WBUR's new, improved "Radio Boston"

When I heard a few minutes ago that NECN executive editor Iris Adler was leaving for an unidentified job at WBUR-FM, I assumed she'd be part of the remaking of WBUR's "Radio Boston," which is about to become a daily rather than a weekly program--and I began whipping up a blog post.

It turns out, though, that my friend and former colleague Dan Kennedy was several steps ahead of me. In a fact-packed item on "Radio Boston's" reinvention, Dan reports that Adler will be the show's executive producer. The "lead host," meanwhile, will be Meghna Chakrabarti, who replaces Jane Clayson. (Clayson recently  wrote that she's leaving for a more family-friendly schedule.) Also playing key roles: Mark Navin, Adam Ragusea, Jessica Alpert, and Tim Skoog.

While Clayson grew on me in her stint as "Radio Boston's" host, I'm really eager to hear what Chakrabarti does in her role. Not only is Chakrabarti blessed with a great radio voice; she also has an on-air energy that should serve "Radio Boston" extremely well.

The internal WBUR memo Dan obtained also indicates that the new "Radio Boston" will air at one or three PM. If they choose the second option--thereby preempting the latter half of NPR's "Talk of the Nation"--local public-radio devotees will be able to listen to Boston-centric shows at noon, one and three every day.

Perhaps, though, WBUR will decide to push back at WGBH's recent expansion by setting up a head-to-head battle between Chakrabarti et al. and WGBH's Callie Crossley. (Disclosure: I'm headed to WGBH later this month.) Either way, the sudden boom in Boston-centric public radio is excellent news for local listeners.