‘The Rundown with Carrie Saldo’ offers a spirited review of the week’s most important western Massachusetts stories and issues
Jan. 26, 2024, SPRINGFIELD, Mass. — A new weekly radio show and podcast about what’s happening in western Massachusetts will add more local news to the region’s public radio station beginning next week. “The Rundown with Carrie Saldo” premieres Friday, Feb. 2 from 9-10 a.m. following NPR’s “Morning Edition” on 88.5 NEPM.
Each week, listeners will hear a lively conversation with reporters from newsrooms around western Massachusetts, giving their take on the news and events that shaped the week, and providing analysis, context, insights, and varying perspectives. In-depth interviews and features with local newsmakers, community leaders, and just plain interesting people will round out the second half of the show.
“The Rundown” is produced and hosted by Carrie Saldo, an experienced and award-winning multimedia journalist who’s reported on everything from arts to politics. Her investigations have sought justice for homeless individuals, called attention to racial inequity in the construction industry and sparked an international debate about two Norman Rockwell paintings.
“Carrie is one of the region’s most respected journalists, and ‘The Rundown’ will be imprinted with her expertise, curiosity, and joy for uncovering and sharing stories about western Mass.,” said Tony Dunne, director of content for NEPM and executive producer of “The Rundown with Carrie Saldo.”
Saldo will be familiar to many public television viewers as the host of “Connecting Point” on NEPM-TV for six of the program’s 13 seasons on air, and as a regular fill-in host on “All Things Considered” on 88.5 NEPM. She's worked with several PBS and NPR member stations, including GBH News in Boston and Rocky Mountain Public Media in Denver. And you can find her work on podcasts, and in newspapers and magazines. She has degrees in English and theater from Manhattanville College.
“Forget artificial intelligence. Our guests on ‘The Rundown’ will serve up actual intelligence,” Saldo said. “Can the same be said for me? Well, you should listen and let me know.”
NEPM’s listening tour of the region and its audience in 2022 led to the launch of “The Fabulous 413,” hosted by Monte Belmonte and Kaliis Smith in February 2023. A major format change to its flagship signal 88.5 FM followed in September. 88.5 NEPM now carries news and talk programming throughout the day, and classical music has moved to a six-station network called Classical NEPM.
“Trustworthy local news and journalism is not only our promise on 88.5 NEPM, but also an essential for everyone in western Mass,” said Matt Abramovitz, president of NEPM. “We hope that the addition of ‘The Rundown with Carrie Saldo,’ which will bring together the region’s most insightful reporters with one of its most talented hosts, will further strengthen the local news ecosystem and benefit all of us.”
Fridays on 88.5 NEPM are packed with terrific week-in-review shows that look at the national, and international stories in the news. Adding “The Rundown with Carrie Saldo” at 9 a.m. invites listeners to start local, and continue on to national and international news round-ups from popular NPR programs “1A,” “Here and Now” and “On Point.”
“The Rundown with Carrie Saldo” airs Fridays from 9-10 a.m. following NPR’s “Morning Edition” on 88.5 NEPM. Contact the show at nepm.org/therundown or email therundown@nepm.org.
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