SiriusXM is replacing and rebranding its current “Public Radio” station (the satellite radio giant also carries NPR) as Insight, which will debut next Monday — Jan. 12, 2015 — as a more entertaining and, ahem, insightful look at the day’s news.
Thank Sirius host and former Colbert Report warm-up comic Pete Dominick for that. As Dominick told friends and fans on Monday:
My whole life people have been telling me what “can’t be done.” I have always felt bad for those people. So After 6 years and 3 different channels at SIRIUSXM I decided to pitch my own idea here. With the help and collaboration of an amazing team at SIRIUSXM we did it.
I wanted to create a channel that embodied what my show “Stand Up” has been trying to do for as long as I have been hosting it.
A channel that focuses on a broad range of important issues from politics to parenting.
A channel with shows hosted by smart,funny, curious individuals who care deeply about the issues that affect you the most and welcome the experts who know them the best.
A channel that gives voice to the voiceless and speaks truth to power. A channel that is driven by a thirst for knowledge not ratings…
A channel that will work hard to fight Apathy and Ignorance and welcome a diversity of opinion without having to manufacture conflict.
Today I introduce you to a dream that’s been brewing inside me for a long time.
“We’re going to look at issues in a slightly edgier, more youthful way than traditional public radio has done in the past,” said Scott Greenstein, president and chief content officer at SiriusXM.
Dominick will host a three-hour block weekday mornings, with comedian John Fugelsang also holding down three hours each weekday afternoon. Dean Obeidallah will host a two-hour block on Saturday mornings.
The rest of the launch schedule also includes room for regular weekday shows hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson (whose StarTalk broadcasts often feature comedians such as Eugene Mirman), Margaret Hoover and Karen Hunter, while lawyer Alan Dershowitz will chair a two-hour block on Sunday mornings.
Here are the show descriptions for the three comedians on the initial Insight lineup, on SiriusXM, Ch. 121:
Stand Up with Pete Dominick – 9 am-12 pm ET, daily
Pete sticks a microphone in America’s face during his daily discussions with experts and an unusually independent-minded audience. He draws out insights and witty observations you won’t find in mainstream media or on partisan talk shows.
Tell Me Everything with John Fugelsang – 2-5 pm ET, daily
The acclaimed comedian, television host and social media star challenges conventional wisdom on politics, media, religion, and pop culture on an entertaining and irreverent daily call-in show. Journalists, comics, artists, authors, activists and political figures all have a place at the table along with many special guests.
StarTalk with Neil deGrasse Tyson – 5-6 pm ET, daily
An exclusive presentation of deGrasse Tyson’s extensive archives, StarTalk Radio bridges the intersection between pop culture and science with clarity, humor and passion. Subjects such as space travel, extra-terrestrial life, the Big Bang, the future of our Earth and the environment, and breaking news—from the universe to everything under the Sun—are all open for exploration. Each day, Tyson is joined by co-hosts, celebrities, and other special guests.
The Dean Obeidallah Show – Saturdays, 10 am-12 pm ET
Dean Obeidallah hosts the first-ever national radio show that examines the issues of the week from the Muslim American perspective. Dean, who is of Palestinian descent, is a former practicing lawyer turned political comedian/writer and co-director of the comedy documentary, “The Muslims Are Coming!” His live, weekly show will be informative and entertaining, offering the perspective of a community whose voice is typically not heard in mainstream media.