NPR - The Wizards' Curtain is Opening - Rough Cuts
Making real change is very hard. As you know - I have been concerned that NPR was keeping its light under a bushel.
I am thrilled today to hear that not only is NPR going to offer a new morning show for a younger audience (Rough Cuts) but about how NPR is going about shaping the new show and about how they are changing the communications habits of its culture.
The traditional stance would be to do their best to design in house the best show they could and then offer it up. The Traditional stance would be to see the web as an interesting adjunct. The Traditional place to host the show would be Washington and the Traditional Host would be a radio pro. Above all the Traditional Process would be to keep it all a secret until the launch.
BUT - they are offering up their space in the Blogosphere to ask for our help in developing the show and they also are seeing the web as being central. They show will be based in New York and the host is one of the finest journalists in America - Michel Morgan
Starting in March, the concept will be introduced publicly through a digital media “open piloting” process NPR recently launched to test-drive show and segment ideas and solicit listener feedback. A two-hour morning drive time radio show, the core of the content service, will roll out on selected stations in September through their broadcast radio stations, their digital HD Radio multicast channels and their websites. It will also be available online and on satellite.
According to Stern, “Morning Edition is a tremendous success and a daily priority for millions of Americans, but one size doesn’t fit all when it comes to news and information. The 25-to-44 age group is underserved by the media and seeking smart, thoughtful content relevant to their lives. With more than 7 million of them already embracing public radio and the public service it offers, this is a logical opportunity for NPR. We are committed to providing content that will speak to this critical audience about the issues, interests, values and choices of importance to them, grounded in the journalism of NPR News.”
NPR is making a significant investment in resources, including hiring hosts and staff, and will use the NPR News York Bureau as production headquarters. The service will extend across all media platforms and the program will act as a launchpad for a variety of original cross-platform content, including video.
The open piloting process, entitled “NPR Rough Cuts,” combines a free podcast, free online stream and blog offering programming ideas for listeners to sample and share opinion. It was launched in December to test show and segment ideas and can be found at www.NPR.org
