Whether revealing events in small-town America or
overseas, or profiling notable personalities, Weekend
Edition from NPR NewsSM appreciates the
extraordinary details that make up every story. This
two-hour morning newsmagazine covers hard news, a wide
variety of newsmakers, and cultural stories with care,
accuracy, and a wink of humor, courtesy of hosts Scott
Simon and Liane Hansen.
On
Saturdays, Simon's award-winning commentaries sum up an
idea or event related to the week's news. Clever,
information-packed exchanges with NPR senior news
analyst Daniel Schorr, sports columnist Ron Rapoport,
gardening guru Ketzel Levine, entertainment critic Elvis
Mitchell, and other commentators contribute to the
unique feel and personality of the show.
On
Sundays, Weekend Edition combines the news with
colorful arts and human-interest features, appealing to
the curious and eclectic. With a nod to traditional
Sunday habits, the program offers a fix for diehard
crossword addicts-word games and brainteasers with The
Puzzlemaster, a.k.a. Will Shortz, puzzle editor of The New York Times. With Hansen on the sidelines, a
caller plays the latest word game on the air while
listeners compete silently at home. The NPR mailbag is
proof that the competition to go head-to-head with
Shortz is rather...vigorous.
Another trademark of Sunday's program is "Voices in the
News," a montage of sound bites from the past week,
poignant in its simplicity. Hansen also engages
listeners in her discussions with regular contributors,
including Daniel Schorr and special correspondent Juan
Williams, who cover a wide range of national and
international issues.
