It has been announced by Vermont Public Radio (press release:
http://www.pitchengine.com/vermontpublicradio/longtime-jazz-host-george-thomas-announces-retirement-from-vermont-public-radio ) that longtime evening jazz host George Thomas would be retiring at the end of this month (June, 2012).
Given that Thomas's jazz show was the last weekday music programming on VPR (the classical music programming that used to fill the midday, late-evening and overnight hours on VPR has since migrated to it's own 24/7 network, VPR Classical), and also given that down here in Boston, WGBH-89.7 has announced that jazz is being cut back to a few hours a week (to expand NPR/PRI/WGBH news/information programming during the evening or overnight hours), I would expect that VPR would not replace Thomas, and instead, eliminate it's nightly jazz show (although at this writing, June 20th, there is no official word from the network that indeed will happen) to expand news/information programming into the two hours nightly (three on Fridays) when VPR does not carry such programming.
My guess is VPR will fill the 9-11 P.M. slot with either:
(1) A delayed broadcast of Diane Rehm's show (not currently heard on VPR), or,
(2) "As It Happens" and "Q" from Canada's CBC Radio, which are both heard on an increasing number of NPR member stations (both programs are currently heard on New Hampshire Public Radio; I suspect that once WGBH cuts back on their evening jazz schedule, those two programs will also be heard on that station).
The 11 P.M.-12 Midnight slot on Fridays will probably become a simulcast of the BBC World Service, given that BBC programing is heard on VPR the other four weeknights at that hour.
Ironically, were VPR to do this, they probably would get more listeners and more pledge dollars from listeners because as much as many people wish it wasn't so, the truth is that
news and information programming on NPR member stations generates pledge dollars from listeners. Music programming generally does not.
