John Moe says in an e-mail to BlatherWatch he'll stay on with American Public Media after Weekend America goes away and will be developing new projects.
"APM has been really great to me and seem to really believe in investing in me as a national host." he says.
He didn't move to St. Paul to host WA, "That came later -- I moved out here for a change for my family and for new opportunities within APM, which apparently have happened and are happening."
(photo: John Moe)
Part of why WA went down was that it was a big show with moving parts all over the country, and too expensive to produce in the declining economy. Moe writes: "I think whatever I do here next will probably be[with] a smaller staff but hopefully will fit my vibe pretty well."
He's been getting mail already from Seattle: "Now is the time to take [his old one-man KUOW show] The Works national!"
Weekend America (KUOW Saturdays 12-2p) the public radio magazine show will fold January 31.
The show, from American Public Media, and anchored by former Seattleite John Moe and is in its fourth year and on 134 stations and has about 657,000 listeners.
Margaret Ann Hennen, speaking for the company told the Star-Tribune: "The turbulence in the economy was really the tipping point."
Public radio is trampling around in the fiscal nasturtiums like commercial broadcasting -- NPR announced deep cuts early in December.
Moe took the reins of the show in August from his friend (and ours) former KUOW personality, Bill Radke. The purview of the magazine format is national, with "curious, lively conversations, [and] unexpected stories."
The St. Paul-based syndicator, American Public Media, is the national production and distribution arm
of Minnesota Public Radio (MPR). They produce, among others: Marketplace, A Prairie Home Companion, and T
he Splendid Table.
Looks like trouble, troubles a brewin' everywhere.
Seems like radio is a small niche kind of institution. Why can't they all go back to just fulfilling the local needs of communities and quit trying to be the biggest and the best.
Maybe I'm oversimplifying but I remember old KIRO, KOMO and KING. There was room for all and it was all local. And people listened.
A different era, I guess.
Posted by: joanie | December 22, 2008 at 09:24 PM
This economy is going to touch everything...This is one show that I did listen to sometimes. Sorry it wont be around.
Posted by: sparky | December 22, 2008 at 09:32 PM
Wonder if Moe will move back to Seattle?
Posted by: wolfbrooks | December 22, 2008 at 10:00 PM
Love both Weekend America and A Prairie Home Companion. Hope they do not cancel the latter.
Even sports are taking a beating. Arena Football is canceling the 2009 AFL Season, but af2, their developmental league will continue. The AFL was considering overseas expansion to Europe earlier this year. Other leagues are laying off staff. Used to be sports was a reccession proof industry. Now if only they were not building these new stadiums so soon. AN interesting sign, Meadowlands Stadium in New Jersey will be home to both the Giants and the Jets, although earlier, the Jets were considering moving back into New York.
Wonder if the recession will doom the United Football League(originally to start in fall 2009), and New USFL(due to start spring 2009, and they say they are not going to make the same mistakes the old USFL did). Things might change by 2010, and the USFL proposes to use the Green Bay Ownership Model.
Posted by: EvergreenRailfan | December 23, 2008 at 12:59 AM
The Splendid Table and Market Place are two of my favorite radio shows. Lets hope they stay on. Lynne Rossetto Kasper is incredibly talented.
Maybe Weekend America will come back when the economy picks up. Its a damn good show.
Posted by: herbalizer | December 23, 2008 at 08:38 AM
*Growl* If public radio cancels one more show I enjoy, I don't know what I'll do. Thanks for catering to the more well-off/older audience, NPR/APM.
Frankly, I dislike Prairie Home almost as much as "The Swing Years." I was really charmed by both Day 2 Day and Weekend America. I guess I wasn't enough.
Posted by: KPLU Fan | December 23, 2008 at 12:36 PM
I like the idea of taking "The Works" national!
Posted by: RadioWonkLance | December 23, 2008 at 07:41 PM
John Moe has a "vibe"?
Posted by: Chris | December 24, 2008 at 06:51 PM
i heard 'a little bit of weather everywhere' on w.a. once and thought it was pretty clever, would be nice to at least see that feature preserved and picked-up by weekend edition
Posted by: TheOtherKevin | December 26, 2008 at 12:30 AM
Sarah again?
Posted by: test | December 27, 2008 at 02:32 PM
Come on test, don't tell me you folks are skeered o' little ol' Sarah still. Don't be afraid little feller. She isn't going to bite you. Unless, of coarse, she mistakes you for a moose and shoots your ass, field dresses you and gives the meat to a food bank. You have little to worry about for a few years. Just stay in the city.
Posted by: chucks | December 27, 2008 at 07:05 PM
chucks
they must be scared the way they went after her.
i still recall a few on this blog -the same ones who get worked up on the birth certificate- being very aggressive on the Twig Palin parentage or if Sarah had an affair with her hubby's ex bizness partner. Oh the hypocrisy is delicious.
After all, the man had the temerity to have his divorce papers sealed. When that proved to be a dry hole the response from them was 'what do you expect us to think when the divorce papers are sealed.'
here is a 2009 calendar you are unlikely to see in Seattle stores
Sarah 09
Posted by: Puget Sound | December 27, 2008 at 07:21 PM
Santa brought me that! But I'm not going to tell any body here.
They will all get their panties twisted.
I'm still "tis the seasoning", so I have no mean through the week-end.
Posted by: chucks | December 27, 2008 at 07:49 PM
Puget beats off to her image nightly
Posted by: snowflake for beer | December 27, 2008 at 07:55 PM
I just look at it while your mother blows me.
That's funny, your ID. Snowflake is what we called coke whores in Alaska that would lay down with anybody for a line.
You really do it for beer? Does it have to be a brand name?
Posted by: buzzardbarf | December 27, 2008 at 08:24 PM
I dunno, did you catch herpes as a result?
Posted by: snowflake for beer | December 27, 2008 at 08:31 PM
just crabs
Posted by: buzzardbarf | December 27, 2008 at 08:38 PM
Chucks, I hate to to let you know that you'er wrong about my post. But I was just testing this
"Habu
My learned friend. My gift to you.
step 1
go to HTML links.
Click.
It will reveal a code on how to link. Basically you'll be swapping in your link for the "http://www.microsoft.com/"
but remember to keep the
This text in place.
(you can type in whatever phrase you want for the This text portion. " fron PS.
I used this Post cause I thouht no one was readin' it. I guess I underestimate the fangs you folks have.
Stay cool..I think?
Posted by: test | December 28, 2008 at 09:08 PM