This Sunday I caught a few minutes of a new show on WDET, Front Row Center. Its a local show hosted by Celeste Headlee and directed right at Detroit. The few minutes I caught were about teaming up the private and public parts of the Eastern Market as well as the future of non-profs in the metro area.

Hoping to find it available as a podcast I went to the website to hear it in full. Unfortunately, it is only available streaming on-demand (I wanted to put it on my portable player), but it is still worth listening to. Last Sunday’s show also talked much about Detroit’s infamous Purple Gang with commentary by a man who grew up with the families.

The show takes on a format similar to Here and Now, but also has a ’round-table’ feel where several experts not only debate on matters but brainstorm and build upon each others ideas. Of course this is all from the one episode I’ve heard so far, but it seems to be a very promising program.

You can hear it Sunday’s 11am-Noon on WDET or in wdetfm.org‘s on-demand section.

WDET is usually a hot topic here, so I am wondering what you think of WDET’s Be a friend, bring a friend campaign? I am barely listening to WDET right now since the fund drives drive me batty.

There may be more listeners but why then aren’t they contributing?

This morning, WDET was advertising the fact they have two new openings available if you want to join the WDET Team. WHAT? They just laid off a bunch of people and now they are hiring? They didn’t say what kinds of positions were open but a quick search of the WDET site brings up these:

Development Director

Morning Edition Host

From past discussions on here, its assumed that the majority of metrobloggers and it’s readers are against the WDET changes made earlier this year. WDET is currently 10 days into the spring pledge drive. This is about a day longer than last fall’s. Will our point be made fiscally that we are unsatisfied with the decision to cut all midday music? Sadly whether our point is made or not, we will never see the old WDET again. Martin Bandyke has found a new home — along with former 96.3 fm’s Mark ‘Copey’ Copeland — on Ann Arbors 107one. According to a Free Press Article, Judy Adams is in talks with satellite radio.

The point is these two pillars of the old WDET will probably never return. So what we can look forward to is a new WDET. But the only way this will happen is if our opinions are heard.

If you are unsatisfied with the stations current format, let them know why you are not donating this time around.

As a new contributor to the site, allow me to introduce myself.
I am a student at Wayne State University studying for my B.S. in Electrical Engineering. Unlike most students, Wayne was my first and only choice. I wanted nothing more than to thrive in the Cass Corridors. I am also a devoted member of WDET, which brings me to my first topic.

WDET’s General Manager, Michael Coleman, asked us to give the new programming a chance. It has been a few weeks now and I must say I’m not completely outraged by the schedule. Here & Now and the BBC’s World Have Your Say have grown on me. I am also pleased to see the return of This American Life and Car Talk. WDET should be considered the “best of” compilation of public radio.

Still even with a great collection of news shows, the music of WDET is greatly lacking. What made ‘DET so unique was its weekday music schedule with small spots such as Judy Adams’ Ala Cart. Its the local programming that makes Detroit public radio so special.
What does everyone else think of the new WDET, or have you all just switched to a new station?