KUT is shuffling some of its weekend and late evening programs to bring listeners a fresh mix of the original and innovative public radio Austin’s NPR station is known for.
Beginning Saturday, Dec. 13, KUT’s midday and evening shows will be grouped together to reflect a similar sound, sensibility and personality. Some old favorites will have new start times.
“Clustering shows together that share the same energy and tone makes for a better listening experience for our audience,” said Hawk Mendenhall, director of broadcast and content for KUT. “The new lineup, paired with our audience favorites like ‘Wait Wait…Don’t Tell Me’ and ‘A Prairie Home Companion,’ will provide great weekend entertainment programming.”
Saturday mornings stay the same with “Weekend Edition” at 7 a.m. followed by “The Best of Car Talk” at 9 a.m. and “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me,” at 10 a.m. NPR’s newest quiz show “Ask Me Another” moves to Saturday mornings at 11 a.m. (formerly 9 p.m. Sundays) with a lively hour of puzzles, word games and trivia played in front of – and with – a live audience. That will be followed by the very popular “TED Radio Hour” starting one hour later – at noon.
At 1 p.m., Saturdays, a brand new program, “Bullseye” with Jesse Thorn, comes to KUT. After a successful tryout this summer “Bullseye,” a public radio show about what's good in popular culture, becomes a KUT regular. With a keen editorial eye, “Bullseye” sifts the wheat from the chaff and brings listeners hot culture picks, in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary creative people and irreverent original comedy.
“The Dinner Party Download,” the hour-long celebration of culture, food and conversation (formerly aired at 9 p.m. Fridays), follows “Bullseye” at 2 p.m.
The Saturday evening schedule remains intact with “A Prairie Home Companion” at 5 p.m., followed by hit variety shows “Wits” at 7 p.m. and “Live Wire” at 8 p.m., followed by the music show, “American Routes” with Nick Spitzer.
Sundays remain the same on KUT until 7 p.m. when “Studio 360” (formerly aired at noon Saturdays) moves its Peabody award-winning reporting on arts and pop culture to its new time. At 8 p.m., also in a new time, is “The Splendid Table with Lynn Rosetto Kasper,” followed by a 9 p.m. repeat of “On Being” with Krista Tippett, which also airs at 6 a.m. Sundays, and a 10 p.m. repeat of “The TED Radio Hour,” which also airs at noon Saturdays.
Starting Monday, Dec. 15, a few changes will come to KUT’s late evening schedule. Highlights include two locally produced programs “Overheard with Evan Smith” and “In Black America” moving to Tuesday nights beginning at 9.
KUT is adding “The Tavis Smiley Show,” to the schedule at 10 p.m. Tuesdays, following “In Black America.” “Sound Opinions,” the world’s only rock and roll talk show, moves to 10 p.m. Fridays from its previous slot at 10 p.m. Sundays. KUT will also feature great documentaries on Monday and Friday evenings at 9 p.m.
The CBC’s “Day 6” is the only show being dropped from the KUT schedule. The 10 p.m. Friday rebroadcast of “Moth Radio Hour” is being eliminated. Find the full schedule below, with bold lettering indicating a new show and underlined shows representing new times or additional airings.
Monday
Current New
9 pm On The Media (R) 9 pm KUT Presents Documentary
10:00 pm Overheard w/ Evan Smith 10 pm On The Media (R)
10:30 pm In Black America
Tuesday
9 pm Snap Judgment (R) 9 pm Overheard w/ Evan Smith
10:00 pm KUT Presents Documentary 9:30 pm In Black America
10 pm Tavis Smiley Show (R)
Wednesday
9 pm Radiolab (R) 9 pm Radiolab (R)
10 pm Humankind 10 pm Humankind
Thursday
9 pm This American Life (R) 9 pm This American Life (R)
10 pm Ted Radio Hour (R) 10 pm Snap Judgment (R)
Friday
9 pm Dinner Party 9 pm KUT Presents Documentary
10 pm Moth Radio Hour (R) 10 pm, Sound Opinions
Saturday
11 am Ted Radio Hour 11 am Ask Me Another
12 pm Studio 360 12 pm Ted Radio Hour
1 pm Splendid Table 1 pm Bullseye with Jesse Thorn
2 pm Day 6 from the CBC 2 pm Dinner Party Download
Sunday
7 pm KUT Presents Documentary 7 pm Studio 360
8 pm KUT Presents Documentary 8 pm Splendid Table
9 pm Ask Me Another 9 pm On Being (R)
10 pm Sound Opinions 10 pm Ted Radio Hour (R)