WBUR Changes Weekend Program Lineup

By Sam Fleming
Dec 4, 2009, 5:00 AM
89 Comments

Update: In response to listener feedback, WBUR has revised the weekend program schedule.

WBUR is making some weekend programming changes starting Saturday to make it more convenient to listen to some of your favorite programs.

This means you’ll be able to hear Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me earlier on Saturdays, at 10 a.m., following Weekend Edition Saturday. Your favorite car guys will remain in the 11 a.m. time slot with Car Talk. And at noon, you’ll hear Ira Glass and This American Life. And if you happen to have missed Wait, Wait at 10 a.m., you can still catch it again at 2 p.m. every Saturday.

See WBUR’s full schedule

Please follow our community rules when engaging in comment discussion on wbur.org.

Richard Williams

Why are you eliminating the repeat of the first hour of Weekend Edition ? Although I like Wait, Wait . . . I don’t need to hear it a second time an hour later. the second broadcast of Weekend Edition’s first hour is more useful, in my opinion, because I often miss the first hour for one reason or another. It’s JUST LIKE Morning Edition !
Thanks.
Bill Hubbard

I do wish that you had not decided to move “Speaking of Faith” to 6am on Sundays. I’ve spent many a Sunday lunch listening to those incisive discussions. And it seemed a fitting follow-up to the Marsh Chapel service. Please reconsider!
Heather

Why mirror WGBH’s schedule? Wouldn’t it make more sense to offer different listening times for similar programming?
John Russell

What is wrong with you people! “Car Talk” 3x a week? “Wait, Wait…” 4X? It’s way too much of a good thing. You owe your listeners – especially those who contribute faithfully – an explanation. Is it the money? Is it that podcasts make shows like “Marketplace Money” (again) expendable? Simply tell us. I don’t find that it’s “more convenient to listen” a good reason for a weekend schedule that, through repetition,
is flirting with boredom.

Or better yet, why not solicit your listeners for programming opinions, not just money? It only takes a e-mail.

Look I love ‘BUR & I’ll continue to listen & contribute. But some of your scheduling decisions are ill-conceived. You’ve narrowed, rather than expanded, the world you offer us. Thanks, though, for returning “Studio 360″, a show that never should be cut.
Hillary

I agree — a rebroadcast of Wait Wait so soon after it originally airs is completely redundant. And I will really miss the added hour of Scott Simon at 10:00.
Elinor Stone

I note that Scott Simon is not on your new Saturday list. If this is the case and not an oversight, I guess I’m writing to say goodbye.

Please don’t do it.

E.S.
Bernd

I don’t like the lose of the hour of WESAT and Scott Simon. I like Wait Wait but I don’t need to hear it 4 times on a weekend.
Duke Briscoe

Too much Wait Wait repeats, you need to get Marketplace Money back in the schedule. And Living on Earth needs an afternoon or evening slot, maybe that 7pm Sunday slot for another Wait Wait.
Eric Reinhard

I am still mad as heck that you moved ‘Living on Earth’ to 6AM Sunday. Sorry to complain but this is ANOTHER crummy decision. I agree with all these comments, please don’t do it. With all the clatter on a typical Saturday AM, I have always been glad that Weekend Edition repeats. It is a high quality show and I often don’t mind listening to it twice. I like the comedy show ‘Wait Wait’ too, but not in the morning. I’ll turn off the radio and catch it later. Thanks anyway, but I don’t really want to hear it in the morning. P.S. I have had enough of Tom and Ray’s scripted ad-libs too.
Judith Spelke

I am appalled at the new schedule – infuriated. I am addicted to Wait Wait and you have now made it totally inaccessble to me. I go out early in the morning on Saturday to get all my errands done so I can be home at noon to listen – uninterrupted to the progam. And if by chance I am away for the week-end or busy on Saturday at noon, I count on picking it up Sunday night at 7:00. I build my week-end schedule around that timing and you have taken not just one – but two program times away from me – replacing them with 2 times that I cannot possibly be available to listen. Why on earth are you putting both times on Saturday. It’s the worst programming I have ever encountered. There are many people like me who work all week long and Saturday is the day to do all the week-end chores – shopping and the like. In and out of the car is not conducive to listening to a program like Wait Wait.

I beg of you – please restore one of the previous times – either Satuday at noon or Sunday at 7:pm. Please hear my plea….please.

I go to the tapings when they are in Boston…I wear a Karl Kassell button proudly on my coat…I donate to ‘BUR throughout the year. Please listen to my voice…please!

Judith Spelke

I gave you my home e-mail…but you can also send a response to jspelke@thedaviscompanies.com or call me at 781.209.1550 (home) or 617.451.1300 x229.

I would very much like to hear from you.

jrs
R Danca

Changes or not (and I hate ‘em, too)this is further proof that the “R” in your call letters stands for “repeat.” Even before the the changes, nearly every program repeats at least once.

For what it’s worth, though, I’d rather have a repeat than the annoying “Con Salsa” on Saturday nights.

In the spirit of WBUR, I will repeat this message in a couple of hours.
Jo Sullivan

Please, please rethink these weekend changes. And why notify your listeners the day before? I do like Wait, Wait, but one reason to appreciate it is that one needs to be up to date on the real news. So, WHY are you cutting the hour off Weekend Edition? Wait, Wait is only funny if you know the news!

I agree with the Sat. errand people for different reasons. I work long hours all week long and sleep in on Sat. when I can. So cutting off at 10 is a real disservice. And, again, why would you have W,W twice in one day and cut off Weekend Edition?

Loyal listener
Beth

I’m so disappointed that you’re cutting off WE and moving Speaking of Faith. As another listener mentioned, it was a great follow-up to Marsh Chapel and it’s so rare to hear any kind of thoughtful programming about faith or religion these days. I love Wait Wait and TAL, but I also like to be brought out of my comfort zone with unusual programs like Living on Earth, Speaking of Faith and Only a Game, all of which I came upon accidentally. Please keep your weekend variety!
Marjorie Hilton

I am copying John Russell’s comment because I fully believe in what he said. SO as a repeat:
“What is wrong with you people! “Car Talk” 3x a week? “Wait, Wait…” 4X? It’s way too much of a good thing. You owe your listeners – especially those who contribute faithfully – an explanation. Is it the money? Is it that podcasts make shows like “Marketplace Money” (again) expendable? Simply tell us. I don’t find that it’s “more convenient to listen” a good reason for a weekend schedule that, through repetition,
is flirting with boredom.

Or better yet, why not solicit your listeners for programming opinions, not just money? It only takes a e-mail.

Look I love ‘BUR & I’ll continue to listen & contribute. But some of your scheduling decisions are ill-conceived. You’ve narrowed, rather than expanded, the world you offer us. Thanks, though, for returning “Studio 360″, a show that never should be cut.”

I would rather you kept to the original hours. There is more choice variety by having the line-up so that one can hear a Sat or Sunday (or both) edition of a favorite program.
R Danca

The following message was previously recorded (just like almost everything on the new WBUR).

Changes or not (and I hate ‘em, too)this is further proof that the “R” in your call letters stands for “repeat.” Even before the the changes, nearly every program repeats at least once.

For what it’s worth, though, I’d rather have a repeat than the annoying “Con Salsa” on Saturday nights.

In the spirit of WBUR, I will repeat this message in a couple of hours.
Diane

I see that WGBH, in all its redundant wisdom, has decided to schedule WWDTM at 10 a.m. on Saturday. So much for their “innovative” new schedule, and BUR’s multiple airings to keep the audience. Oh, as for the person who complained about Con Salsa (as the ONLY musical show on BUR), don’t wait for a reply from the staff; I’ve written a least a half dozen times over the years and never received the courtesy of a reply.
http://Peat@Yahoo.com Pete von

A shorter Weekend Edition?! That WAS the best way to start the weekend. I hope that BUR will switch back. I usually listen all day from 9:00 on. I really do not want to hear the same shows over and over. Wait Wait is a great show, but not so funny the second time as it is just topical reactionary comedy. How about The Best of our Knowledge, The Book Show, Tell Me More, American Roots, Thistle & Shamrock, Living on Earth, Vinyl Café, The CBC shows, or Marketplace Money. Thank god I can tune in NHPR and MPBN

A shorter Weekend Edition?! That WAS the best way to start the weekend. I hope that BUR will switch back. I usually listen all day from 9:00 on. I really do not want to hear the same shows over and over. Wait Wait is a great show, but not so funny the second time as it is just topical reactionary comedy. How about The Best of our Knowledge, The Book Show, Tell Me More, American Roots, Thistle & Shamrock, Living on Earth, Vinyl Café, The CBC shows, or Marketplace Money. Thank god I can tune in NHPR and MPBN
Jana Sweeney

I’m so disappointed that Speaking of Faith has been moved. I’m even an atheist and I love the show. That’s how good it is.
Richard in UK

I agree with Heather. Why have 2 schedules (WBUR 7 WGBH 8.97) that now almost mirror each other on Saturdays? It doesnt make any broadcasting sense. People want choices.
Rick Evans

It’s funny how announcements never state what’s being subtracted while trying to put a smiling face on what’s being added? Do we REALLY need FOUR casts of Wait, Wait Don’t Tell me over the weekend?

Even more useless, in a time of economic turmoil, does it really make sense to dump the one of the few sensible personal finance shows on public radio, i.e. Marketplace Money? Actually, make that on radio period, since much of what tries to pass for PF is paid radio programming by hucksters.
Deborah

I agree with almost all of the comments on the change in schedule. Especially moving Speaking of Faith, and the loss of Marketplace Money. Why are you eliminating a show with so much important information? I often got stuck in the car at noon with Wait Wait on at noon so moving that to another time helps, but why not just put it at 2:00. Is this all about cost cutting? If so, let us know during fund-raisers that this is what you have to do without contributions from all of us. Hope the whole thing is reconsidered.
linda mcintosh

Don’t get me wrong, I love Peter Sagal and Wait Wait. But really, 4 times on a w/e with an overlap with WGBH at 10 AM on Saturday? This is ridiculous. Especially when you are cutting a rebroadcast of Week End Saturday’s first hour. Please reconsider!!
Joseph Bille

So, this year, even after a reduction in salary because of the economy, I decided after years of pledge prompted contributions,to become a sustaining member of both WBUR and WGBH, the latter of which I haven’t listened to regularly for years.

I’m thrilled that we now have a competely non-commercial classical station…but will someone explain the logic of the duplication, and in some cases quadruplication of the NPR line-up with both WGBH and WBUR running nearly identical progtramming during the daytime….There is certainly a wide enough array of altenate proramming from the differenct public radio sources to have these two stations compliment each other….who got paid to make these decisions?….they need to give some of their salary back for such a bone-headed outcome.
Rick Evans

Marketplace Money: The good news is that WGBH-FM has picked up Marketplace Money at 4PM on Sunday
Christine

Just curious – is ANYONE happy with the changes? And are they all budget-related? If not, how were the choices made and why?
Tom

I am very disappointed that Scott Simon has been cut way back. For me, on Saturday I wake up around 9 or after. I have the radio on until 11 and get to hear the whole show. But now it is ending at 10 – with no way to hear what I have missed. VERY DISAPPOINTED !!!!!!!!
Tom

Everyone one should know that all the weekly and daily shows on WBUR are available via iTunes Podcast. I never listen to them live, I listen on a schedule that I choose. But the live news shows only make sense via WBUR.
BUT — now that WBUR has dropped playing live news, and only plays endless repeats of podcast shows — perhaps I should end my monthly contribution of $10 and instead send the money to progressive causes?
emob

Reiterating what has already been posted: I too am a fan of WWDTM and enjoy hearing it a 2nd time Sunday evening for sections I may have missed but does it really need to be scheduled four times each weekend?
And at the expense of MarketPlace Money? Not a good exchange, in my estimation.
Overall, I’m very disappointed and given the redundancy of the programming, reconsidering my support.
M. Lelyveld

A thing ill-considered.
David Lettvin

I am a fan of WWDTM and have been for years, but I am also a fan of RadioLab and The Moth and dozens of other shows.

So I have a question … If I have already heard WWDTM at 10 am, why would I want to listen to it again at 2pm or the next day at all? Repetition of the show simply means that I will tune away from WBUR to get the variety that I want. With the new, odd, simultaneous programming schedule on WGBH, what will happen is that I will find an NPR station in some other city that has a more interesting and non-repetitive line-up of programs.

Even more likely is that I will stream NPR and PRI shows directly or from their podcasts and instead of sending contributions to WBUR and WGBH, instead send contributions directly to the originating stations for the programs that I like.

It’s a direction that I’ve been tending towards anyway, but now that the Department of programming redundancy seems to have taken over, perhaps it’s time to stop listening locally.

Now I can dump my radio. One less piece of electronics on my desk.
David Lettvin

… and just so you know. The WBUR website seems to think that “On The Media” is “Radio Boston” and that the rebroadcast of WWDTM is actually called “Living on Earth”. You might want to fix that oh ye of New WBUR Dot Org!
Elaine

I loved hearing Scott Simon at 10am, a weird time for a humor show. I enjoy “Wait Wait” but four times is too many. Why repeat it and not Weekend Edition? The old schedule worked much better–Wait Wait works well at noon. I’m also really sorry to see “Speaking of Faith” moved to the early morning graveyard. All in all, good shows off and too many repeats.
Cheryl Bentsen

I’d like to know the reasons (economic, I assume) for the changes that seem to have pleased nobody. The new schedule significantly reduces the susbtance of WBUR programming. It’s all yuks for less bucks, I guess.
Laurence Glavin

I am able to receive WFCR-FM 88.5 where I live, and that outlet does carry the first hour of WESAT again at 10:00 am. So if any of you out there enjoy reception of WFCR and want to continue to tune in starting at 9:00 am for the whole 2-hour program, give them a try.
seth holmes

I agree with the overwhelming majority: Too much of a good thing with WWDTM; especially at the expense of losing Marketplace, SAT 10am Scott Simon, and 2pm Living on Earth. Please reconsider and keep the variety mid-day.
Dorothy

I am a new and big fan of “Radio Lab” and have, over time, come to really appreciate “Speaking of Faith.” I am terribly disappointed in the new program line up which I think spotlights the shows that WBUR underwrites. Please correct me if I am wrong on this count, but that is my impression. There are so many good shows developed by PRI and NPR – why aren’t they spotlighted? Oh well. Too bad for WBUR. I fail to see how this is going to build individual or other sponsorship. Time to get an Ipod and donate directly to these venues.
Ken Sawyer

I enjoy so many of the weekend shows, especially Wait Wait … but I am one of many people I know who include Speaking of Faith high on that list and thought its previous place on Sunday was just right.
Jean Berman

I am an early riser so I could still hear Speaking of Faith at 6AM on Sundays, but I agree that it is a much better fit following the Marsh Chapel service. Of course, I wouldn’t mind if you dropped the Marsh Chapel service and replaced it with more news. I understand that Wait, Wait and Car Talk are a good fit together on many stations, but having Wait Wait twice a day on both Saturdays and Sundays is overkill. Also, when are you going to get rid of Con Salsa? It is the only show you broadcast that I not only want to leave the room rather than listen to, it is the only time I change to another station! It is a total waste of time. If you really want to have music programming on your station, why not something a little quieter like Thistle and Shamrock? I don’t want to be blasted by Latin music while I’m trying to sleep. Listening to the calm tones of BBC presenters is much more soothing.
Thank you,
Jean Berman
Linda

I agree with the other listeners; the schedule was just right and I looked forward to it during the work week. WWDTM doesn’t need to be on twice in a day, and I want to hear Scott’s wonderful voice when I wake on Saturday mornings. I love WW, but not ready for it til noonish, and I want to listen to Ira Glass later in the afternoon after all the errands are done. Here’s how it’s done: upon waking, dressing, and morning coffee: Scott Simon; out and about doing errands: Car Talk; back home for lunch: Wait! Wait! Sometimes Radio Boston (not keen on either host, actually) but if topic is good I’ll listen in while doing chores at home. Afternoon break: TAL Usually grab On the Media podcast (love that show!), sometimes listen to evening news, Tavis, sometimes enjoy a bit of Con Salsa tho’ not all night, throw some BBC in there live or podcast, etc.
I also agree with those that enjoy Leanne Hanson on Sunday, and SOFaith at noon.

You can’t get us all trained and then yank the rug from under us!! We’re the reason you’re there.
http://www.pnart.com Peter Nelson

I listen to all my NPR, APM, and PRI programming on the web via podcast or MP3-download or stream-capture-and-play when-I-want. So I really don’t care what time a show is broadcast, or on what station.

But I DO think listeners are obligated to help pay for programs they like, and the NPR funding model is that stations pay for syndicated programs, so listeners provide that money with their contributions.

Today I cancelled my WGBH membership of 30 years because of their programming changes. I will remain a WBUR member as a way to fund NPR and similar programming, even though I seldom listen to WBUR’s actual broadcasts, nor do I have any association with Boston, or Boston University. (I live in Massachusetts just west of 495)

NPR needs to seriously rethink its funding model. In the internet age geographical concepts of “your local public radio station” are meaningless. With rapid adoption of mobile broadband, in the next few years NO ONE will be listening to broadcast “radio” stations. So NPR’s whole concept will collapse.
Sam Warren

I’ll echo the concerns about repetition on the weekend. I’d love to hear more variety in the slots that are being soaked up by repeats. On the Media is a good show but completely unworthy of a repeat, especially with MarketPlace Money and Speaking of Faith getting crowded out. I would love to hear some new stuff–someone else left a pretty good list of things to explore, like CBC…that would be great. I’d love to hear LOE in a prominent slot (I thought it was a positive step forward to have it on Saturday afternoons) and please, please please keep bringing us Radiolab. In fact if you need to repeat a show ad infinitum, Radiolab might warrant it. Thanks!
Don Lawton

I liked it best when Scott Simon’s morning edition Saturday was repeated beginning at 6:ooam on Sunday. At least On the Media was a worthy replacement. When you swapped the airing time of OTM with Living on Earth, I was disappointed, but didn’t complain (I’m usually up and out by 7:00am). However, with the demise of OTM, I will no longer be listening to WBUR on Sunady morning.
Francis Ganong

I’m sorry to loose Radio Lab.
Jim Slattery

I too am upset with your new early Sunday morning programming. LOE and On the Media were superb choices for 6 and 7 am. I looked forward to waking at 6 on Sunday and then having uninterrupted time to listen to both shows. The substitution of Speaking of Faith is deeply disappointing to me, especially since it replaces the edgy and current OTM. It seems to me as it does to the program’s fans that following the Marsh Chapel program makes much more sense for speaking of faith. Please change back. Thanks
Helen Rose

I can’t help but wonder if omitting the Saturday rebroadcast of Radio Boston is an early death knell for that show. I used to like listening to it (always by podcast, mind you), but the topics seem to have become less relevant over the past six, eight months. I don’t know when Radio Boston’s funding runs out, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see it disappear.
FerialDay

Fond as I am of the Magliozzi boys, running their bumptious show directly after the Chapel service will strike a nasty note. Please put Speaking of Faith, which I listen to quite faithfully, back in that time slot.
http://wbur.org Joan Kunitz

Moving unique programs like “Speaking of Faith” and “On the Media”, while continuing to have five hours of music on Saturday nights simply doesn’t make sense for the “all news” station. Why not put some of the repeats of “Wait, Wait” and “Car Talk” on Saturday nights instead of music. This morning there was a fascinating discussion on “Speaking of Faith”, but I could hardly call folks at 6:00 AM who might have been interested in hearing it.
Beth Weinberg

I am unhappy with the new changes. Though I am a fan of “Wait Wait”, 4 times a weekend is too much. I would much rather hear Scott Simons incisive and humorous editorials at 10am (not many of us are up at 8am on Sundays when he begins)
Also, what has happened to “The Moth Radio”? My husband and I really were enjoying the stories?????
Myrna Johnson

I agree with the disappointment in all of the repeats — especially at the expense of Weekend Edition Saturday. It’s hard to understand why we get so many repeats of shows like Wait, Wait and zero repeats of WE Sat — the best show on WBUR’s air — actually, anyone’s air. A very hard-to-understand choice.
Charles Morgan

Hi Folks: two things: 1) ask our government to increase our taxes so as to be able to offer greater financial support for public radio– the majority of WBUR’s well-heeled audience is paying well below its fair share of taxes (including my family) 2) in the meantime, double or triple your usual yearly payment to the station (but don’t do it at the cost of dropping support for WUMB, WGBH, and other very worthy public stations).
The good stuff costs money– pay up!