WBUR self reports on the end of Radio Boston after 17 years on the air.
The move comes just months after its host, Tiziana Dearing, was named anchor of WBUR’s Morning Edition show, where she continues to interview major newsmakers on a regular basis, including Gov. Maura Healey and Mayor Michelle Wu.
WBUR self reports the NPR news station says two dozen employees have applied for buyouts and that the station plans to lay off seven and eliminate nine currently vacant positions, all by June, in an effort to cut $4 million from its budget due to a decline in sponsorships. Competing GBH is also looking at possible cuts.
CommonWealth Beacon reports on the situation at "Boston's NPR news station."
WBUR is announcing what it calls "a fresh weekend programming lineup" that includes ditching a local religious service that it had broadcast live for seven decades for some talkish non-religious thing out of New York City. Read more.
One of Boston's NPR stations announced today it is leaving Twitter.
WBUR CEO Margaret Low writes it's because of Titter Ownerboi Elon Musk declaring NPR "state-affiliated media:" Read more.
Priyanka Dayal McCluskey, who had been covering the health-care industry for the Globe, is taking the Green Line out to Commonwealth Avenue to join WBUR.
Photo by Greta Gaffin.
Members of the Boston Newspaper Guild, which represents the newsroom and advertising staff at the Globe, stood outside WBUR's auditorium at Comm. Ave. and St. Paul Street this evening as Globe CEO Linda Pizzuti Henry was inside speaking on a panel titled "Trailblazers: Women news leaders from Katherine Graham to today," led by NPR's Robin Young - who asked if she wanted to say anything about the guild's lack of a contract for three years now. Henry said the panel was not the place to discuss labor issues.
GBH and WBUR, which still likes its W, will team up to provide local news for an NPR podcast about, well, local news. Read more.
Dan Kennedy gets the memo - also, the station is losing four of its top exec and has frozen salaries for the coming year.
As the old saying goes: You can take the girl out of Boston...but you can't take the Boston out of the girl who is taking a trip outside Boston. Not too long ago I received an email from MassPoetry about its Evening of Inspired Leaders fundraiser event (LMAO @ MASSPOETRY ASKING ME FOR MONEY YEAH AIGHT) happening this Monday, March 25 at 7pm at the Huntington Theatre Company.
WBUR self-reports the departure of Charlie Kravetz as general manager. The station reports the decision was one of those mutual time-to-go-separate-ways things and that while his formal resignation becomes effective June 30, he is no longer involved in day-to-day operations - and he did not attend the staff meeting at which the news was announced. Twitter feed from the meeting.
The City Council today approved a resolution in support of journalists at the Globe and WBUR who are battling management over workplace conditions and pay and benefits. Read more.
WBUR self-reports on the overwhelming vote.
Meanwhile, over at the Globe, relations between the newsroom union and John Henry are getting a bit heated over contract talks, Dan Kennedy reports.
WBUR self-reports that "Radio Boston" host Meghna Chakrabarti will take over hosting duties on its nationally broadcast "On Point" Monday through Thursday. Read more.
WBUR says it's chosen McSweeney's to create a pilot show that could replace the Car Talk reruns the station now airs.
The show would be hosted by Chris Monk of Arlington, who now runs McSweeney's Internet Tendency and who obviously has the Massachusetts roots to replace a show famous for its Boston accent. Who else but a Bay Stater could have come up with this list?
WGBH's Emily Rooney interviewed fired WBUR/NPR host Tom Ashbrook, will air it on her media show on Channel 2 tonight, but tells Eagan and Braude that Ashbrook wants to get back into broadcasting, maybe starting with a podcast, so she doesn't think he'll sue 'BUR for firing him.
Braude, meanwhile, acknowledged that, yes, Boston has an NPR station besides WGBH, but says that other station needs to learn what a joke is. Read more.
BU Today reports the NPR station found no evidence that the now former On Point host sexually harassed anybody but that he was canned "after an independent review verified claims that he had created an abusive work environment."
WBUR self reports on Tom Ashbrook, the "On Point" host put on leave last week.
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
