News & Notes--Canceled

And I'm upset about it.

 I heard that NPR, like everyone else, was slashing jobs. But I somehow didn't anticipate whole shows would be cut, particularly one as solidly awesome as News & Notes.

It's the only program NPR has that's focused on black issues--an hour hosted by Farai Chideya, whose interviews and roundtable facilitation is nothing less than outstanding. The thought that it goes off the air on March 20, just a couple months after the first black president is horribly ironic. I've learned a great deal from though show, and was looking forward to its perspective on Obama's presidency. And Even though it's not a local news source--and there are several outstanding ones in Detroit--I always got a lot out of News & Notes' coverage when the whole Kwame Kilpatrick odyssey went down (and down further, and then yet further down).

The program has provoked my thinking, made me laugh, and I unfailingly enjoyed it. I'm sorry I won't have it to turn to for much longer. It's a real loss.

From Farai Chideya's News & Notes blog:

We are still dealing with the news, but we are committed to making sure we give you our best, now and as long as we've got.

Also being canceled: NPR's Day to Day, a midday news program I am less familiar with, but no doubt also has its devoted following.

Farai points out on her N&N blog that these are the only two wholly West Coast-based shows NPR has (had).

Comments

[tafka pb]

I, too, was saddened by the cancellation of News & Notes. I find it troubling that this was the show that replaced the Tavis Smiley show, once Smiley bolted NPR amid charges that NPR had no interest in promoting a show focused on black issues.

There are plenty of newer shows that could have gotten the ax. I'm unsure how News & Notes did in the ratings, but it seems shortsighted to dump it.

Ms. Chideya will be speaking at a conference in my home town next month. I hope to be able to ask her opinion about this.

[annaleighclark]

If you get a chance to hear her thoughts on it, please share!

I didn't know about the Tavis Smiley show. That's interesting, because my local NPR station, WDET, has hosted both News & Notes and The Tavis Smiley Show. I therefore assumed that both were NPR shows--but now that you bring it up, I realize Tavis is actually a PRI show.

Given the individualized show schedules at NPR stations, I think it's easy for audiences to miss what void this now is for NPR.