Walter Edgar’s Journal transitions from broadcast program to podcast

walter edgar holding phone with walter edgar's journal podcast showing

SC Public Radio announces additional schedule changes

After more than 20 years broadcasting on SC Public Radio, Walter Edgar’s Journal will expand its journey through South Carolina history by transitioning to a podcast format on June 2. The final broadcast episode aired Friday, May 26. The first episode of the new Walter Edgar’s Journal podcast will begin Friday, June 2. Edgar’s South Carolina from A to Z segments will continue to be heard on broadcast and available for listeners online.

In the podcast, you’ll join Walter and co-host Alfred Turner twice a month for even more conversations about the history and culture of South Carolina and the American South – from the mysteries of okra to the long road to civil rights and much more. Alfred Turner is a familiar voice to many listeners, having hosted past programs such as The Morning Concert, Standard Time and various specials. Turner is currently the producer for Walter Edgar’s Journal.

The weekly broadcast program will be available as a twice-monthly podcast with expanded stories and conversations. In the first podcast episode, Edgar and Turner will be joined by Captain Woody Collins for a lively conversation about his experiences and the history of shrimping in South Carolina while answering the question posed in his book titled Where Have All the Shrimp Boats Gone?

The Walter Edgar’s Journal podcast will be available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, other major podcast platforms as well as the SCETV App, on your smart speakers with “play Walter Edgar’s Journal” and the SC Public Radio website. New episodes will be released every first and third Friday. Future topics include:

  • The mysteries of okra
  • The origins of The Wheel of Time
  • How many “Reconstructions” there have been since the Civil War
  • Why the road through the Supreme Court to civil rights has been so rocky

From a one-time broadcast special came the idea for a live, weekly talk program that included historian Dr. Walter Edgar. The program hosts would interview guests and take calls from listeners about topics of the day. The broadcast program, unnamed for its first few months, became Walter Edgar's Journal and would evolve into weekly conversation with guests - authors, artists, politicians and everyday folks. Walter Edgar's Journal is again evolving into a new format that will provide more flexibility for the hosts to engage guests during interviews and dive deeper into new topics.

With the transition of Walter Edgar’s Journal to a podcast format, broadcast schedules on SC Public Radio will include additional program changes. Beginning June 2, Here and Now will air at 12 p.m. on Fridays on all stations. On Saturdays at 7 a.m. on the News/Music stations and Sundays at 4 p.m. on the News/Talk stations, On The Media will air. On the Media is a program “for people eager to challenge their assumptions. Every week, it uses the media as a magnifying glass to reveal the deeper truths behind the daily onslaught of information." 

Additionally, The Takeaway will be ending its run Friday, June 2. Beginning June 5, the BBC Newshour will air Monday-Friday at 9 a.m. on News/Talk stations. On Point will also begin airing on June 5 Monday-Friday at 2 p.m. on News/Music stations.

For the latest program schedule, visit the SC Public Radio website or the SCETV App.


QUOTES

“This transition gives Walter Edgar’s Journal a chance to be more fluid in its formatting while reaching an audience that was not previously available. South Carolina has a rich history, and it’s exciting to be able to share that history worldwide.”  –Director of SC Public Radio Sean Birch

“We want to continue connecting with our audience who know us through radio broadcasts, while also reaching new audiences who can interact with us wherever they are. This is an exciting opportunity for the program to transform once again and bring South Carolina history to a broader audience.”  –Walter Edgar’s Journal Host Walter Edgar


FAST FACTS

  • The final broadcast episode aired on Friday, May 26. 
  • The first episode of the new Walter Edgar’s Journal podcast will begin Friday, June 2. New episodes will air on the first and third Friday of each month. 
  • The podcast will be similar to the existing show and will include expanded conversations and stories about the history and culture of the South.
  • Alfred Turner joins the Walter Edgar’s Journal podcast as a co-host.
  • The Walter Edgar’s Journal podcast will be available on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music, other major podcast platforms as well as the SCETV App, on your smart speakers with “play Walter Edgar’s Journal” and the SC Public Radio website.
  • Edgar’s South Carolina from A to Z segments will continue to be heard on broadcast and available for listeners online.
  • Beginning June 2, Here and Now will air at 12 p.m. on Fridays on all stations.
  • On The Media will air on Saturdays at 7 a.m. on the News/Music stations and Sundays at 4 p.m. on the News/Talk stations.
  • The Takeaway will be ending its run Friday, June 2.
  • Beginning June 5, the BBC Newshour will air Monday-Friday at 9 a.m. on News/Talk stations. 
  • Beginning June 5, On Point will air Monday-Friday at 2 p.m. on News/Music stations.

About South Carolina ETV and Public Radio
South Carolina ETV and Public Radio (SCETV) is the state's public educational broadcasting network. SCETV amplifies South Carolina voices, provides educational experiences and strengthens communities, while working toward creating a stronger, more connected and informed South Carolina. In addition to airing local programs, such as Carolina Classrooms, Making It Grow, and This Week in South Carolina, SCETV also presents multiple programs to regional and national audiences, including By The River, After Action, Reconnecting Roots, Reel South, Somewhere South, Yoga in Practice and How She Rolls. In addition, SC Public Radio produces the national radio production, Chamber Music from Spoleto Festival USA.

Media Contact
Landon Masters
media@scetv.org
(803) 737-3337

Walter Edgar’s Journal transitions from broadcast program to podcast (PDF)