Farewell, “Talk of the Nation”

Via Politico:  NPR ending ‘Talk of the Nation’

NPR on Friday announced it is ending “Talk of the Nation” after 21 years on the air.

The call-in show will be replaced by “Here and Now,” a midday news program produced by Boston’s WBUR, on July 1. Production on the Monday-Thursday “Talk of the Nation” will stop at the end of June.  NPR also announced that Neal Conan, host of “Talk of the Nation,” will “step away from the rigors of daily journalism” after 35 years with NPR.

A shame, but all good things must come to an end.

“Here and Now” is fine as well, but I preferred the format on “Talk of the Nation.”

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Steven L. Taylor
About Steven L. Taylor
Steven L. Taylor is a retired Professor of Political Science and former College of Arts and Sciences Dean. His main areas of expertise include parties, elections, and the institutional design of democracies. His most recent book is the co-authored A Different Democracy: American Government in a 31-Country Perspective. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Texas and his BA from the University of California, Irvine. He has been blogging since 2003 (originally at the now defunct Poliblog). Follow Steven on Twitter

Comments

  1. John Peabody says:

    Yes, indeed. Always a refreshing change. Let’ see, who else has a show that runs noon-3pm, eastern? I can’t put my finger on it.

  2. Andre Kenji says:

    I´m going to miss the Poltiical Junkie.

  3. Bruce Henry says:

    The Political Junkie segment is always interesting, but Conan can be kind of rude to callers sometimes.

  4. OzarkHillbilly says:

    A shame, but all good things must come to an end.

    I told them to cancel my membership, and I was going on a hunger strike until they relented. They said they would get back to me.

  5. de stijl says:

    As long as Fresh Air with Terry Gross (the best interviewer extant) is still on the schedule, then I’m still cool with NPR, but as far as TOTN, the nerdlinger in me is going to miss Science Fridays with Ira Flatow.

    Conan can be kind of rude to callers sometimes.

    Yeah, but he was NPR rude which is basically like Minnesota rude.

  6. @de stijl: You may rejoice, as the article said that Science Fridays will continue.

  7. Drew says:

    As one might guess, I find NPR slanted to the left. I grew up on it years ago. Then came Reagan, and they had a 30 year brain cramp from which they have not recovered.

    That all said, a shame. A fine program. As you note, things come to an end.