebroadcasting programs like Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me and Fresh Air?
These programs are some of the most popular programs on VPR, and we wanted to provide an additional opportunity for people to access them.
How does VPR make programming decisions?
As a statewide public radio network, it’s a challenge to provide the right programming lineup for every listeners - impossible, in fact. However, we are constantly monitoring our programs and our public radio colleagues around the country to make sure we are serving our audience as a whole in the best possible way.
We make programming decisions based on a number of factors: listener feedback, our Community Forum, audience data, and the experiences of other public radio stations.
While VPR has one of the highest rates of listening, per capita, in the country, Sunday listening to VPR has always been relatively low compared to stations of similar size. In our research of those stations, we discovered that all of them reserved the weekend evening hours for music, but maintained a daytime schedule of news, information, humor and lifestyle programming. That is the primary factor that led us to decide to try this new lineup.
While the transition to the new schedule may jolt some of our listeners, we truly believe that over time, the new programming line-up will attract more listeners and prove to be a satisfying mix for a majority of those who tune in. Again, we realize that we'll never get it just right for everyone, but I want to assure you that we're doing everything we can to make sure we're serving as many listeners as possible, in the best possible way.
We hope you will stay tuned and thank you for your support and loyalty.
I am so saddened to hear of the program change for All the Traditions. For years I have cooked Sunday dinner listening to All the Traditions. I have loved folk music since I was a child and All the Traditions was a fun but soothing program to listen to while I cooked. I was introduced to a lot of new music (to me) and I will greatly miss listening to this program as the new time slot does not work for me. I hope you get some new listeners in the new time slot as this is a truly wonderful program. Thank you Robert Resnik.
ReplyDeleteI love All the Traditions and am very sad that it is no longer on in the afternoon. It was a regular part of my Sundays and something I looked forward to all week. Somehow I don't get to listen in the evenings. Please bring it back to the original afternoon schedule!!!
DeleteYikes! Changing Robert Resnik's show to 7 pm is a poor decision. New Hampshire's folk show is on at the same time. There is such a lack of good music on the airwaves, public radio is basically the only game in town. Why pit these two great shows against each other? It was always a treat to listen to All the Traditions on Sunday afternoon, while doing projects around the house, taking a Sunday drive, or just relaxing. Do we really need MORE talk radio in the afternoon? My (and many others!) Sunday afternoons will never be the same with out Robert's very engaging show.
ReplyDeleteDoug Ditzel
Meriden, NH
I am unhappy with the change in All the Traditions. There are only 5 hours of folk music per week available to those of us who can get both Vermont and NH Public Radio. This move means that the folk shows will be on at the same time. You must know this. Please check what other public radio schedules are before making changes.
ReplyDeleteWhile I fully support a little program change now and then, this new Sunday schedule is not welcome at all. I look forward to VPR's Sunday afternoon lineup all week long--starting at 4 with Studio 360 and All Things Considered, making dinner to This American Life, and relaxing to Says You and Selected Shorts.
ReplyDeleteBoo to you, VPR. Give us back the diverse programming, and leave All the Traditions where it is.
Kelly
Montpelier, VT
I for one am happy about the change. I love All the Traditions, but I am out of the house so much on Sunday afternoons that I often miss most of the show. But I'm always home by 5:30 or 6pm, so this suits me very well. And I won't miss Says You, either!
ReplyDeleteI will be interested in how the new Fresh Air works out, since I never get to hear it during the week. I am going to miss Studio 360, though.
Elizabeth Templeton
Brokfield, VT
Thank you very much for this new Sunday schedule! I am excited to be able to hear Wait Wait, This American Life, and Weekend Fresh Air during the day, since I could not hear them at their usual times. Robert Resnik's folk and traditional music will feel just right in the evening, and I am sure will attract new listeners. Best schedule change in the last 10 yrs.
ReplyDeleteNO, NO, NO, NO, NO!!!!!
ReplyDeleteI too think this is a mistake. And do we really need to repeat A Prairie Home Companion (especially at what I would think is a popular time)? And, I like Wait Wait, but, I listen to it on Saturday. I don't need it again on Sunday...
ReplyDeleteI love some of the changes but I can't believe All the Traditions won't lose the western part of the state that listens to NHPR's folk show. One would hope that there was some attempt at coordination between the three folk shows (the point, VPR, and NHPR). It is a very sad and short sighted move.
ReplyDeleteThis is a terrible change. It's not so much that the All the Traditions has moved from afternoon to evening. But now it's in the same 7-10 time slot as NHPR's Folk Show. Two excellent shows, and no way to listen to them both.
ReplyDeleteAndy Behrens
Strafford, Vt.
I count on All the Traditions on Sundays. What a loss. I can see if Robert requested this but if he didn't, then please rethink this.
ReplyDeleteHere's another vote for not dropping "Selected Shorts".
ReplyDelete"Selected Shorts" is the only book/reading related show on the entire VPR schedule. Surely this is more valuable than a repeat of "Wait, Wait".
If anything, please drop "This American Life".
Happy about the extra hour of weekend edition and the time shift of TAL. Also pleased to see you are keeping "On the Media"- I love that show! Given all the wonderful programming possibilities, I'd like to see you consider stopping the re-run of Prairie Home Companion...
ReplyDeleteI'm unhappy with the change as well. Others have mentioned NHPR's folk show. Robert will also be competing with NCPR in the Champlain Valley as they are airing folk -like programming during the 7-10 Hours. On Sunday aft. Robert had the pie to himself. He will now have to share it with not one but two public radio stations . You can't really expect this to increase listenership.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure the changes were well-considered before implementing [cost-effectiveness and all that]. However, I cannot support more than one airing (and sometimes that's too much) of PHC. In general I'm not a fan of duplicate presentations. Few of us do NOT have access to the internet where shows are readily available at will. Though I'm in Addison County and share my public radio support with WAMC, I can nevertheless sympathize with the NHPR folkies' disappointment. Can't you TiVo radio ?
ReplyDeleteThanks for the forum.
I am unhappy about the change as well. I really enjoy All the Traditions in the Sunday afternoon time slot, and tune it in every Sunday I am home.
ReplyDeletePlease leave All the Traditions on Sunday afternoon. I know that you don't put much into your evening programs because there are fewer listeners. There will DEFINITELY be fewer listeners if you go up against NH
ReplyDeleteI won't be listening to VPR on Sunday afternoon. All the Traditions was in the PERFECT slot.
ReplyDeleteNow Sunday is reruns (Prairie, Wait Wait, and Fresh Air), with much of the content already available via podcasts. We can't time shift All the Traditions.
As a listener, member and volunteer, this may be the most disappointing program change I've seen. Ditch the repeats and give us Robert.
Bring All The Traditions back to Sunday afternoons! Please don't compete with the NHPR folk show. I may have to reduce my support of VPR.
ReplyDeleteTo quote our seven year old grandson:
ReplyDelete"My ears are hungry for All the Traditions."
Sorry, kiddo - but VPR has decided to take him past your bedtime! BOO!
We too dance and cook Sunday dinners. Make that past tense. Please reconsider!
I am very unhappy with this announcement. I generally turn off NPR every night at about 8pm because I don't want to listen to the music. I want to hear the news and entertainment programs. Weekend programming has always felt spotty, at best, to me, but at least I could count on a solid Sunday evening. I could turn on the radio at 5pm while making supper and know I'd have 4 hours of interesting, entertaining programs. I loved that Selected Shorts capped it off, because it was the perfect way to wind down. Now, you're taking that away. I'll never get to hear This American Life in an afternoon slot, and I will greatly miss Selected Shorts.
ReplyDeleteI don't like the idea of repeating Wait Wait. I love the show, but I dislike repeats. It's not enough that you repeat Prairie Home?
I love All the Traditions on Sunday afternoon. It was one of the few things that got me to sit still and take some time to slow down on the weekend. I currently also listen to WUMB (UMASS, Boston) online for lots of folk music. Now I may have to stream WUMB and Spotify on Sunday afternoons instead.
ReplyDeleteI too am very distressed that All the Traditions is moving to Sunday evenings. I have treasured Sunday afternoon folk music on VPR for years. Sunday evenings aren't nearly as convenient for my schedule, and as others have mentioned, when I occasionally can listen on a Sunday evening, I enjoy the NHPR Folk Show. I seems a real shame to pit the two programs against eachother. Please reconsider the change.
ReplyDeleteSelected Shorts was a favorite of mine on Sunday evening. I thought of it as a read aloud for adults, and I enjoyed the different readers and genres. I'm disappointed.
ReplyDeleteWow! This is incredibly disappointing news. Sunday afternoons with Robert have been a tradition here for a long time. Losing this is as painful as losing Live from the Met on Saturdays which I can get, once again, thanks to the peculiar boxes that work with our wireless right now. I don't need to hear Wait, Wait Don't Tell again (though I do love it on Saturday's when I'm running around doing chores), nor Fresh Air which I listen to every afternoon on the way home from work. I would love to hear Robert's music twice a week, but not once a week at 7 p.m. on a Sunday night when we're hunkering down in preparation for the upcoming week. All the Traditions gives us such an eclectic mix of music, along with information of what's going on with Vermont's music scene. It's always a joy to hear it on Sundays. Repeat it if you want, but I think this is a bad decision to move it out of the Sunday programming schedule.
ReplyDeleteThey say all change is difficult, but why make these changes? "Selected Shorts" disappears entirely? What a pity. "Wait, Wait" really doesn't need or deserve a second shot, one is plenty, and though I don't get NHPR I am a long time folkie (More Seeger please) and wouldn't want to make someone who does get NHPR make a choice. Not so hot VPR - in my humble or maybe not so humble opinion.
ReplyDeleteThis new schedule looks great, with only one disappointment: I've loved On the Media at 10 a.m. Sundays and can seldom listen in late afternoon. Glad you've picked up A Way With Words. It, too, is one of my favorites. Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteI too don't like the Sunday change. One of my favorite things in the warmer weather was to listen to All the Traditions while gardening and This American Life was perfect at 6. Sigh. I vote no to rebroadcasts too.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard to find much good about the new Sunday schedule other than the addition of Fresh Air Weekend. Do we really need a third hour of Weekend Edition Sunday? Won't it just be a repeat of the first hour? I like Wait Wait Don't Tell Me, but do we really need a repeat on Sunday? (Why not add Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know instead?) I would have preferred to lose On the Media rather than Studio 360. But the worst part is moving All the Traditions to Sunday evening when the 2nd and 3rd hours conflict with VPT programming (Nature and Masterpiece Theater -- I don't spend my entire life listening to NPR!). I didn't always get to hear every minute of All the Traditions, but I typically heard a lot of it as I moved from kitchen to workshop to garage to car throughout the afternoon. It's one of my favorite shows on VPR and I regret that I will now probably miss much of it.
ReplyDeleteYou also have Robert's All the Traditions competing in the southwest with NY's hour of Scottish music followed by Afropop Worldwide! It is hard to believe anybody did their scheduling homework on this time slot- a disservice both to Robert, whose numbers will suffer around the state and to us folkies who listen to all that we can get in our respective areas.
ReplyDeleteAnd what was the point of introducing a well-regarded show in the 6AM time slot? How many people are both up and up for that kind of stimulation that early on a regular basis on a Sunday? A loss to the rest of us who will be out dancing or listening to "all the traditions" live somewhere the night before and sleeping in a bit...
Christine in the SW corner
Nope. Not happy. I really like to hear All the Traditions in the afternoon and NHPR's Folk Show in the evening. I still miss the old schedule of PHC noon to 2 and ATT 2-5. That way I could hear PHC if I missed it Saturday. (Working in the barn often precludes the beginning of PHC on Saturday, and church is not over til after 11. just can't win.
ReplyDeleteI too am very disappointed about the time change of ALL the Traditions to evenings. It's my favorite show of the week and now I will miss it. Without the Podcast option this is very sad indeed.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, VPR has probably listened to a "focus group" or a tiny slice of it's listeners and made another poor decision concerning it's music programs. Might as well go all in and knock music out all together. I've enjoyed Resnick's show, along with what's left of the jazz programming, as alternatives to all classical all the time, but VPR's changes to these programs really showcases their desire to become all talk all the time. Really tiresome, we all need a respite from talking heads.
ReplyDeleteOur seven-year-old grandson says: "My ears are thirsty for All the Traditions." Sorry, kid--but it's now past your bedtime!
ReplyDeleteBad move, VPR. We also cooked and danced with Robert on Sundays - no more. Grinch.
Please reconsider.
I agree with all the nay-sayers above. No repeat of Prairie Home Companion and Wait, Wait. Leave things the way they are. If it ain't broke don't fix it!
ReplyDeleteI am appalled that All the Traditions will be competing with a NH folk show. I live in western VT, so don't get that one, but as a previous comment said, there aren't that many opportunities to get folk music on the radio. While I have VPR on most of the time, Sunday evening is one time I would prefer to watch public TV to see Nature and Masterpiece Theater. Sunday afternoons were great to listen to Robert as I worked around the house.
ReplyDeleteI would rather repeat Wait, Wait that PHC, and am not a fan of This American Life. Would rather have the 2 new programs at times I'm likely to be awake, it is already a stretch to hear ON Being at 7am and I am a big fan of that show.
We also need to do all we can to introduce young people to folk music and playing it past their bedtimes won't help with that.
I know you can't please everyone, but at the very least, don't have conflicting folk shows!!!
"Vermont PUBLIC Radio" Have you ever thought of publicly proposing schedule changes in advance, to allow input from your listening audience?
ReplyDeleteYou apparently haven't pleased many people with this most recent programming adjustment.
On weekends there is usually too much going on to devote uninterrupted time spans to talk shows that demand our attention.
Music programs such as All The Traditions can be enjoyed in bits and bites as most of the selections last 3 to 5 minutes each...missing various portions of the program doesn't necessarily ruin the whole experience.
You can add me to the list of disgruntled regular listeners.
I agree, not a wise change. I didn't know about the NH folk show until now, and now I'm going to check it out. ALSO - for those of us who can get WAMC (Albany), the Thistle & Shamrock airs on Sundays at 7pm (has for years), and now you have yet another show competing for your audience. (Perhaps VPR would consider bringing Thistle & Shamrock back?). I know you can't please everyone - but I think this is still a poor decision. I agree with the other comment, that you should compare your schedule with neighboring public radio stations before making significant changes to programming.
ReplyDeleteToo many repeats! An additional hour to the already too long Weekend Edition Sunday, PHC, WWDTM and Fresh Aire ??? This is too much recycling for my taste.
ReplyDeleteI'll never hear This American Life or All the Traditions anymore because they are in time slots that are already used for others things in my life that cannot be re-arranged....what a shame. I loved the schedule as it was. I'm really going to miss studio 360 and Selected Shorts, they were great programs that I really enjoyed. The Sunday afternoon-evening programming that you had established had a great flow and was the perfect way to finish up the week-end chores and then Sunday evenings. As other people have commented, putting All the Traditions up against the NH folk show and VPT Sunday evenings powerful schedule seems very unwise...and a shame. Robert Resnik deserves better.
While I don't usually comment on changes till after I've had a chance to try them out, I can see that these new program changes are NOT going to be an improvement for me, not at all.
Folk music fans may remember when Mark Hauser's great folk music show was suddenly cancelled and a group formed to bring back folk music on VPR. The result was Robert Resnick's show, as well as a Community Advisory Board that was consulted on programming changes. I think VPR later eliminated the CAB and apparently is once again marginalizing the folk music community. Maybe it's time for a resurgence of FREE VPR - Folks for Responsive and Eclectic Vermont Public Radio.
ReplyDeleteNot much more to say--I'm very disappointed as well, especially filling some of the time with repeated shows. As another listener notes, 7:00 is a great time to listen to Thistle and Shamrock on WAMC. And I love the fact that even though I would not consider myself a "folk fan," All the Traditions is so worth listening to, such an eclectic mix for a Sunday afternoon. I also think it's time to rethink the second broadcast of Prairie Home Companion,
ReplyDeleteI join the chorus of unhappy VPR listeners bemoaning the new time slot for "All The Traditions." As a longtime Vermont musician, I hate to see the absolutely MOST supportive of local music folk show move to a time that will prove inconvenient for many many loyal listeners, as previous posts indicate. Rather than chastise VPR for a bad move, may I suggest that VPR does as North Country Public Radio does for their String Fever acoustic show on Thursday afternoons? They make Barb Heller's show available for the entire following week online so everybody can listen to the show on their own time. You would make everyone happy and maybe even give more VPR listeners the opportunity to hear Robert's excellent show at any time during the week. Please give this suggestion some consideration. It would solve the problem! Thanks!
ReplyDeleteRick Norcross, Burlington
Gosh, looks as if we’ve lost “Selected Shorts.” We are extremely disappointed about that. It’s frustrating that this change comes right in the middle of the of a single story that was to be completed this Sunday! We understand that “Selected Shorts” requires one’s full attention for an hour. But the art of story-telling, and of reading aloud, is of great value A chance to practice that kind of listening is rare. Let’s not lose it.
ReplyDeleteEven though we love the program,“Wait, Wait” doesn’t need to be rebroadcast, especially if it replaces “Selected Shorts.” And we are still stuck with a two-hour rebroadcast of Garrison Keillor. Yikes!
We have no idea how many of your listeners would agree, but we wonder whether, in the future, it might be worth conducting a little email survey prior to proposed changes, especially if you are eliminating a program. Otherwise we listeners are left only with a chance to react, not provide useful input.
Kate Harper and Leon Marasco, Plainfield, VT
I jumped up in fear that you had canceled "Says You". Thank goodness it is still here! These comments are hilarious; the listeners are nuts... it takes one to know one. What about "Living on Earth"?
ReplyDeleteI look forward to hearing the new schedule while I drive around in my Volvo drinking my fair trade coffee!
Well, it looks like 99% of the listeners responding are not just unhappy, but VERY unhappy, with your scheduling changes. Is there any point at which you would reconsider? How about at least coming out publicly with an explanation of your reasons to refuse to reconsider? I have long planned my Sunday evenings around four hours of my favorite shows - now you have moved two of them, and discarded the other two. BOOOOO! Bring back "Selected Shorts" and "LOE," and put everything back where it was! You haven't made such an egregious mistake in programming since you took away our classical music, "Saturday Afternoon at the Opera," and "Take It From the Top," and brought in the constantly repeating BBC!
ReplyDeleteWes Robertson
Marshfield
I'm sorry to hear about the Sunday line-up change. It seems VRP is further sinking into the realm of talk radio as opposed to diverse programming.
ReplyDeleteI would like to encourage VPR to reassess its devotion to talk radio. It seems we have plenty of programs throughout the week, many which seems to repeat the same topics over and over with little substantive change or difference in viewpoints between them.
Please consider bringing diverse and non-commercial music back to the airwaves. Thanks to the other comments awakening me to the NHPR folks show. And for those who don't know you can find T&S and the mountain stage on North Country Public Radio. Maybe Robert Resnick can get some airtime with them during the day?
Wanted to add my voice to those that are disappointed with the decision to change All The Traditions' time slot; anyone who has missed Wait, Wait, Fresh Air, or Prairie Home Companion can get them through pod casts - they don't really need to be re-broadcasted. Who did you ask for advice on re-scheduling Sunday programming? I'd like you to put ATT back in its slot...and why not add an hour while you're at it?
ReplyDeleteMoving Ira Glass and This American Life to the middle of sunday afternoon (2pm) is a terrible decision.
ReplyDeleteAlmost as bad as the rebroadcast of the Vermont Edition News show at 7pm on weekdays and pushing the Jazz to a later hour.
We have tried to stick with VPR as this is where we live, but this type of schedule change is orcing us more and more to NHPR and Maine Public Radio. Very sorry about this.
I don't like the changes either; Robert Resnik has been such a Sunday afternoon tradition for so long; especially wonderful during the winter. The rest is all repeats; Wait wait AGAIN?? And I've just turned off the THIRD hour of Morning Edition - enough repetitive chatter. Please reconsider this schedule.
ReplyDeleteVPR tops our annual charitable giving - and I have never before been moved to provide feedback - but I think that this programming shift is a major mistake.
ReplyDeleteI agree with the comments above about All The Traditions competing with NHPR's Folk Show. Most unfortunate.
In addition, the Sunday schedule seems to include more repeats - including the "new" fourth hour of Weekend Edition - which is actually mostly repeats of stories in the first hour of programming. That may work for weekday Morning Edition when folks are typically not listening to the entire program because they are on their way to work or listening during their commute. For Sundays though?
I also will miss Studio 360.
This programming lineup doesn't feel like a balanced mix of news, lighter programming and music.
Sorry VPR, I think you really missed the mark on this one.
Agree with Kelly (and the others) with a "boo, VPR" for dropping Studio 360 and Selected Shorts. Selected Shorts was the perfect way to end the weekend. Will Mr. Resnick now have to rearrange the order of his show, since many people likely won't be awake at the end of it to hear about upcoming local performances?
ReplyDeleteI am a huge fan of VPR. Since I work at home (and typically work 7 days a week), I've appreciated the weekday format of talk shows back-to-back.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm REALLY sorry about the new schedule for the weekend. I think that there are too many repeat shows. And the shift of "All the Traditions" to Sunday evening will mean that many of us will not get to hear it---what a disappointment. Robert's show is one of my favorites on VPR with his emphasis on both new and local music. Please reconsider this decision. Thank you so much and Happy New Year!
I also agree with all the nay-sayers above.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely too many repeats! An additional (repeated) hour to Weekend Edition Sunday, plus PHC, WWDTM and Fresh Air; once is quite enough; especially for PHC.
And it will be much more difficult to listen to all or any of All The Traditions; due to both other commitments and the late hour it finishes.
Please put the schedule back the way it was!
Not listening to VPR right now. Gillian Welch Harrow and the Harvest instead.
ReplyDeleteI am skeptical/saddened by the new schedule on Sundays. A great tradition of house chores, cooking, and re-grouping with All the Traditions does not work with talk programs that require full attention or you lose the thread. While I love Fresh Air and Ira Glass, I am in and out for 4 hours straight and just need great folk music. Wait Wait is about as annoying and pompous as they come, as long as I am sharing. This is not a direction I feel like supporting with sustaining membership increases, and instead will stream WWOZ New Orleans.
ReplyDeleteWhew! I'm glad I'm not the only one who is dismayed at the change in programming. I don't have a TV, and, as I recently wrote a friend in Seattle, Sunday night has been my big entertainment night, starting at 5 PM ATC, ending at 9 after Selected Shorts.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I'm trying to suspend final judgment for a few weeks. And -- I'm not as upset as I was awhile ago with an earlier VPR program change. As I read through the current comments, I was glad to see one listener mention being disappointed with the re-broadcast of VT Edition, which pushes back The World and Jazz. (I listen to Vermont residents give their opinions all day - When I'm cooking dinner and eating, I want a respite . . . .)
But: I won't stop listening to VPR -- and at least I can switch to VPR Classical now.(Or catch WAMC in New York)
I agree with all the messages not supporting moving All the Traditions. It doesn't make sense to put repeats in a desirable slot and move a popular program to a time when I, and it appears most listeners, won't be tuning in.
ReplyDeleteWill miss Studio 360 and Selected Shorts. Why the rebroadcasts? Is this strictly a budgetary decision? Most of us can listen to shows we miss through their websites.
ReplyDeleteThank you everyone for your comments and questions. We know a change in the schedule can be a shock to the system, but please know that we put a great deal of planning and thought into making these changes. We've updated the post above to answer your questions. Thank you again for listening.
ReplyDelete-Michelle Jeffery, VPR
Most of the people on here are saying they don’t like the new schedule, and all you are doing is replying with excuses. Everyone else does it this way, so we’re gonna do it this way! Well, Vermont is great because they don’t do the same as everyone else. I‘de rather you be original than to be a copycat!
ReplyDeleteNo! This is just terrible! Sundays are for moving seamlessly from Prairie Home to All the Traditions while driving around on errands, making Sunday dinner and working in the garden. Now you've stuck All the Traditions right in the family's most hectic time of the day and husband's TV time. I will never be able to listen again.
ReplyDeleteI find it unbelievable that VPR didn't even run a listener poll or something first before pulling this junk. Your reasoning and talk of extensive planning falls flat. Sunday should remain an island of relaxation, creativity, insight and music in the week, not just another news day.
As a long-time listener and sustaining member, I am terribly disappointed in the recent changes to the Sunday program schedule, especially moving Robert Resnick. I looked forward to spending my Sunday afternoons listening to him. I get more than enough news, information and opinions during the week (and often find myself switching VPR off during the week at 10 am) I agree with most of the posts expressing their dismay about the repeats too. I guess I'll be turning VPR off on Sundays after Weekend Edition too, wish it were different
ReplyDelete"Our goal with this change was to provide listeners with a consistent experience seven days a week, with news and information during the day, music in the evening" Hello!? Weekends are different than week days, and listening patterns are different on Sundays than on weekdays. My donation is shifting.
ReplyDeleteJust wanted to add my voice to the repeat at 10am... The rerun is too soon and I have to turn it off sooner than I'd like.... Would love On the Media to be on at 10am instead....
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to chime in, as a supporting listener, and say that I am very disappointed that all the traditions has moved to the evening. Whether I was in the car or at home I always looked forward to this program on Sunday afternoon.
ReplyDeletePlease consider changing it back.
I wonder if VPR would be willing to engage in an experiment. Create a poll and ask your listeners what they think of the new Sunday programming. Put it on the website or, send it out to your subscribers if you want. Then see what the answers reveal. I have no doubt that VPR feels that much thought and planning went into this programming change, however sometimes "new" is not necessarily "improved". With so many negative comments on this programming change, I wonder how many voices it will take before VPR gets the message that this change is just not working for a great many of your listeners...especially those who really looked forward to the Sunday programming as it was.
ReplyDeleteI've given the new programming a try and I have to agree that the increase in repeated material, the loss of All the Traditions in the afternoon along with Selected Shorts and Living on Earth in the evening will now mean that I probably won't even turn the radio on for Sunday listening. Everything that I looked forward to has been moved, deleted or replaced with something I've already heard earlier. How is this an improvement? Please re-consider and bring back the old programming, it did not need "fixing".
Yet another disappointed listener here. Selected shorts has been yanked around at various places in the clock over the years, like a step-child to the changing trends in public radio. I really appreciated its most recent time; it's a pity this unique program is missing once again from VPR. After weekdays of talking heads during the day (some of whom talk more than their guests), it was refreshing to hear news analysis on the weekend with On The Media. There's barely any real analysis these days; what passes for this kind of insight is often fluff masquerading as substance, as NPR has dumbed down its evening news.
ReplyDeleteMichelle,
ReplyDeleteThanks for updating the post. I would argue a Sunday listener is different than the other 6 days, I know my habits are different. I podcast the weekday shows as I want and listen "live" Sunday from 8-4.
The real proof for us all will be in the number of listeners and the pledge drive. Where the ears and money go, so should the decisions
Last Sunday, I was very confused when I heard a repeat of Weekend Edition on the same day. I thought perhaps it was a glitch, but now, I'm thinking that VPR is repeating the first hour after the original show. I'm an early riser, and I don't want to hear the first hour replayed. I've been struggling financially the past couple of years, so unfortunately, I have not been able to donate to VPR. Now, even if I had the money, I would hesitate.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed listening to All the Traditions on Sunday afternoons. On the Sundays that I worked, I always tuned in at the office. When at home on Sunday afternoons, All the Traditions was always on the Stereo indoors or on my transistor radio when in the yard. The rest of the week, I allow my daughters to listen to their pop music station in the car. On Sunday afternoons, they knew that any stations with multiple Xs was out of the question. Sunday Afternoon was when their Dad got to listen to his favorite radio program. When I first heard of the program change, I was disappointed, but I figured I would give it a chance. Unfortunately, for me and our family, the new time slot doesn't work. Please reconsider and let us again spend our afternoons with Mr. Resnick.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty disappointed by the new Sunday lineup. On The Media at 10 was a hard habit for me. Studio 360 was one of the best shows on VPR. Those who catch Fresh Air in the afternoons during the week, certainly don't want to hear a repeat on the weekend. And I hope sincerely that the repeated hour of news at 10 am this last Sunday was a one time mistake... its bad enough that VPR repeats the news weekdays from 6-6:30... Say something once, why say it again?
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I want to know where all of the money from the sustaining listener sponsorships is going... it seems to me that even though more and more people become sustaining listeners each year, the amount of money that needs to be raised continues to go up, not down. How is this possible? Especially with the dumbing down of the programming on Sundays, as we see here?
I hope that VPR takes a good look at these comments. The overwhelming consensus seems to be a combination of dismay, disappointment and disgust with the new Sunday schedule. For me, the two biggest problems are the loss of Studio 360 (which I thought was the second best program on the entire schedule,) and the repeat of hour one of Weekend Edition/moving On the Media (my favorite show) to 4pm, when I can no longer hear it. I'm not impressed with the rest of the schedule much either.
ReplyDeletePutting a poll on the website to gauge listener feedback to the new schedule is a good idea. I have met NO ONE who thinks that the repeat of the first hour of Weekend Edition is a welcome edition.
I too am very disappointed with the time shift from Sunday afternoon to evening for All the Traditions. Considering that there is no podcast of the show, maybe you could repeat Resnik's show on a weekend afternoon....
ReplyDeleteI know it's been awhile, but I'm still mourning the loss of ATT on Sunday afternoons. The new Sunday schedule seems to be an NPR initiative that VPR decided to adopt. Reruns of programs, many of which are already reruns. Four hours of PHC in one weekend is way too much - could it not be repeated another time during the week and ATT restored to Sun. afternoon? ATT has been my Sunday companion since the beginning, providing great energy for my gardening and chores. Not just folk, but ALL the traditions - the best show of its kind I've ever heard and for me the best program on VPR. Now it's been thrown to the wolves (Masterpiece, HBO, and 60 Minutes), and I (and a lot of other people) won't be able to listen. Even VPR's Mary Williams watched Downton Abbey on Sun. during the pledge drive! The only things I'll be listening to on Sun. afternoons, if I can remember, are This American Life and Says You. As many have pointed out, Sunday is different, and I for one want a respite from all talk all the time. VPR argues "consistency." Oscar Wilde said, "Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative." I feel like I've lost a very good friend.
ReplyDelete