Beyond the Booth

Minnesota Public Radio's "Daily Circuit" looks to bring conversation to the audience on their home turf

Image credit: cogdogblog/Creative Commons

Recommended by the Editor

Goodbye, Gary

By: Emily Cain

There’s a new news show in town.

Minnesota Public Radio on Tuesday launched “The Daily Circuit,” a hip, social media-savvy addition to MPR’s already impressive line-up of news and information programs. The show is led by Kerri Miller, Tom Weber and Stephanie Curtis, and replaces Miller's Midmorning program, as well as space opened up with the departure of Gary Eichten’s “Midday” program.

The show is set apart from other MPR programs in that it is designed to engage listeners through social media outlets such as Facebook and Twitter. The hope is that if listeners are streaming MPR at work (likley), they will hop on Facebook (if they’re not already), and become an active participant in the exact conversation.

The format is intended to create a dialogue that transcends the traditional host-to-listener dynamic and to inspire a conversation between audience members that continues even after the mics are turned off.

“With the additional social media outlets, there is more space for thoughts and more opportunities to extend the conversation beyond the time parameters of the show,” says Curtis, the show’s social media host.

Still, the show has its share of breathing room. The program will run three hours – compared to its two-hour predecessor – five days a week. And while hosts say the extra hour presents some challenges, they hope it will also lead to better discussions.

“The longer time frame allows for more topics and more depth, while keeping focused on the core of what we do -- storytelling,” says co-host and contributing reporter Tom Weber.

There’s plenty to talk about, too. Everything from politics to books and the day’s headlines will be put up for debate (the opening show featured guest Andrew Zimmern, an interview with author David Treuer and a look at a recent naturalization ceremony).

At the end of the day, MPR legend-in-the-making Kerri Miller says, the goal is to make the Daily Circuit “the type of show listeners can’t really afford to miss.”

And given all of its outlets, that’ll be hard to do.

+Tune in to MPR’s The Daily Circuit Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to noon at 91.1 FM or online at minnesota.publicradio.org.