Oct. 1, 2009

New tweaks, times for IPR talk shows

by Erin Rosacker

Beginning Monday, Oct. 5, Iowa Public Radio will tweak its lineup by making a switch with its two locally produced talk shows.

The Exchange will move from its morning slot to a noon start, and Talk@12 will reclaim its former name (Talk of Iowa) and air from 10 to 11 a.m. Both programs originate from IPR's WSUI AM/KSUI FM studios in Iowa City. The flip-flop of shows will not impact the rest of the schedule, which keeps the hour-long On Point and Fresh Air national programs at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., respectively.

Current host Ben Kieffer and Jeneane Beck will share host duties for The Exchange, which will focus on news and current events. Greg Shanley will continue to lead the discussion on Talk of Iowa, which will stick to lifestyle, arts and cultural topics. Talk of Iowa still will feature many favorites, including ag reports from ISU Extension market news director Doug Cooper, ISU horticulture specialists on Fridays and Wednesday politics. Regular segments will continue with wildlife specialist Jim Pease, "sleep doctor" Eric Dyken, and experts on home improvement, computers and movies. A new food segment and "author Monday" also are included as part of the Talk of Iowa lineup.

Iowa Public Radio was created by the state Board of Regents in 2004, merging the public radio stations at the three regent universities. Iowa State's WOI 640 AM and WOI 90.1 FM stations are part of the network.