New MPR News morning programming FAQ

Weekday mornings on MPR News will be undergoing some big changes in the coming months. Check out our frequently asked questions below for a preview of what you'll be hearing on air.

Q: What's new?

A: Starting Tuesday, Feb. 21, a new program called The Daily Circuit will launch and be on air 9 a.m.-noon. The noon - 1 p.m. hour will become MPR News Presents. Morning Edition will still be on air from 4 a.m. -9 a.m.

Q: What will I be hearing before Feb. 21?

A: You will hear your regularly scheduled shows - Morning Edition and Midmorning -- plus MPR News will broadcast a special winter season of Midday with special guest hosts, co-hosts, and guests.

Q: What is The Daily Circuit?

A: The Daily Circuit is the new MPR News talk program. You can expect an energetic pace, but similar depth and civility heard on the current shows. The radio program will be integrated with online, mobile and social media components. The show will be hosted by Kerri Miller and she'll be joined in-studio by Tom Weber. In each hour, the show will dive deep into a topic, with shorter features and newscasts rounding out the hour. We'll offer more topics, more guests and more insightful news and information on issues that matter most. And, as always, we'll invite call-ins from the audience.

Q: Tell me more about Kerri Miller and Tom Weber.

A: You'll recognize Miller as the host of Midmorning and the Talking Volumes book club series. She joined MPR News in June 2004 and has been a radio and television news reporter since 1981. Weber joined MPR News in Jan. 2008 as a reporter on the K-12 education beat. He was the lead reporter on MPR News' investigation into Minnesota's anti-bullying law last year. You can find both of them on Twitter: @KerriMPR and @webertom1.

Q: What's MPR News Presents and what happened to Midday?

A: The show will feature important speeches, documentaries and news programming involving thought leaders and public officials. MPR News Presents also will feature great programming from elsewhere in public radio.

Q: What topics will we hear on The Daily Circuit?

A: First, and most importantly, it will cover news and trends. But expect plenty of interviews about politics, policy, health, the economy, science and the arts. And because Kerri Miller loves books, you'll continue to hear conversations with authors.

Q: Why change?

A: We'd like to cover more topics than what the typical talk show allows. Moreover, audiences told us they want more choice in how they access and involve themselves with news topics and news makers. As a result, we are creating a show that will give audiences many ways to engage via our website and social media.

Q: Will the new show have a political point of view?

A: No. It will be a non-partisan, unbiased conversation about the most important topics in the news.

Q: What if I have ideas for the new show?

A: We were counting on it. Bring them on. Send us feedback.