XM Public Radio

Infobox Radio Station
name = XM Public Radio


area = United States, Canada
branding = XM Public Radio
slogan =
airdate = September 1, 2004
frequency = XM133
SR196
format = Public Radio
affiliations = Public Radio International
American Public Media
WBUR
George Washington University
National Geographic
class = Non-profit Satellite Radio Station
owner = XM Satellite Radio
website = [http://www.xmpr.org www.xmpr.org]
callsign_meaning =

XM Public Radio (abbreviated XMPR) is XM Satellite Radio's 24/7 satellite radio channel dedicated to public radio programming. Broadcasting in stereo, XM Public Radio is one of two talk channels on the XM platform which broadcasts 2-channel audio -- the other being the ViRUS. Programming is provided through partnerships with American Public Media, Public Radio International, Boston's WBUR, George Washington University, and National Geographic, who own a chunk of time on the channel. XMPR also carries The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer.

Despite being a channel for public radio programs, the channel does not carry any programming from the nation's leading provider, National Public Radio. The NPR network currently has an exclusivity contract with Sirius Satellite Radio, and airs their programming across two channels on Sirius.

XM Public Radio is also home of former National Public Radio star, Bob Edwards, who had previously hosted NPR's "Morning Edition" and co-hosted "All Things Considered". Edwards now hosts his own daily hour-long interview series, "The Bob Edwards Show", every morning on XM. The show is a conversation based program. In it, Edwards interviews people from all walks of life, much like his NPR show. Only now does he have the freedom of time to work with instead of a few minutes a day. The show airs weekday mornings at 8 a.m. Eastern Time (ET), and is replayed at 9 a.m(ET), 10 a.m(ET), and 8 p.m (ET). on XMPR. The show is also edited into a weekend compilation, entitled "Bob Edwards Weekend", which is distributed by Public Radio International to terrestrial radio.

In October 2006, Public Radio International's channel on Sirius Satellite Radio was dropped from the channel lineup. Shortly afterwards, XMPR responded by adding several new PRI programs to its lineup, including "The World", "To the Point", "To the Best of Our Knowledge", "Le Show", and "The Changing World". There is no word on whether money exchanged hands to make this deal occur, or if it was simply Sirius' dissatisfaction in the channel and XM's attempt to capitalize on the listener base.

Starting March 2007, XMPR added several more programs from American Public Media, including popular programs "A Prairie Home Companion" and "Marketplace", as well as "The Story with Dick Gordon", "Weekend America", "Sound Opinions", and "Performance Today Weekend". Following the Sirius / XM merger, XM Public Radio was added to Sirius on 2008-09-30 as part of it's "Best of XM" package and broadcasts on channel 196.

Canadian coverage

In April 2007, XM Radio Canada dropped their carriage of XMPR. The only explanation given was that the channel's availability in Canada violated a licensing agreement between XMPR and one or more of its affiliates. The contract between XMPR and the affiliate(s) was eventually renegotiated, and XM Public Radio was returned to the XM Canada platform on August 1, 2007.

External links

* [http://www.xmradio.com/programming/channel_page.jsp?ch=133 XM Public Radio]
* [http://www.sirius.com/xmpublicradio XM Public Radio (Sirius Page)]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/pdf/xmpr_schedule.pdf XMPR Schedule]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/programming/xm_feature.jsp?ch=133&id=452#pri XMPR Programs]
* [http://www.xmradio.com/programming/xm_feature.jsp?ch=133&id=739 Bob Edwards Show Schedule]