Save “In the Loop”!

I’ve been a fan of “In the Loop” for a long while. I started out as a passing fan, curious about how MPR this new experiment. After hearing the first story slam, I started listening on-again-off-again to the podcast (also here for you weird non-iTunes people). It wasn’t until I started going to the live tapings, though, that I realized what a community that show is, and how powerful the idea behind it is. The show is fundamentally and directly driven by it’s listeners, more than any other program on radio or TV that I’ve experienced. It is literally one gigantic feedback loop, more akin to a blog than a radio program, which has really fascinated me. It’s also got a tone and an approach which allows it to deal with very serious, difficult issues in a very productive, engaging, and open way — I think only “Speaking of Faith” has been able to hit such divisive issues and still come out with an authentic conversation.

Plus the music and humor are pretty good. :-D

Now it’s looking like they’re at the point where they may or may not make it to the next season — they’ve had the last two seasons for R&D, and now MPR needs to decide if it’s worth continuing. You would think that the full house at every taping, the large following, the interesting angles on the news, and the general injection of personal relevancy would make this a lay-up for MPR, but apparently it’s not. Jeff Horwich has some tips on what people could do, and I’d like to touch base with other people who are interested in saving the show. Contact me by leaving a comment (I can see your e-mail, even though it’s not posted to the website), or by using the contact form.