CapRadio Adds Limited-Run Programs To Help You ‘Vote with Clarity’ This Election

What once was Election Day has become Election Season. California and Nevada voters are already starting to receive their vote-by-mail ballots. And despite outdated expectations of Election Night projections, clear results could take days, if not weeks. 

To help you navigate this election with clarity and transparency, get a deeper understanding of the issues that matter to you, and lift up the voices of people who have historically been left out of campaign coverage, we’re excited to announce some temporary changes to our CapRadio News program schedule, effective Friday, Oct. 9:

• Mondays at 8 p.m. through Nov. 16: America Amplified: Election 2020 dives into the challenges and concerns facing Americans as they head to the ballot box this November. Hosted by WABE’s Rose Scott in Atlanta with a different station co-host each week, the series is driven by the national listening sessions and community engagement efforts led by public media’s America Amplified initiative. The show’s mission is to foster dialogue over debate, share experiences, and elevate diverse community perspectives.
• Fridays at 1 p.m. through January 2021: Our Body Politic explores politics and this election cycle through the lens of women of color. Created and hosted by award-winning journalist Farai Chideya, the show examines how women of color experience the major political events of today — and how they’re having an impact on those very issues. Presented by KCRW, KPCC, and KQED.
• Friday, Oct. 9 at 3 p.m.: Voting in America, a special report from NPR, explores an extraordinary electoral season that’s coincided with the global pandemic. With early voting now underway, NPR’s Scott Detrow and Juana Summers share reports on how to navigate unprecedented challenges to casting a ballot this year. They’ll also help listeners prepare for Nov. 3, with some tips on avoiding misinformation as the votes are counted.

We recognize these additions to our lineup may cause some disruption to some listeners — in particular, fans of Fresh Air. However, the changes are only temporary, and with the goal of providing the strongest possible listener service during these next few months.

We’re also preparing for special coverage of milestone moments in the coming weeks.

As of this writing, the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to begin its confirmation hearing on Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Monday, Oct. 12. We’re faced with a very difficult decision. On the one hand, there’s no question of the hearing’s news value, and CapRadio’s policy is to carry all live, anchored NPR coverage. On the other, preempting our regular programming during this unprecedented news cycle would deprive our audience of national news — such as the final weeks of the campaign and the government’s coronavirus response — and our local election and wildfire coverage.

We have decided that the strongest listener service at this moment is to carry the portion of the hearing that’s expected to be the most newsworthy — senators questioning the nominee directly — live on the radio. At other times, such as opening statements, we will stick with regular programming — including our regional newscasts and local talk show Insight. We will monitor the hearing at all times and be prepared to jump in (or out) of NPR’s coverage as news warrants. And we will carry live video of the entire hearing on our website. 

Finally, in order to be as responsive to the news as possible the week of the election — and in recognition of how little we may know on Election Night — we will run NPR’s All Things Considered from 1-3 p.m. in addition to its regular hours of 3:30-7 p.m. We are also preparing for live, local special coverage throughout Election Week to keep you fully up to date on the crucial state and regional ballot measures and races. The World will move to 7 p.m. that week, and the Wednesday and Thursday editions of Fresh Air can be heard at the show's usual 8 p.m. rebroadcast time.

We’re grateful that you choose to trust CapRadio as your source for fact-based reporting and analysis this election season. And we’re always open to your feedback. You can email me here.

Take care, stay safe, and stay informed!

Ben Adler

Director of Programming and Audience Development