Although WDET-FM (101.9) will mark its 75th anniversary next month, it’s not getting older, it’s getting more local.
Detroit’s public radio station will soon increase its local programming by about 40%, according to program director Adam Fox.
“This is a signal that WDET is sending to its community that we know this city deserves a public radio station that is truly devoted to what’s special and amazing and important about Detroit,” Fox says of the imminent scheduled makeover.
The changes, which began Feb. 5 on WDET’s airwaves, app and web livestream, will require some major revamping of the weekday and weeknight lineups.
Three new weekday programs are on the way, starting with “Created Equal,” which will air 9-10 am and be repeated 7-8 pm Host Stephen Henderson, who currently leads WDET’s “Detroit Today” in the same time slot, will focus on ““the challenge of inequality and the promise of opportunity,” according to the station.
“We’re hoping to talk about topics that are important for the progress and evolution of cities in America from the cities that built America,” says Fox.
“Culture Shift,” the lively block of music and arts, food and events coverage that now runs weekdays from noon to 2 pm, will essentially be replaced by two shows: “The Metro,” running from 11 am to noon, will cover news and culture in Detroit and was co-hosted by Nick Austin (who’ll conclude his “Soul Saturday” show on Feb. 3) and Tia Graham (a co-host of “Culture Shift”). “In The Groove,” airing from noon to 3 pm, will find Ryan Patrick Hooper (also of “Culture Shift”) presenting an eclectic mix of independent music.
National Public Radio’s “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” will still anchor the station’s early mornings and late afternoons, while two syndicated shows, the news-focused “On Point” and the in-depth interview hour “Fresh Air” will also stay put at their current 10 am and 3 pm times, respectively.
And in case you’re worried, the comedic quiz show “Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me!” is still firmly in place on Sundays.
WDET will be saying goodbye to several other nationally carried programs, including “1A with Jenn White,” “Hidden Brain,” “The Moth Radio Hour,” “Reveal,” “Snap Judgment” and “This American Life.”
Big changes are in store for evenings, too, with six new music programs arriving. They are:
● “Visions with Kaleigh Wilder,” 8-10 pm Mondays, which celebrates jazz “in all genres from 1969 to today.” Host Wilder, a baritone saxophonist and emerging recording artist, was awarded a prestigious Kresge Arts Fellowship in 2022.
● “The Detroit Move,” 8-9 pm Tuesdays, a look at Detroit’s past and ongoing achievements in rock, soul and R&B, hosted by longtime local garage rocker Mike Latulippe of the Hentchmen and the Paybacks.
● “MI Local,” 9-10 pm Tuesdays, which spotlights bands and artists from Detroit and southeast Michigan, many of whom regularly perform live at nearby nightspots. It will be hosted by music journalist Jeff Milo.
● “The BLVD with Waajeed,” 8-10 pm Wednesdays, a techno, house and electronic dance music showcase led by record producer, DJ and beat-maker Waajeed, a legendary figure in the recent history of contemporary music in Detroit and a 2014 Kresge Arts Fellow.
● “Alternate Take with Liz Warner,” 8-10 pm Thursdays, a return for a WDET on-air favorite, who went by Liz Copeland during her 1995-2007 stint with the station. Now back in the Motor City after a stint in Los Angeles, Warner will “explore music that has impacted and continues to influence Detroit’s creative community.”
● “The New Music Show with Shigeto, ” 8-10 pm Saturdays, a forum for Shigeto, a drummer, DJ and electronic music producer based in Hamtramck, to introduce listeners to under-represented songs and artists from the indie scene.
In addition, “Don Was Motor City Playlist,” which is now on at 10 pm Fridays, will move to the 8-10 pm slot that same night. It features the hosting team of Detroit’s own Was, the Grammy-winning producer, composer, musician and president of Blue Note Records, and WDET’s own Ann Delisi, whose “Essential Music” show airs Saturdays and Sundays at 11 am
These new titles will join the current roster of local music shows, which run the gamut from Rob Reinhart’s “Acoustic Café” to “Destination Jazz — The Ed Love Program,” led by the venerable Love, who started in Detroit radio in 1960 and has Been WDET’s laureate of jazz since 1983.
Turning 75 in public radio is a testament to resilience that seems “very Detroit” to WDET general manager Mary Zatina. “We’re here, we’re not going anywhere, we’re not interested in changing who we are or denying who we are. We’re interested in growing and keeping going,” she says. “Seventy-five (years) for a local public service that relies on donations, but you can get it for free. That’s a huge milestone and we’re really proud of it.”
Last year, WDET gathered responses from more than 1,200 listeners and station members for an in-depth survey of its audience’s wants and needs. The results helped shape the new lineup.
“For us, it was looking at what people love, and one of the things we learned about our audience is the No. 1 thing they wanted to hear more of was more locally produced music programs,” says Fox.
Fox says WDET is committed to reflecting the city and proving the best possible content. “Not to be trite, but Detroit deserves it,” he says.
Contact Detroit Free Press pop culture critic Julie Hinds at [email protected].