Starting Monday, September 2, you’ll hear an expanded lineup of engaging programs on MTPR. We are adding some new music shows, moving some programs in the schedule to different days and times to feature signature shows at earlier broadcast times, and to increase the number of programs produced by the talented music hosts at Montana Public Radio. We know music is a pillar of our program service that so many depend on, and we are optimistic that these changes will better serve your evenings and weekends going forward.
Montana Public Radio’s new weekend music schedule is designed to be “don’t miss radio.” A few programs are moving in the Sunday afternoon time period but mainly the music schedule has been revamped to offer new MTPR music shows and really strong, eclectic music programming for your evening soundtrack. You can view the full weekly schedule below, or download it here.
Here is a list of the new programs and new broadcast times in the schedule starting Monday, September 2.
Monday 8 p.m. – World Bridges – MTPRs global Freeform music mix.
Monday 9 p.m. – Music Special – Lead by the women hosts of MTPR.
Monday 10 p.m. – American Routes
Wednesday 10 p.m. – Jazz Night in America
Wednesday 11 p.m. – Afropop Worldwide
Thursday 8 p.m. – The Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center
Thursday 9 p.m. – Blue Green Crossing -MTPR’s new Celtic and Bluegrass program
Friday 7 p.m. – The New Friday Music Special – Music now starts at 7pm on Fridays to kick off the weekend in style. Local and national specials, live broadcasts and studio sessions are featured each Friday.
Saturday 6 p.m. – In Motion – a new freeform hour to launch the 8 hours of nonstop music each Saturday night.
Saturday 7 p.m. – Night In Night Out – MTPR’s new signature Saturday night soundtrack show. Deep album cuts, Montana artists, new music, familiar favorites and a glimpse of musicians and bands that will be touring through Big Sky country.
Saturday 9 p.m. – Indigify - a weekly one-hour show produced by Koahnic Broadcast Corporation featuring an eclectic blend of modern Indigenous music, hosted by Alexis Sallee (Iñupiaq/ Mexican American). The show introduces you to the future of Native music with new and trending artists, while honoring the past by diving into the tracks that have shaped what we hear today.
Sunday 11 a.m. – Hidden Brain – Moved from Friday evening to the prime Sunday morning spot.
Sunday noon – The Splendid Table
Sunday 1 p.m. – Climate One
Sunday 6 p.m. – The Sunday Symphony – A full two-hour symphony broadcast with premier groups like The Los Angeles and New York Philharmonic orchestras, The San Francisco Symphony, European orchestras, and special broadcasts from Montana based symphonies too.
Sunday 8 p.m. – Blues on The Move – MTPR’s long running blues show now on 2 hours earlier.
Sunday 10 p.m. - Radios Appear – A new weekly music magazine hosted by Bryan Ramirez. The show explores underground music, global scenes, and moments in history that helped change the music landscape.
Sunday 11 p.m. – Into the Groove
Sunday Midnight – Midnight Special
Schedule FAQs
Changes effective Monday, September 2, 2024
MTPR is excited to bring new programs to our music schedule, and a lively new weekend lineup. The weekend music programs will have new feature shows hosted by the talented hosts from MTPR. Some of our most loved shows are moving up to earlier broadcast times.
The New Shows
Blue Green Crossing is a new Celtic and Bluegrass show produced by MTPR. After the end of Thistle and Shamrock we have created a new show that will feature traditional and new music in the broad Celtic diaspora, celebrating songs and instruments, and connections with American Bluegrass as well as its global influences.
In Motion is our new Saturday evening freeform show. MTPR will help kick off the weekend music evenings with an hour of eclectic music to start your evening soundtrack. This new show will be hosted by a variety of MTPR hosts, both familiar and new. This will also be a new location for live sessions and concert recordings as well as “Live from Studio B” programs.
Night In Night Out is Montana Public Radio’s new signature Saturday night program. This two-hour show will be the anchor program on Saturday nights. Our goal is to offer listeners great music and an entertaining and eclectic mix for the evenings. Whether you are in for the evening listening at home or headed out for the night’s events, MTPR will have a consistent music mix for the Saturday soundtrack for life in Montana. MTPRs talented music hosts will feature great music from our vast libraries, new and familiar tunes, songs from groups touring through the area and Montana artists in every show.
Radios Appear A new weekly music magazine hosted by Bryan Ramirez. The show explores underground music, global scenes and moments in history that helped change the music landscape.
Programming Decisions
What factors does MTPR take into account when making programming decisions?
We want to make great radio. We work hard to understand what that means to you, and how we can do it better. We ask for and value your feedback, including your comments during fundraising weeks. We've met with many of you at events, concerts and festivals around the state. And of course there are conversations around town, from the hardware store to the Farmer’s Market. All of this input plays a big part in our decision making. The ongoing efforts to be THE public radio for Montana and featuring Montana is part of our mission. The mix of Montana based and national content as well as the blend of music, news and public affairs, and children’s programming throughout the schedule is one of the things that makes MTPR so unique.
Evening programs moving to new locations on the weekly schedule.
The changes allow us to respond to requests from listeners to hear some of their favorite programs earlier in the evening. We have created large blocks of evening music shows that feature some great national shows and many MTPR-produced music programs. Shows like World Bridges, Blues on the Move, INDIGIFI, and the new Friday music special slot, are all on earlier in the evenings. Montana Public Radio programs are featured throughout the evening schedule. Every weekday evening MTPR has music from 8 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.. Music on Fridays will run from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., and the Saturday and Sunday schedule continues to have 8 hours of music each day starting at 6 p.m.
Sunday afternoons have a few small changes in those three prime hours following Weekend Edition.
At 11 a.m. the popular show Hidden Brain will follow the news, The Splendid Table will air at noon and will be followed by Climate One at 1p.m.
Leaving the Schedule:
Thistle and Shamrock Beloved and award-winning host Fiona Richie has decided to retire after more than 3 decades of programs. The entire public radio system is celebrating the great history of Thistle and Shamrock on public radio stations across the country.
Radiolab To make room for changes to the schedule on Sundays, MTPR will no longer broadcast Radiolab. The program is available as a podcast from the good folks at WNYC studios. Listeners can subscribe to the podcast and listen on demand anytime at https://radiolab.org
Echoes To make room for some signature programs moving to earlier times and for some of the new Montana Public Radio produced music shows, Echoes will no longer be on the air. There are many hours of content available on demand as well. Visit https://echoes.org for more information and to listen or subscribe to programs.
Anne Hosler | Interim General Manager and Director of Development
Michael Marsolek | Program Director