Hearing Voices
Posted at 4:50 AM on August 25, 2009
by Dale Connelly
(30 Comments)
Thanks to Ann Reed for sitting in for me yesterday.
I'm impressed with how easily everyone tossed off Haikus.
Here's mine:
Nice to hear a voice
That is familiar but not
The same old blah blah.
UPDATE: The program changes sketched out below appear as they did in the original posting of this blog, but they are premature and will not go into effect on the dates I listed, and perhaps not with this schedule or these specific programs. My apologies if any Radio Heartland listeners feel misled. This information was also mistakenly distributed in a Member's Newsletter through no one's fault but my own. I jumped the gun on an announcement that hasn't been thoroughly reviewed.
Stay tuned for more details as we plan the future of Radio Heartland.
Speaking of that, Mike Pengra and I are planning some changes for Radio Heartland starting in September. It has been our goal since the beginning to get some additional voices on the air, based on my personal belief that sympathetic listeners will like the music well enough but long term loyalty to a radio station has a lot to do with the people who do the on-air work.
The happiest solution would be to hire a bunch of friendly, engaging announcers, but the trials and limitations of a start-up combined with the sluggish economy make it more likely that we will have Universal Health Care For All and perhaps a Moon Base before Radio Heartland is able to add new staff members.
One quick way to bring more personality to the stream is by using regional and national programs that are already being produced. Here we are able to catch a break - because HD radio and online streaming are technologies still in their infancy (relatively speaking), it doesn't cost much to put shows like "A Prairie Home Companion", "American Routes", "Mountain Stage" and "Thistle and Shamrock" into the schedule.
So ... staring September 5th, our weekend schedule will look like this:
Saturday:
9-11 am - American Routes with Nick Spitzer
11-noon - Thistle & Shamrock with Fiona Ritchie
Noon - 3 pm - The Dale Connelly show Hour 3 rebroadcasts from Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.
Sunday:
9-11 am - A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor
11am - 1pm - Mountain Stage with Larry Groce
1pm - 3 pm - The Dale Connelly Show Hour 3 rebroadcasts from Thursday and Friday
We're also trying to resolve some technical barriers to carrying A Prairie Home Companion when it is broadcast live at 5 pm on Saturday.
Wish us luck.
And finally, it is our plan to bring National Public Radio newscasts into the weekday morning hours at 6, 7 and 8 am, starting on September 8th. Whew!
I hope the result will be something with more personality that is both enjoyable and a little more varied than what Jasper has been able to provide on his own. He'll get to cool his circuits a bit and we'll get to hear what other some people have to say.
If you had carte blanche to re-draw the Radio Heartland schedule, what would you do?
Assume that you have an unlimited amount of money and access to everything.
Comments (30)
Dale,
Thanks for constantly working to improve things at RH. Honestly my weekends are usually full with regular MPR programs (
no HD in car). I need programming from 3-5 even more than in the slots you've filled.
What are the odds of getting the Annoying Music Show? Any chance for Science Friday? I know they are not exactly music from the heartland, but I've always been eclectic.
See you at the Fair!
hi Dale and Mike - thanks for thinking of us. the best thing that could happen up here is to get HD (i'd happily buy a radio for the kitchen and barn - maybe even car!!). i know you don't have power to do that. i'll stream when i can and be thankful. it's always good
good morning, All!
That's a lot of happening - sounds excellent! I could go on and on about how amazing you radio guys are, but I'd rather focus on me.
Was sorry to miss out on all the Haiku fun yesterday and have a couple late offerings. The first one is simply called Haiku and the second one A Talk With God.
Here is my Haiku
You'll find it very boring
That's how Haikus are
Rain storm in Sioux Falls
I'll take back the Haiku slam
If it stops by recess
Exciting developments! I love American Routes!
Have a great Tuesday, all.
Yes, I think carrying those shows you listed on RH is a very good idea, Dale and Mike.
Is Piano Jazz by Marian McPartland still available? I would really love to hear this show.
I think you have found a way to get a greater range of musical programing on MPR. Jasper's selections are okay, but some shows that concentrate on certain kinds of music will give fans of these kinds of music a chance to hear more of the music they like.
I'm such an HD snob that I hardly ever listen to any FM anymore. I praise it all the time, though it does have barriers for the remote and budget/tech challenged, and the market is still lagging - my new car (well 2009 version) didn't offer HD.
Hooray for some variety! Maybe update Jasper some, he played a "snow" song the other (warm, sunny) day - sounded clueless! And I hear lots of portable devices for HD are coming in September, any chance they will someday be able to stream RH? They could plug into my car radio via Aux In, I think! Ipod out of budget and no need for all features.
Hi, Dale and Mike
Thanks for your continued work and innovation. I enjoy the music/variety shows you are planning to add. But, the news is something I get from other sources. Almost 100% of the news which is broadcast is bad/sad. (Sorry, news lovers, it's just the way I feel... Garbage in = garbage out and all that.) I'd much prefer to hear great music and your cheerful voice in the morning, Dale! Radio Heartland is the best. Thanks again!
I love GK and a Prairie Home Companion (even friends with the cast and crew) but is it really necessary to bring it on yet another service? Its already on News and Classical, and I kinda like the fact that its just morning show music without outside programs. I can hear any show online if I wanted to, but do you want Radio Heartland to sound like every other public radio station out there? I mean by all means bring the hourly NPR news summary in the morning. That will be helpful, but the rest, just let it be music picked by Jasper. Its so unique and so nice.
Thanks for the comments, everyone.
Aaron, I get what you're saying about the availability of Prairie Home Companion elsewhere. It does seem repetitive to offer it on Radio Heartland also, but my feeling is that Garrison's show is fundamental to what we're doing here and that it is a better fit for Radio Heartland than any other service MPR offers.
Rather than be ruled by what others are doing, I asked myself the question "Does PHC belong here?" Obviously I feel the answer is a resounding "Yes."
That's sound reasoning Dale. RH has no reason to skip the progams that fit just because they're available somewhere else. Bust it UP!
And keep pushing on whatever's stopping the live broadcast of PHC, that'd be lovely on RH!
I like the ideas for additions to RH except for news.
I find the news breaks on other MPR/NPR programs intrusive and bothersome.
I spend a lot of time gathering news for teaching ideas for my professional blog. I don't need another news source when I'm trying to enjoy some escapist music. Please, don't send me back to Pandora. I like hearing you and your guests.
I guess Aaron is right that some shows that are planned for RH are already available to me through my computer. However, if I could the HD broadcasts where I live I would not have to try to listen to them on my computer.
Listening to shows on my computer has it's problems for me with all the buffering and some other little problems that I have to deal with due to less than perfect functioning of my computer and of my internet service.
I think that RH is mostly a music service, but if there is any interest in expanding the news boardcasting, I think you should consider carrying Democracy Now.
All the money and access a girl could ask for? Wow. The shows I like from other public radio have either already been mentioned (at least the music ones - Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me is a favorite, but not very musical). This would be a tough one, perhaps, without more RH staff, but what about the RH equivalent of the Current's Local Show (a weekly show about local music - only RH style instead of the fine local music played by 89.3). If an hour of local music seems tough, maybe a combination of the Local Show and Musicheads. I like those shows, and wish there were something equivalent for RH-style music, too.
When we lived in Detroit the public radio station played Arkansas Traveler from 3 to 5 p.m. on Saturdays. It's a great show, with great music.
Thanks for the Steve Goodman/John Prine song. Anyway you could play Steve's "Roving Cowboy"?
This all sounds very exciting. Certainly SOMEONE has writen a song called "Cool Your Circuits."
Sorry I wasn't here yesterday to respond to the haiku. (The word "haiku" is like "sheep" - same singular or plural.) I enjoyed everyone's contributions. Thanks again for asking me to host.
Great ideas for RH. I'd like to hear more Jazz. Still miss Leigh Kamen and the jazz image. Years ago on the news side there used to be jazz on Friday nights and then Jazz Image from 9 PM to 3 AM I think... clearly not expecting that much but a few hours of jazz would be a great addition that's not available to me except to stream from another online source...
Thanks Mike and Dale.
I hope you'll have some patience with the newscasts, Ken. Our plan is to take 3 minutes from National Public Radio and I'll follow it with a minute or so of local and regional news, then back to the music.
I've done morning radio with and without news, and I like it better with. It creates a context for everything else. I feel a bit isolated otherwise. Although I sense that putting some space between yourself and the news of the day is your goal, which I understand. I just think it will add some vitality to the morning hours.
lucky for me the shows mentioned are all favorites. if you are going to add to the mix to do it with phc, american routes , thistle and shamrock and mountain stage is perfect. as long as you are on the mark i won't have to make any comments other than bravo for the continued progress in this, the best radio station programming that there is. jasper dale mike garrison fiona and a couple others is a wonderful way to get on with it. go dale and what do you think about that new moon base?a little news makes it today which is fine otherwise you may as well hit ramdom mix on your own cd collection.
My weekends are usually chaotic, but one thing I think people would love to hear are rebroadcasts of your interviews with artists. I love hearing musicians talk about their interests and projects. Also, this fits the qualities of changing things up a bit, but keeping the music heart of RH.
Yay! Thanks for the Karen Savoca "Dig Down" song! It made my morning. My dogs are having to wait for their walk until it's over!
Hmmm...carte blanche, eh? Beau coup! I would ask if there was anything that would coax Jim Ed out of retirement (even partially) and give it to him, bring back Dr. Science, create a separate endowment specifically for RH, create a 'politics free' pocket within MPR for RH, and, finally, hire me.
If it were up to me, I'd probably make a slot somewhere for World Cafe. David Dye has done some great interviews with people like Ry Cooder, Wilco, Patty Griffin and many others. Since artist interviews are probably rather labor-intensive for RH to do, there's a certain efficiency in tapping into a national source for more material. WXPN is actually what I hoped The Current would be when it was first launched - it's music with a current focus, but a broader and deeper selection, and a memory for music that was made in years that begin with a 19.
The newscasts are fine with me, and I love American Routes.
news is ok, Science Friday, Mr Science, Am routes, all good
if you keep the programs music-oriented that would be fine
are there any children's radio programs that would be appropriate? we have RH on all day and it would be fun for the boys to have a program for them
or, remember when Christine Sweet used to read to us? that would be wonderful to bring back
thanx
Good ideas, Dale and Mike. We love the show for the music you play. True, there are many great shows available on public radio. We shift between MPR and WPR in Wisc exclusively. Having a little variety on RH would allow us to leave the tuning selector alone. Some news would be OK- agreeing with you, Dale, that it would reduce the isolation that you feel.
I agree with Ben. Adding some jazz could help in our loss of Leigh Kamen's show and enrichen RH.
Having guest appearances is an important feature of your show and rebroadcasting on a weekend would be great too.
Keep up the great music service to your audience! You're a treasure of MPR.
I REALLY like RadioHeartland! I own THREE (count 'em. . . 3!) HD Radios, all because of RH! I think that "switching it up a bit" with new shows might be kind of nice but what I REALLY miss are the skits! I know that Jim Ed was essential for the characters but you have other celebrity co-hosts from time to time, put 'em to work! And Mike polish up your sound effects! Jim Ed had to start somewhere! ;-)
One more thing . . .
There's been alot of talk about the iPhone app for Radio Heartland. I have a Palm Centro and I listen to RH on it and I didn't even NEED an App. PTunes works just fine!
Thanks for the ideas, everyone.
Cfastner, I'm glad to hear you're doing your part to bolster the HD radio audience with 3 receivers! Nice work. And the Palm Centro tip is an important detail that gets overlooked. Thanks!
I agree with cfastner about the skits - do you have any of the old MS sketches recorded? I keep hoping for a replay of the old Incredible Betty skits or the soap opera with Nilo Saharan (the title has slipped my mind).
I listen to RH exclusively on the PC from Virginia--almost always Dale's show--not so crazy about NPR news in the mix, but PHC does make sense, as does Thistle and Shamrock. I love MPR's Musicheads, but would also like to hear the RH staff/affiliated DJs sit around for a couple of hours a week talking about the new music they have discovered. Bringing in artists in the studio to discuss and play their new material would also be welcome. Whatever you do, I'll be listening.
Dale, THANK YOU for the new Saturday morning programming!! That's a GREAT idea! I'm thrilled. Also, would love to hear rebroadcasts of the shows you tape with visiting artists. I LOVED the rebroadcast of Susan Werner and Cheryl Wheeler!!
Also, just want to tell you that since RH has come on the air, and I received an HD radio for Christmas, I've probably turned on regular FM stations only a few times. When I walk in the door I automatically hit the button for RH and am satisfied every time. I don't even listen to my cd's anymore (kinda sad).
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