Wis. Public Radio Extends BBC into Morning Drive

Wisconsin Public Radio will add an hour of the BBC World Service in morning drive on its Ideas Network, a move that will also eliminate a repeated hour of its statewide talk and magazine program.

“The Morning Show,” hosted by Kate Archer Kent, currently airs from 6 to 9 a.m. The 6 a.m. hour is sometimes a repeat of the 8 a.m. hour from the previous day. Starting Feb. 28, the show will air live from 7 to 9 a.m. with no repeated hour.

The BBC World Service, which currently airs until 6 a.m., will be extended until 7 a.m. BBC programming in that hour includes “Outlook” Monday through Thursday and “Witness” on Friday.

“In addition to offering an extra morning hour of the BBC World Service, this later start time will ensure more listeners have the opportunity to join our live, daily statewide conversation on ‘The Morning Show,’” Kealey Bultena, interim The Ideas Network director, said in a statement posted to the network’s website.

WPR is in the unique circumstance of being able to offer two news/information options in morning and afternoon drive since “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” are carried on WPR’s “News & Music Network.” The structure is different than public radio providers in Minnesota, Iowa, and many other places where one service is all News/Talk and another is all Classical.

The Ideas Network begins carrying the BBC World Service at 11:30 p.m. and is joined in a simulcast with the News & Music Network in the 4 a.m. hour. The News & Music Network also carries BBC’s “Newshour” at 3 p.m.