JOSHUA JOHNSON IS LEAVING NPR • MORE ABOUT THE NEW MEMPHIS LOCAL NEWS STATION

Crowd at 1A Across America event in Wichita

Joshua Johnson, the host of 1A, has announced that he is leaving the job and is joining MSNBC. 

His last appearance as the host of 1A will be December 20^th.

1A is produced by WAMU and is distributed by NPR.

We said when Diane Rehm left in 2017 that replacing her would a challenge.

When Johnson and 1A entered the day-part, some stations were skeptical about 1A’s ability to repeat Rehm’s success. Soon it became apparent that 1A had even more appeal to station programmers and listeners than Rehm. 

Sine 1A started, carriage of the program on NPR member stations is up over 40%. Estimated weekly listeners also grew.

Joshua Johnson (courtesy NPR

Now the selection of a new host is underway. 

Sources say that Executive Producer Rupert Allman will continue with the show.

WAMU GM JJ Yore said in a press release:

“Joshua told us he has dreamed of hosting a national show since he was a young child. We are pleased that Joshua was able to achieve that dream at WAMU and NPR.” 

“The vision for 1A, the staff and the growing audience all came together to create the success we see today, and that magical mix creates a strong foundation for a new host to take 1A to even greater heights.”

ERIC BARNES RESPONDS TO OUR WUMR STORY

Yesterday we featured a new noncommercial station in Memphis that will reportedly air local news. We were disappointed to learn that NPR News will not be on the new station.

We received this comment from Eric Barnes, the founder and CEO of The Daily Memphian, one of three organizations involved in the new station:

Eric Barnes

“Hi Ken. Just to clarify – You’re definitely giving me, personally, too much credit for orchestrating this. It was a collaboration between Crosstown, U of M, and The Daily Memphian.”

“Also, to clarify the fate of the FCC license: A new non-profit 501c3 will be formed, with representatives from Crosstown, UofM and The Daily Memphian making up the board.”

“Once the 501c3 is established and assuming the UofM board of trustees approves this plan at their December meeting, then the new 501c3 and the UofM will begin the process of transferring the FCC license to the new 501c3. There won’t be a purchase of the license.”

KEN SAYS: If/when the station license is transferred to the new nonprofit organization, first the FCC must approve the transaction.