The Takeaway

Infobox Radio Show
show_name = The Takeaway


imagesize = 110px
format = News: Global news, National USA News, analysis, commentary, interviews, discussion, perspectives, breaking news, UG content
runtime =
country = USA
language = English
home_station = WNYC New York Public Radio
syndicates = PRI Public Radio International
presenter = John Hockenberry & Adaora Udoji
creator = PRI Public Radio International & WNYC New York Public Radio
director =
producer =
executive_in_charge =
executive_producer =
record_location = New York, NY
first_aired = 2008
last_aired =
audio_format = Stereophonic
opentheme =
endtheme =
website = [http://www.thetakeaway.org/ www.thetakeaway.org]
podcast = [http://feeds.wnyc.org/thetakeaway The Takeaway Podcast]

"The Takeaway with John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji" is a morning drive radio news program co-created and co-produced by PRI- Public Radio International and WNYC-New York Public Radio with editorial partners the BBC World Service of the United Kingdom, The New York Times and WGBH Radio Boston of the United States. In addition to co-producing/co-creating the program, PRI also distributes the program nationwide to its affiliate stations. The program's goal is to advance an authentic American conversation on issues and topics of importance. [ [http://www.pri.org/About/press-releases/takeaway-launch-pressrelease.html PRI.ORG | PRI and WNYC Radio's 'The Takeaway' to Launch ] ] The program launched April 28, 2008. [ [http://www.pri.org/pri-highlights/takeaway-debutes.html PRI.ORG | 'The Takeaway' Debuts ] ]

The program's hosts are John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji. It debuted on WNYC in New York [ [http://www.wnyc.org/thetakeaway/ WNYC - The Takeaway: FAQ ] ] , WGBH in Boston, WEAA in Baltimore, and on [http://www.thetakeaway.org/ "www.TheTakeaway.org"] , and launched on WCAI on Cape Cod and the Islands on May 12, 2008. It will roll out in other markets throughout the spring and summer.

The program has received major philanthropic support from The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting [ [http://www.cpb.org/pressroom/release.php?prn=641 CPB: Corporation for Public Broadcasting Announces Funding Support for PRI and WNYC Radio's The Takeaway with John Hockenberry and Adaora Udoji ] ] , the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation [ [http://www.pri.org/About/press-releases/gates-foundation-grant.html PRI.ORG | PRI® receives Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation grant ] ] , Rockefeller Foundation, and the Skoll Foundation [ [http://www.pri.org/About/press-releases/147.html PRI.ORG | PRI® partners with Skoll Foundation ] ] .

With the program's debut, public radio will have more than one program available throughout morning drive across time zones for the first time. The format of the program was influenced by discussions at the Stanford Design School [ [http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/127/nextmedia-morning-revision.html? "Fast Company"] ] . It has a different tone and approach from NPR's Morning Edition, delivering national and international news and cultural stories through a conversational and personality-driven format rather than a magazine, packaged pieces format like Morning Edition. Press describes that the web presence of the program is striving to be a virtual public square, allowing listeners to respond immediately to news and participate in editorial decision-making, as well as build a significant online community around the content.

Plans for broadcast in New York including airing the program in two separate live feeds: from 6-7am on WNYC 93.9 FM and from 8-9am on AM 820.

In Boston the show will air on WGBH 89.7 from 6-7am. Broadcast details for WEAA-Baltimore will be announced at a later date. Additionally, the program will launch on Cape Cod and the Islands beginning May 12 from 6-7am on WCAI 90.1, 91.1 and 94.3.

Listeners can currently hear Hockenberry and Udoji guest hosting several times a week on "Backstory," NYTimes.com’s popular audio podcast, a daily conversation with Times reporters about the stories they are covering.

Listeners can also participate in feedback and the conversation for "The Takeaway" by joining "The Mix," [ [http://www.thetakeaway.org/archives/stories/97647/themix/1 "The Mix"] ] . According to host comments and the website, the Mix reportedly offers users a way to participate with the program creators and comment on issues and topics of the day. Some listener call ins are also featured on the broadcast. On a dedicated section of the user comments blog, there is a space for users to listeners to talk and even vent complaints about the new program, its hosts, and topics.

In an exchange about the program, hosts described it similar to Howard Stern's radio show in a the New York Magazine interview [ [http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/46473/ New York Magazine interview with Hockenberry and Udoji] ] (published April 27, 2008). Hockenberry said: "I really think that, you know, Howard Stern is a model here." Hockenberry and Udoji go on to say "We gotta find a Baba Booey." The program website talks about marrying solid journalism with a more conversational tone -- a first for public radio mornings. The clash between the expectations of public radio listeners and the tone of the program has led to a negative response from some listeners who have responded on the show's response page for show feedback [ [http://www.thetakeaway.org/archives/stories/97647/themix/48 "The Mix"] ] , to carrying stations, [Click on Mail Box | [http://www.wgbh.org/cainan/ "WCAI-FM Emails"] ] and on independent online blogs [ [http://blogs.oldradio.net/archives/2008/04/30/the-takeaway-or-wasnt-hockenberry-once-a-respected-journalist/ "Nostalgic Rumblings - a radio blog"] ] [ [http://www.skippporteous.com/2008/05/takeaway-takeaway.html "Commentary by Skipp Porteus"] ] [ [http://axlotl.net/wp/2008/06/the-takeaway/ "Axolotl.com"] ] [ [http://theerrantaesthete.com/2008/04/28/nprs-the-takeaway/ "The Errant Aesthete"] ] . This phenomenon of initial negative response by some listeners to programming and schedule changes on stations is not new. According to quoted industry sources, many changes in schedules elicit less than positive responses in the early/initial phases by some listeners for a variety of reasons, including not liking a change in their schedules or preferring previous programming due to host, tone or style. [ Changing schedules previous programming in public radio usually means facing anger as listeners will express their desire for different hosts, program topics, etc. | http://www.current.org/rad/rad516m.html] .

References

External links

* [http://www.thetakeaway.org/ "The Takeaway"]
* [http://www.pri.org/ "Public Radio International"]
* [http://www.wnyc.org/thetakeaway "WNYC New York Public Radio"]
* [http://www.thetakeaway.org/archives/stories/97647/themix/1 "The Mix"]
* [http://nymag.com/news/intelligencer/46473/ New York Magazine interview with Hockenberry and Udoji]