Until We Meet Again...

Goodbyes for me are never easy. This one is bittersweet.

After today, we'll no longer be a part of NPR's Rough Cuts. Beginning Monday, April 30th, we officially launch as a full-fledged NPR program! We've graduated!

As you might recall, Rough Cuts was never designed to be a permanent location (or name...and thanks again to all of you who played the name game with us! That was crazy...). Instead, the whole idea was that this space was to serve as the "launch pad" or "laboratory" for new NPR projects. We had the honor of being the first such project.

A lot has happened here over the past six months. When we first came to you, we were nameless, pretty much shapeless and searching to find our place (kind of like smooth cheeked little babies, but maybe not as cute). Now, I don't know what your attitude is about this, but in the nature vs. nurture debate I am a both-and woman. That's my way of saying, we may have come here unformed, but the development process was both learning how to do this radio thing, and discovering and refining what was already within us. What you will hear, we hope, is a combination of what we've learned from you -- what you've told us works or doesn't work -- but also what we all brought with us, in our hearts, souls and minds, about what this program should be.

Looking back over the 16 pilots and nearly 20 other non-piloted stories posted here, I can say that every minute of this preliminary journey has been enriching. Don't get me wrong, we've had labor pains (and once we launch, we'll have growing pains), but they've been fruitful...and we're about to deliver!!!

We always expected to put on a great program -- at least we plan to do everything we can to make it great -- but in the spirit of full disclosure, I'll admit that what we didn't expect was to make such great friends here -- You. We've been overwhelmed by the support, constructive criticism, the ideas, the personal stories. Can I just tell you? You have really shown us the love. Our entire team is humbled and gratified by it.

Speaking of team...we finally have one! When we started Rough Cuts in December, I could count all of us on one hand. Those days are over (thankfully). We're blessed to have a fantastic -- not to mention brilliant -- group of folks working with us. Some time after we launch, I'll introduce them to you...

So, what's next? Monday, we officially launch as NPR's Tell Me More with Michel Martin on stations across the country.

If you don't hear us Monday on your local public radio station, you still have options! Catch us on Sirius Satellite Radio, download our podcasts on iTunes, or check us out on the web.

And don't worry! Our blog will not die. I repeat. Will not die. It will serve as a supplement to our daily on-air conversations. Trust me, one of our producers, Lee Hill, will see to that. He assures me we have many exciting ideas to bridge the digital divide between what you hear on the radio and what you'll see on our website (he'd better or he's toast -- Lee...kidding...pre-launch aggression, nothing more) In other words, fasten your seat belts...we're ready to go!

So, cheers to Rough Cuts. And cheers to new beginnings -- for us here and for you...

Thanks for helping us find our way!

See you Monday at www.npr.org/tellmemore.

Michel Martin

7:54 PM ET | 04-27-2007 | permalink

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7:54 PM ET | 04-27-2007 | permalink