Back in November, WUNC chose to discontinue “The State of Things,” North Carolina’s only live public radio program heard in the mountains, on the coast and in the Piedmont. Those of us who make the daily talk show were surprised and saddened by the decision — however, we are thrilled to continue offering the Embodied series into 2021 as a live weekly program from noon to one on Fridays. Listeners can also look forward to season two of the podcast adaptation.
The Embodied series began as an experimental deviation from the usual spin cycle of public radio back in summer 2019. Host Anita Rao sought to leverage the live talk show format to explore topics usually nixed in editorial meetings — sex, bodies and relationships. Immediately, the series received critical feedback on both the choice of content and Rao’s voice. Despite the backlash, Embodied quickly became a staple of the station, consistently topping WUNC’s most-read articles, and the podcast is now the station’s most-downloaded show.
So, to celebrate the spin-off series' persistence, host Anita Rao listens back to some of her favorite shows that have not yet made it to podcast. She is joined by Lindsay Foster Thomas, WUNC’s content director and a former producer for the daily talk show.
The Embodied series will continue airing on Fridays from noon to one on WUNC, while “The Takeaway” will fill the noon hour slot on other weekdays. Season two of the “Embodied” podcast is slated for release in 2021.
