Weber’s role on The Daily Circuit

Sure, I'm excited to be joining The Daily Circuit, but I have a slightly uncomfortable reality: I don't have a job title yet.

That's by design.

Yes, I'll be part-newscaster; part-kind-of-co-host; and part-reporter. But there's more to what I'll be doing each day that I can't entirely describe: I'll be trying new things, all with the hope of adding elements of depth to our show. While there's no job description, I do know that adding depth will mean different things for different stories.

Imagine this: During a show about caucus night in Minnesota, Kerri Miller might spend 45 minutes discussing the GOP presidential nomination. We could include related elements I've recorded ahead of the show -- perhaps an interview with a party official or maybe a chat with a voter talking about their candidate. Miller could use those interviews to spontaneously create new questions for her guests.

Will you hear me interviewing guests? Yes.

Will you hear stories that I've reported, much in the way I've reported stories as an education reporter these past few years? Yes.

Will you hear me delivering short news updates? Yes, every hour.

Will you hear me chime in during Miller's discussions with a related fact or perspective I have learned from my reporting? Yes.

I'll be experimenting with quite a bit so I hope you'll be tolerant if I stumble.

I believe a second person can detract from a program like this if relegated to sidekick status. That's not for me. There's no gong; no bank of animal sound effects; no roster of celebrity impersonations. That said, we're going to enjoy ourselves, quite sincerely, because we love what we do.

My goal will be to help advance our conversations with the knowledge I have gleaned from my reporting on the topic.

And in that regard, I'm thrilled to join the new show. But for now, I still don't know what to put under my name on my business cards.

The Daily Circuit launches Feb. 21.

-Tom Weber, The Daily Circuit

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