TRANSCRIPTION:
David Fair: This is 89 one WEMU, and we are thrilled to let you know that the WEMU news team is expanding! I'm David Fair, and we've been fortunate that, over the last 11 months, Kevin Meerschaert has filled in on an interim basis as host of All Things Considered. What a great job he's done! It's been over 14 months since we've had a full-time, permanent local host of the afternoon news magazine program, All Things Considered. That has officially changed. You may have heard a different voice popping in and providing news on the program over the past few days. That voice is our newly hired host of All Things Considered, Caroline MacGregor. Inside the walls of WEMU, we know what you're all going to find out. Being patient has paid off, and we have the right person for the job! Welcome to Team WEMU, Caroline!
Caroline MacGregor: Thank you so much, David! I'm very happy to be here!
David Fair: Well, you are new to our little corner of the world in Washtenaw County, but if I understand it correctly, you do have radio roots here in Michigan, don't you?
Caroline MacGregor: I do, yes. I started over in west Michigan several years ago and worked up in Traverse City too. And then, I worked out of state. And my career has encompassed both commercial and public media.
David Fair: I'm glad you brought that up because your last position was producer, reporter and assistant news director at West Virginia Public Radio. Is it fair to say that you value how public radio in specific goes about its business and that's why you sought out another public radio station in your return to Michigan?
Caroline MacGregor: Absolutely! Yeah, I just like their approach and their ethics regarding news. You know, they do tend to engage the audience and give a bigger perspective of news. You can just get a more in-depth insight into specific subjects of interest.
David Fair: I suspect that our listeners, through the course of this conversation and perhaps they heard you the past couple of days on All Things Considered, have picked up on the fact you have a bit of an accent. Not only do you bring Michigan perspective to WEMU, but you've lived a more global life that can add to how you engage and serve Washtenaw County. What's kind of the thumbnail version of your living experience?
Caroline MacGregor: Well, I was born in Dublin, Ireland, and I spent my formative years there, but also in England. Well, I was there for a year and a half early on. And then, we emigrated to South Africa, as a family, to Johannesburg. I was there for about 6 or 7 years. Then, we returned to Ireland, finished high school, and I know there's been a lot of traveling here, but we then decided to move back to Cape Town, South Africa. I enrolled in college over there in Cape Town, the most beautiful city in the world, by the way.
David Fair: I've not been.
Caroline MacGregor: And then, I lived in London for two years. It was in London that I met my former husband and moved to the U.S.
David Fair: In all of those experiences, was it, in part, what directed you to a career in radio and media and journalism?
Caroline MacGregor: Yes. When I first came to the U.S. I lived in Washington, D.C. and worked for the South African Embassy in their media liaison department. And so, it was all that sort of information, public relations, writing, doing synopses of what was going on in South Africa at the time. And, of course, there was some political turmoil, as everyone is aware.
David Fair: Right.
Caroline MacGregor: But it was a very interesting experience. And, yeah, then I moved to west Michigan, and it was somewhat accidentally that I ended up in radio, but I joined an extremely good news talk radio, where the news director was a real mentor to journalism students. And so, that sort of sparked my interest in news. And the rest is sort of history.
David Fair: You've lived a big life, it sounds like, and it has provided you a number of different perspectives from a prism that is different in each of the stops. WEMU--we're a hyper local community service. So, what do you most look forward to in getting to know Washtenaw County and our community of listeners and how you'll bring that prism to the reporting you do?
Caroline MacGregor: Good question. You know, I think there's a very interesting history here just from what I've been learning. And cultures--they cross the divide, so to speak. Something that could happen overseas and in a small town, there's often similarities between the day-to-day lives of people. Yes, the culture can be very different, but, essentially, we're all human beings. And each area, whether big or small, it's often the same pertinent issues that are important to people. So, I look forward to getting to know people here. And perhaps, I know it is very localized news that you do, but I'm sure that it's interesting to incorporate what I've learned over my experiences and what will relate, I'm sure, to many of the stories I work on.
David Fair: I want to thank you for stopping by this morning, Caroline, and I can't tell you how much we're all looking forward to hearing you this afternoon on All Things Considered and then every weekday as host of the program through 2025 and beyond! Truly looking forward to it!
Caroline MacGregor: Thank you so much, David! I'm happy to be here, as I said!
David Fair: That was Caroline MacGregor, WEMU's new host of All Things Considered. She will take on the schedule full-time beginning on Thursday, January 2nd. And I firmly believe we will all benefit greatly from the contributions that Caroline is going to make. I'm David Fair, and this is your community NPR station, 89 one WEMU.
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