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Melissa Harris-Perry: Welcome to The Takeaway. I'm Melissa Harris-Perry. Thanks for being with us. All right. Go back with me to April 2008.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Just a few months earlier, the New York Giants won an epic Super Bowl.

?Speaker: Manning. Loves it, [unintelligible 00:00:27], touchdown, New York.

[crowd cheering]

Melissa Harris-Perry: The world was preparing for the Summer Olympics in Beijing.

?Speaker 2: Here they come down the track. Usain Bolt, sprinting ahead, winning by daylight.

Melissa Harris-Perry: George W. Bush was still in the White House.

George Bush: Actually, I thought we were going to do fine. Shows what I know.

Melissa Harris-Perry: The real political story was the heated primary battle between Democratic Senators Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama.

Hillary Clinton: We think that it's taken us into the future and well, let's go win election.

Barack Obama: I am here to report that my bet has paid off. We are ready for something new.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Back in 2008, this is how Donald Trump talked about American politics.

Donald Trump: I think she's going to go down at a minimum as a great senator, I think she is a great wife to a president, and I think Bill Clinton was a great president.

Melissa Harris-Perry: We didn't know it yet, but the country was on the brink of a near-total collapse of our housing and banking systems, a collapse that would have global ramifications for decades. It was into this world in April of 2008 that a brand new public radio show was launched.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: All across America, this is The Takeaway from WNYC and PRI.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: The Takeaway arrived with the stated goal of delivering national and international news and cultural stories through a conversational and unprecedented personality-driven format.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Now, over the years, The Takeaway has taken on different shapes.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: One host, two hosts, no host. One hour, two hours, four hours. Live, taped, in studio, across miles.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: The show has welcomed thousands of guests, told tens of thousands of stories, and launched hundreds of radio-making careers. For 15 years and 3,933 shows, The Takeaway has been part of the national fabric and touched the lives of millions of listeners.

Today, Friday, June 2nd, 2023, at the end of this hour, The Takeaway will sign off for the very last time. Before we go, we wanted to look back over some of what we've done and to hear from some of the people who've been part of The Takeaway family, including you, who we're going to hear from later in the hour. We're starting out with Lee Hill. He's executive editor of News at GBH, that's Boston's public radio station, and a co-producer of this show since the very beginning. Of course, when I met Lee Hill, he was executive producer for The Takeaway. It was just an afternoon in April of 2021 when he gave me a call.

Lee Hill: That's right. If I had it to do all over again, I would still make that call and probably would have called you on two or three phones to ask you to come onto the show. It's one of the best decisions that I've ever made. I think that you've done such a terrific job of guiding the show, really reinvigorating the culture. Most people who hear and experience the show don't know there's also a team element that's so important to pulling something like this off. You've been not only a great host but a great team leader, from everything I've heard on my end. From everything I've heard, you've been a terrific team leader and so, so proud of you.

Melissa Harris-Perry: I so appreciate that because I feel like the person who someone has a precious Faberge egg or their most beloved house plant, and they're like, "Hey, can you take care of this for me? I'm going on an extended trip and then I feel like I killed the fricking houseplant or I broke the Faberge egg. [laughs]

Lee Hill: No. I am here to tell you, and I think I speak for a lot of folks, you've done everything right. You've just brought so much energy to the program. I see it on social media and I've heard it from people even here in Boston that you've introduced a new generation of folks to public media through this show. I know people have known you from your other hats that you've worn, professor and a television host, but really, from my estimation, new audiences have been introduced to the power of public media through you. That is a testament to you and the wonderful team that you have working alongside you.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Well, let's talk about that, the power of public media, because, again, you gave me that call. I was literally sitting on my back porch watching my chickens, living my life-

Lee Hill: [unintelligible 00:05:49].

Melissa Harris-Perry: -[laughs] but I didn't know anything about radio. You've been a crusader in the public radio world. Talk to me a little bit about when you think about public radio and public media more broadly, how do you see what its role, its purpose, its goal in this moment is?

Lee Hill: I think a lot about this in, I've had opportunities to leave this industry time and again, and I've stuck with it because I really believe in the power and the potential of public media, public broadcasting to deliver news, information, context, and culture that helps people locate themselves in the world around them in a way that commercial media doesn't really do. We're supposed to be accountable to higher ideals. Trust is really, I think, our most important currency. You don't really find that in commercial media, at least in terms of what they say and so I believe in the story of public media, even reading the Public Broadcasting Act, I think, of 1967 was the year.

If you think about where the country was during that time and how public media was really imagined to help fill a critical gap in fostering more understanding, bringing more equity, centering voices that would have otherwise been in the margins. I think that the body and spirit of that work is exactly precisely the value that The Takeaway has held in the media landscape lo these many years. That was really underlined by your arrival.

Melissa Harris-Perry: That point, I think for me, again, part of what was, and it remains even until the last day here, so exciting about this opportunity is that I'd previously hosted a show, but it was literally called Melissa Harris-Perry. It was my show with a whole bunch of really great people I was working with, but it was conceived of and then died with my hosting, but this is something that is 15 years long. Can you talk a little bit about how you see The Takeaway within that broader public media landscape you've just laid out for us?

Lee Hill: Yes. I think the show has done a really-- It's so hard talking about The Takeaway in the past tense, I'll just say that, [chuckles] but I feel like the show has done a really good job of taking stories and voices that would have otherwise flown under the radar, been marginalized, and making them the centerpiece to drive conversation around things that we should all be talking about.

Some examples of this. I think of the wonderful series that you all did on Black Queer Rising and hearing from people across the country, leaders who locate themselves at the intersection of being queer, being Black, being in a position of influence, I don't know of any other program that was bringing those voices to the fore. I also think of your deep dives that really took a complex issue and made it more accessible. I remember when I first met you, you told me something about, you explained your philosophy around accessible journalism by putting something down to where the goats can get it, [laughs] closer to the ground. I'm not saying it right, but anyway--

Melissa Harris-Perry: No, that's exactly right. Although I stole that from the Black Eagle, Joe Madison, but that's what he says, put it down where the goats can get it. [laughs]

Lee Hill: That's right. That's right. Make some of these issues that are so wonky and covered in ways that really make it hard to wrap your head around in other media outlets. I think The Takeaway has done a terrific job of making journalism more accessible. I also think of work that was done with the previous host around Puerto Rico, and how when many other news outlets had picked up and rolled away, The Takeaway really stayed on that story and some of the political unrest there, and really hearing from the spirit of the people who were trying to make the island better as well as our coverage of parenting, and the intersection of race and media and politics.

Again, there are plenty other shows out there that are doing the work of informing people, but I think there was even a smaller class of programs that people could count on to hear reporting, hear conversation about complex issues in a way that was digestible, in a way that they could see themselves in. I think a lot of people see themselves in you, and then even in the work that you've done as a-- I don't know if you like this word, a public intellectual. I know that seems like, "What is that?" The scholarship that you bring, and even the lesson that you used to teach us all every weekend on MSNBC, you help make information and news and reporting and journalism accessible in a way that we can locate ourselves in. I think that that's the power of the show.

Melissa Harris-Perry: What I love about what you're saying here is, in part thinking about the fact of there are different ways to measure a show having impact. Sometimes it has impact by being long-lasting and doing the thing, and sometimes it is long-lasting, does the thing, but it also is the residual changes that it makes, the ways that it influences other broadcasts, other hosts, other producers to shift.

I know that when The Takeaway was first developed, it was actually seen as a competitor to Morning Edition, which strikes me as wild now, compared to what this show is. I do wonder about how-- even thinking about something like that, like, oh, here's a mainstay in public media. How creating competitors can actually improve. In other words, I'm wondering, is Morning Edition better now than it was 15 years ago, in part because that first version of The Takeaway existed?

Lee Hill: I was going to say that. Full disclosure, I was not at The Takeaway at its inception, but I was in the public media space. Actually, I was working at NPR headquarters in Washington where Morning Edition is produced when The Takeaway came on the scene. I can tell you from being a former employee of NPR and being a consumer of Morning Edition, that win shows like The Takeaway, Tell Me More, that was hosted by Michelle Martin at the time, came on the scene, it challenged Morning Edition to tell more stories that were more reflective of all of America and all of this world.

I do think that that is an effect of the show, and always will be part of the legacy of the show, is that it made other shows better because we saw there were some programs, and Jay Cowit, who's probably there in the studio with you or in the control room, can probably attest that. There were other shows that tried to imitate even what The Takeaway was doing.

I'll say this, that, when George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery were murdered there was this national conversation around equity, around responsible policing, around excessive force, parade police-community relations, institutional racism, white supremacist, thinking that had infiltrated law enforcement. Guess what? The takeaway had always been talking about those things. Even before diversity, equity, and inclusion became in vogue, The Takeaway was still having these conversations long before all of that. I feel like other media have had to catch up to where The Takeaway always was.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Yet any media product is imperfect. It's just the nature of things.

Lee Hill: That's right.

Melissa Harris-Perry: If you were looking back either over your time at The Takeaway, or even having launched this version of The Takeaway, and this crew of people, and having moved on to a new role, what would you say-- If somebody gave you a magic wand and $10 million, [chuckles] what would be the thing that maybe you would say, "All right, this would've moved us even more in the direction of the mission"?

Lee Hill: I think that telling the story of what The Takeaway has always been intentional about doing, telling that story to the public, and even helping people in the media industry in general, public media industry in particular, understand how much of a jewel this program is, and how different it is and how important that difference is. Even with, I'm not inside the head of leadership at WNYC and New York Public Radio, but if I had it to do all over again, we have Takeaway audience members that are ride or die. You can see this from Twitter and social media people who have been there since day one, and they get the value of the program.

I sometimes feel that the utility of the program, the uniqueness of the program wasn't always recognized in its own house. By in its own house, I don't necessarily mean only WNYC, I mean in the media landscape writ large. I think that that's an important point to make because again, you can see with the events that have happened in the world, over the past several years, everyone is trying to center the things that The Takeaway has always been centering. I'll say that.

Dr. Melissa Harris-Perry: This might seem like an odd question, but both for the audience, but honestly even because two years behind the mic here, I still don't really know what the answer is. Lee Hill, what exactly does an executive producer in public radio do?

Lee Hill: That's a really good question. The executive producer should help set the tone, and really guide the program in its strategy, helping to develop the voice of its journalism helping to keep what we say we are, and what we intend to be and do, to keep us accountable to those ideals. The executive producer is also the go between the show, staff, and host, and executive senior leadership of a production house, or of, in this case, WNYC, the organization, and really helping to steer the program to keep the program relevant fresh, to also challenge conventional wisdom around what a show can mean to its audience, and find new ways to connect to the public that are beyond the traditional radio dial. I remember even when I was there, you doing things on Instagram and Facebook, and meeting the audience where they are.

I would say the role of a EP showrunner, as it's called in other places, is to really help guide that strategy as well as support the team be someone who helps the team understand that they're important, that they are valued, that they are worthy, and also at the same time pushing them to become better and stronger. That's how I would describe it. I think I was also an evangelist for the show. I think an EP. As evangelist for the show to the people who need to be converted. My church background, sometimes it's hard for me to leave those analogies behind against my better judgment sometimes. To really be an evangelist and ambassador for the show and to help people understand why it's so important.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Look, I love that you shifted a little bit to the language of showrunner, even from EP, in part because I do remember you running a lot. One of the things I feel like is-- honestly, Lee, I had been working here a good three months before I realized I didn't work for NPR. [laughs] I've listened to public radio my whole life and didn't at all understand the structure of public radio.

Again, to help the listeners understand a bit, when you're talking about being an evangelist for the show or running, part of running is that you are as an EP, convincing small-town central part of the Midwest and a big market like LA to run the show. Maybe also help people understand that a bit.

Lee Hill: Yes. I remember being on the phone with program directors who-- I always said that I had probably about 300 bosses. I didn't only have the bosses who were at WNYC, the executive team there, but I was accountable to every city that carried this program, I consider to be my boss. It's impossible for one person to maintain 300 relationships, but I did count it my business to be on the phone with the folks in Maine, to Los Angeles, to Minnesota, and helping them understand the value of the program, listening to their thoughts about the program, of course, we can't really accommodate every idea, but it was helpful to understand, if I was talking to someone who was in the leading programming in Southern California, for instance, to know that there are hot-button issues that are happening in those communities, and as a national show that's popular in those communities, trying to understand what responsibility we have and what we can do to help amplify some of the conversations that are happening on the local level.

Even though I've worked in national journalism and national media for a big part of my career, I've always been a local news person at heart. By that, I mean I have always thought and I feel like there's data that supports this, that a healthy local news ecosystem also leads to a healthy democracy. Being able to tap into issues that were happening in these cities, from coast to coast, where we had the honor of coming to people through their speakers every day, made the program better. Not that we could reflect all of those issues or stories on every day and every program, but it made the show better, knowing that we could sometimes touch on those matters, and balance our responsibility as a national show, with local sensibilities.

Melissa Harris-Perry: This team, The Takeaway, we're broadcasting our last show. We together as a team, won't be together again. Although we did a pink slip party a while back and [crosstalk]--

Lee Hill: I heard that.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Yes, the metaphor of Ocean's Eleven was used, so I am thinking like, [laughs] maybe the old team will get back together, do something, but give a little advice for so many of these young producers for whom The Takeaway has been their first gig, their first job, who will be going on and doing other work in other spaces, especially maybe, so many of our producers are either queer folk, women folk, Black folk, brown folk, or at the intersection of these identities and more. What is your advice for moving forward in this profession?

Lee Hill: One, first and foremost, hold your heads high. You all have done a terrific job, a tremendous job of really carving out a unique space and driving conversation around things that people otherwise would not have been talking about. Recognize those contributions and give yourself credit for really doing remarkable work to contribute to our profession through this program. Also, to understand that you are more than this moment, you are more than the sunsetting of the thing, and that the lessons that you've learned and being a part of this show is really, in many ways, a masterclass in intersectionality, because of all of the intersections that we covered. You're an expert in that.

I think if you're a producer for The Takeaway, given the editorial process that I remember that we participated in every day, and the filtering and the critical thinking of ideas and concepts and really trying to get to the heartbeat of not just this country, but the people who've been most affected by the worst parts of this country, I really think that that makes the producers there, more of a commodity and value than they realize when it comes to being marketable for moving on in this profession. Don't hide or dim that light to accommodate other people's smallness and thinking. I probably, yes, I said that.

Anyway, that's what I would say. Then leaving this program, 15 years, hundreds of people have come through the doors of the show in different capacities over the years, and you're now joining this alumni network of folks who have worked on The Takeaway who work in every corner of this profession, and people who've left the profession and now working in academia or in podcasting, in the entertainment world. We have some people leave and go work on a food show. I just think that you're also joining this larger support group, many of whom are people of color.

I remember, when I was at The Takeaway, leading the show, I think I can say that we were the most diverse program, we have the most diverse staff in all of New York Public Radio, for shows. That is something that very few people can say that they worked on a national media program with as diverse of a program staff as we did. Hold your hands high, we've got you, and don't discount or diminish the value that you added to the national conversation.

Melissa Harris-Perry: I love that response so much. Maybe it's because I am at my core, a school teacher, a college professor, but as a school teacher, our job is always to launch the young talent to the next thing. You're not supposed to be in my class forever, you're supposed to go on and do bigger, and give me something to smile about when you come back and tell me about all your incredible adventures. I have always felt that spirit in you as well, that it's both about employing and nurturing talent in the moment, but also launching that talent out into the world. That's how we'll take this final episode of The Takeaway as this great launching pad for these extraordinary producers.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Lee Hill, former executive producer of The Takeaway, current executive editor at GBH News. Thank you so much for joining us.

Lee Hill: Thank you, Melissa Harris-Perry, and nothing but love for you and the entire team there onward.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Our thanks to Lee Hill for that conversation, and for so much more. Just to note, currently, The Takeaway does not have a permanent executive producer, and we were without one when the show was canceled. We did invite WNYC's President and CEO, LaFontaine Oliver, to join us for today's show, to speak directly to the decision to cancel The Takeaway. Mr. Oliver declined our invitation. I'll also note that as of today, New York Public Radio still has never issued a general press release, informing the media, the public, or our listeners that The Takeaway has been canceled. All right, y'all stay with us, because we're going to hear from some of Team Takeaway right after this.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Welcome back to The Takeaway. I'm Melissa Harris-Perry. This is our final day on air. After 15 years and more than 3900 episodes, The Takeaway will end broadcasting at the end of this hour. Now for the past couple of weeks, you've been hearing the voices of Team Takeaway; the producers, sound engineers, and interns who've made this show what it is. If you've been listening to these behind-the-scenes conversations, you will know that making an original new show every day is a lot of work, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Getting to bring stories to a national audience of millions, stories that you often won't hear anywhere else, it's a challenge, but also such a privilege. Don't take it from me, take it from Team Takeaway.

Katerina Barton: This is Katerina and I'm a producer on The Takeaway. There are so many great memories I have of working at The Takeaway, but I think my favorite is when Ryan Wilde and I started our first Takeaway reports. We got to try on this vibrating haptic vest that helps deaf and hard-of-hearing people experience concerts in a different way.

[audio playback]

Katerina Barton: Where are you feeling the vibrations?

Ryan Wilde: I'm feeling the vibrations everywhere. Okay, intensely in my torso right now. [chuckles]

Katerina Barton: Yes, it makes you like want to dance.

[end of audio]

Katerina Barton: It was just so fun to report on a story and share a point of view that I think not many people, including me, have really thought about.

Jackie Martin: I'm Jackie Martin. I am producer here for The Takeaway. I don't know what my favorite memory about The Takeaway is because I have a lot of good ones. I would have to say maybe when I booked Dennis Biddle, the former Negro League player when it was the 100-year anniversary of the start of the Negro Leagues.

Dennis Biddle: We had to strive to be better, just to prove how great we really were. I think about all the players that prepared us, the younger players, they went through a lot and had nothing to look forward to. We knew we had a chance with Jackie opening the door.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: We just had to get on the ground and out in the field for these stories whenever we could. Here's our digital producer, Zachary Bynum.

Zachary Bynum: My favorite moments of The Takeaway have been when I've got to leave my little corner here in the South and travel all over the country. Last year, we covered the Poor People's March in DC. That was so much fun and so important. I went to the Teen Vogue Summit in LA, right after the election. That was incredible time. I learned a lot and got to meet a lot of leading creators and creatives in the industry.

Vince Fairchild: This is Vince Fairchild, engineer for The Takeaway. I got to travel to Florida with producer Dana Roberson. We went there to document the return of Alvin Hall to his high school, a financial educator of BBC presenter, and at one point, frequent guest on The Takeaway. His high school in Wakulla was honoring him as one of the few Black valedictorians. They were also trying to right a wrong.

Alvin had discovered not long after his graduation that his valedictorian plaque had been removed from the school walls, and it seemed that somebody had decided that they didn't really want to celebrate his achievement. That really hurt him, but on this occasion, they wanted to honor him and give him his due respect. I really enjoyed witnessing Alvin have a reunion with old friends and family, and it was a really special moment to be a part of.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Senior producer, Shanta Covington.

Shanta Covington: My favorite memories from The Takeaway have to hands down be the field reporting that I was able to do well here. The first of which was after the DOP's decision and Operation Save Abortion with Lizz Winstead and other reproductive justice organizations. There's nothing like being in the center of the story, capturing the sound, and being able to see the great work that people are doing.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Working on The Takeaway has allowed some folks to showcase their unique skills.

Monica Morales-Garcia: This is Monica Morales-Garcia. One of my favorite memories that I will forever cherish from The Takeaway was, we were all working on a story about eggs in the economy, we use every single egg pun imaginable. Literally, listen to that story, you will find every egg pun ever.

Morgan Givens: This is Morgan Givens and one of my favorite memories from The Takeaway is the way I was able to repeatedly roast Melissa Harris-Perry whenever I had a game segment, and she had no idea what these games were, or what I was talking about, but she was still so game to learn about them, and always have really great interviews, even when I was clowning her. That is something I will hold on to for sure.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: When you talk with Team Takeaway, it's not only the work that's motivating, it's getting to do that work with each other. Here's our executive assistant, David Gebel.

David Gebel: I've worked on The Takeaway maybe seven years, and I am so pleased to have met such remarkably talented people who have come through these doors, particularly interns who have jumped in full force to a very tough show to do, showing us what they're capable of.

Cat Sposato: My name is Cat Sposato. My favorite Takeaway memories are always going to be the ones where I was in-person working with this wonderful team, spending mornings in the office with everybody at our meetings or going to play pickleball with Jackie Martin in upstate, going to the Ryan Meetup with Ryan Wilde or going to a funeral home with Mary Steffenhagen, or spending time in the studio with Jay Cowit and Vince Fairchild.

Zachary Bynum: Like those Fridays, where we're all just working, slacking back and forth about either how rough our week has been or how great it's been, those are some of the small moments that mean a lot because they just make you remember that you're working not with just people who you work with, but people who really make you feel like you're part of a family.

Mary Steffenhagen: Hey, this is Mary Steffenhagen. It's really hard to pick just one favorite memory, but one that I remember is our two days of brainstorming all together at the office last June, and I got to meet everyone in person, and all of my first impressions of everyone being really kind and authentic and smart were confirmed. The other one I would say would have to be when Lee told us that Melissa Harris-Perry was going to be hosting for us. Then we learned that she would be our forever host after guest hosting for a while.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Every member of Team Takeaway brings their whole self to this show every single day. When you get 13 unique, driven, and talented individuals into one Zoom room every day, well, you get all the quirks too.

Mary Steffenhagen5: I'm going to really miss just getting to know my coworkers as people even over Zoom or getting drinks after work, learning like who's a cat person, who's a dog person, or who has a burning hatred for corgis, so many little personal moments of connection and care that I'm going to miss.

Ryan Wilde: Hey, this is Ryan Wilde. Every morning, we would show up to our morning Zoom meeting, and our director Jay Cowit, "We have a new Zoom background." Sometimes it was relevant to whatever day it was, so Mets logo for opening day or Star Wars for May 4. Then other times, it would just be some esoteric pop culture movie reference that had us all guessing, but yes, I'll miss seeing those every morning and seeing everyone else's face.

Jay Cowit: This is Jay Cowit, director and sound designer. I will miss the hundreds of amazing producers, engineers, interns that have come through these halls. So many of them are pillars of the audio world now. I'm constantly in awe of the giants, whose shoulders we stand on 15 years in, and I will miss our audience dearly. The calls, the comments, the sense of community we built with them, it meant everything.

Katarina: I think the thing that I'll miss the most is this amazing team, #teamtakeawayforever.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: You said it Katarina, Team Takeaway forever. If you haven't already, then be sure to find these talented people on social media and keep an ear out for the amazing work, I know they're going to be producing next. The Takeaway may be ending, but we are not done.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: Now, over the past 15 years, hundreds of Takeaway team members have passed through this corner of the radio world, making big contributions every day, but there are some other members of Team Takeaway, who have truly made this show what it is, you. You've shared with us your lived experiences, about the issues that we've covered, making our conversations concrete.

Mike: Hi, this is Mike from St. Louis. Currently, the whole plasma donation, this is my only source of income after getting out of prison. I was very briefly getting SNAP benefits, which allowed me to eat, but those were cut off, so until I can get a job, I donate twice a week.

Danielle: My name is Danielle. I live in Walton, Oregon. I was homeless from 12 to 24. Being homeless is probably one of the scariest things I've ever experienced. I've had to go through prostitution, a lot of scary things out there, out on the road. I have a lot of stories, a lot of experiences that I hope that my children, now that I have kids, and I'm living indoors, I hope that they never have to experience and they can learn from my mistakes.

Melissa Harris-Perry: You shared with us the ways that you're making change in your communities.

Charles: Hey, my name is Charles, and I'm calling from Winfield, Kansas. I have eldest child who is a gender non-conforming using they/them pronouns. While I serve an affirming United Methodist Church as Pastor, I have worked to make space for more folks by including pronouns on name tags that we use at the church so that they can use their appropriate pronouns and feel confident that people can see them and respect them in those ways.

Melissa Harris-Perry: You've responded thoughtfully to the conversations we've hosted.

Dorothea: My name is Dorothea, and I'm calling from Oakland, Berkeley, California. Black Joy during the pandemic for me, is getting in my car and driving through Black neighborhoods, and watching the kids play. Watching little babies run up and down the street, plus hugging my grandson who I live with. He was the only person I could hug all the time.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Together, we've remembered and mourned those we have lost.

Catherine: Hi, this is Catherine Quince from Portland, Oregon [unintelligible 00:40:02] means everything to me. She was with me all through my education, and she's with me every day in the work that I do.

?Speaker 2: I'm calling from New Smyrna Beach, Florida, I'm going to remember The Notorious RBG as the woman who fought for rights for the American people.

Melissa Harris-Perry: You've shared personal stories of loss.

Pam: My name is Pam. My husband died of COVID in February of 2021. He got sick just before shots were available, he would have taken a shot.

Melissa Harris-Perry: You shared with us what your lives sound like.

Susan Mcglohon: This is Susan Mcglohon. I'm from Portland, Oregon. I can hear the cicadas in the trees, there's a lot of energy in the air tonight.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Even your kids have called us and shared some of their nuggets of wisdom for us adults.

Aurelia Martin: My name is Aurelia Martin. My advice for adults is, give your children lots of fun and protect them of strangers and danger.

Melissa Harris-Perry: For everyone who's taken the time and called us over the years, thank you.

[music]

Melissa Harris-Perry: Since we've announced that our show is ending, we've been hearing from you. Here's some of what you've told us.

Dr. Jessica Chock-Goldman: Hi, my name is Dr. Jessica Chock-Goldman. This is a show that I listen to daily. I am a school social worker in the New York City high schools, but I'm also a professor at NYU and I teach multiple classes about race, class, and discrepancies in the system. I believe that your show, more than any show I've ever listened to, addresses this in the most nuanced ways. I bring your work into my classroom often, and I really will be missing this. Take care. Best of luck with next endeavors. Really, it is a shame.

Butch Coleman: I think that The Takeaway is one of the best radio shows in radio, period. I learn more in two, three days by listening than I do watching TV or social media or anything. It's a shame, absolute shame that it's going off the air. Butch Coleman, Bowie, Maryland.

Diana Montford: Hi, my name is Diana Montford. I'm calling from Manhattan in New York. I'm transgender and I want to thank you for always giving wonderful coverage to the transgender community and doing so much to make people aware of the challenges endemic to the community. Thank you so much, and best of luck in the future with whatever your endeavors are.

Adam: Hi, my name's Adam. I live in Northampton, Massachusetts. I listen to your program every day at 11:00. I'm a concrete delivery driver and just sad to hear that you're going to be off the air. Thanks so much for all the great years of entertainment. Bye.

Jennifer Smith: Hi, my name is Jennifer Smith. I'm calling from Somerset, Kentucky. You're probably getting a million of these calls, but I'm just heartbroken that your show's ending. I'm crying. I'm a 52-year-old professional white woman in rural Kentucky and I feel like you've opened my world and my life to all sorts of things that I wouldn't get exposed to or hear about, amazing artists, amazing people. She is amazing and I'm just absolutely heartbroken that I'm going to be losing your show. It has been one of the joys of my daily life.

?Speaker 12: A message for the entire staff, I am a 65-year-old, white male living in Charleston, South Carolina. Your program has taught me so much about the world that I grew up in here in the South and the history and the lives of people around me. The stories that you have shared with men and women about so many different issues. You have shown me that I needed to be better.

Eden: Hi, this is Eden from Colorado Springs. I was absolutely speechless when I heard Melissa tell us the other day that The Takeaway is going off the air. It broke my heart. I just don't know what I'll do without my daily dose of reality and great reporting from all of you guys.

Sandra Wittenbrink: Good morning. This is Sandra Wittenbrink. I would very much miss The Takeaway, and especially Melissa Harris-Perry. Her energy and voice and style is unique and irreplaceable.

Judith Flixson: Hi. My name is Judith Flixson. I live in Lexington, Massachusetts. I just want to say how sad I am that The Takeaway is being discontinued. It's one of my favorite shows, and it's so important to me to hear so many more voices, people of color, and underrepresented populations, and talking about really important things. My condolences. Thank you.

?Speaker 16: I am so deeply upset that I'm going to lose The Takeaway from my daily routine and my podcast catch-up routines. My favorite story is all of them. I was so grateful that Melissa Harris-Perry took over. I'm really, really, really going to miss you all. Thank you for everything you've done.

?Speaker 17: Melissa Harris-Perry just made me realize what great incredible radio is. I'm really going to miss The Takeaway.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Y'all, these calls make us feel 20 feet tall. Thank you for sending your support and know we're going to miss you too.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: The Takeaway has been on the air for 15 years, but today, this hour is our final broadcast. Still, throughout these 15 years, we've had many talented producers, engineers, and hosts who've come through our studio doors and are part of our Takeaway legacy. Together, they produced more than 3,900 episodes. Y'all, that is a lot of radio. Some of those folks wanted to share their favorite memories of the show with you.

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?Speaker 18: My favorite memory of The Takeaway has to be the very first day of The Takeaway, back in March of 2008, when we all had to get up and roll in there at midnight for a 6:00 AM show, the very first show. It was actually pretty electric. We made a show that day that had never been made before, and it was amazing. I don't even remember being tired that day at all, just so thrilled to be making something new with all of these amazing, brilliant people. Love you all. Thanks for making such a great show for so many years and for realizing all the things that we had set out to do that very first show.

Jim Colgan: My name is Jim Colgan. I was a producer on The Takeaway from the very beginning. The thing I probably remember most is the very early time, a lot of us had to wake up in the morning. Sometimes it was 2:00 AM, it was even 1:00 AM sometimes. I remember waking up probably in the middle of the night, looking at my clock, seeing the digits, and not knowing if they were AM or PM and panicking either way. I remember we would call our partners at the time, the BBC, to ask a reporter to come on after some breaking news in a far-off place.

We would tell the reporter that we're the show The Takeaway and we're their partner, and they would in the beginning just laugh at us and ask if they could get chips with us. They put us in what was a conference room that I believe had yellow walls and no windows to the outside world. It did have a window to the hallway that our co-workers at WNYC would walk by and see in at what we were doing. We would come in very early in the morning and leave very late at night. I don't think we left much other than maybe for a bathroom break. They would stop and peer in and wonder what it was we were doing with such an intense focus. They started calling that room the zoo.

T.J. Raphael: This is T.J. Raphael. This show is so much more than just a radio program. It's given me lifelong friends that I wouldn't change for the world. I used to get into my car every morning and head to work and turn on the radio and hear The Takeaway. It gave me the news, it connected me to what was happening in the world, and it made me want to work there, and I did, for half a decade. Thank you to The Takeaway for changing my life, for keeping me informed, and for having the best crew of producers in the business, you will not be forgotten. We appreciate you.

Leo Duran: I'm Leo Duran, and I'm one of the founding producers who was there for the very beginning, and to get a little sappy, it's really about the friends we made along the way. I have stayed in touch with so many members of the team. There's so many different ways that our lives have stuck together over the past 15 years, and I can't take that for granted. The Takeaway might be going away, but the friendships and family that I've developed through the show are going to last me a lifetime.

Arwa Gunja: Hi, my name is Arwa Gunja, and I used to be the executive producer of The Takeaway. The Takeaway was such a special place for me for so many years. It's where I learned to be a journalist, and it's where I made so many friends and formed a second family. My best memories from the show are in our control room, where so many of us got up at the crack of dawn to get to work, updating the show, responding to breaking news, and preparing for the next day ahead. I love the show. It's given me so much, and I know it's given all of our listeners so much, and I'll miss it.

?Speaker 23: My name is [unintelligible 00:51:12] I worked on The Takeaway from 2015 to 2021. It's impossible to name one favorite memory, but I have a favorite thing, and it was listener calls. Most days we would push out a listener question and honestly, if I had the time, I loved polling the responses. Sometimes you got funny random stuff, many times you got heartfelt emotional stories. You always got insights, and it was through those conversations, the heart of the show formed, and that is a favorite memory, and it's something that I know will be missed.

Kristen Meinzer: I'm Kristen Meinzer. I co-host the podcast Daily Fail and How To Be Fine, and also along with Rafer, Movie Therapy with Rafer and Kristen. I got to meet so many of the people that I have idolized over the years. There was, of course, Joan Rivers, our very first celebrity interview that Rafer and I had. Betty White. I got to hug Dolly Parton, oh my God. Hugging Dolly Parton is something that fewer than 1/100 of 1% of people on earth will ever get to do and I got to do it. I got to hug an angel on earth. I am so grateful for all the experience I got. Meeting celebrities, interviewing celebrities, and feeling at ease in the same room as people I'm intimidated by. It's been such a joy and such a gift that I got to do all that

Rafer: For me, The Takeaway was my very first time on radio ever. A friend of mine had told me that they were looking for someone to review a couple of movies. I showed up and I couldn't believe that I was going to do this on live National Radio, something I'd never done before, and I did it. They invited me back and I did it again, and then I just never left. I did it forever and ever, for years, and I got more and more comfortable.

Then Kristen Meinzer and I launched a podcast out of that and started this great partnership that continued for years and years. It was just this great thing that I never thought I would do. It was a whole new skill I learned, a whole new talent, I guess. It made me feel great. The Takeaway will always have a place in my heart because of that.

Melissa Harris-Perry: Check out this memory from Death, Sex, and Money host, Anna Sale.

Anna Sale: I started at WNYC working on The Takeaway. It was the first job I had when I walked in the door. It was my first shot and an opportunity to work in New York City media. Getting to work with the talented producers that came in and out of that show, I grew so much. Then I realized that I met my husband through a friend who I'd worked with on The Takeaway. In fact, I owe my marriage and my two little kids to [laughs] the network of people that I met through my time at The Takeaway. I have just so much affection for the producers that I've got to work alongside and the work that we did together and the energy. I am in awe of the amount of energy and labor that has gone into tending that fire for 15 years. It's incredible.

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Isabel: My name's Isabel. I was a producer for The Takeaway for about four years. I could say my favorite memory was covering the Mueller Report or getting to produce in an interview with one of my favorite musicians, but honestly, I think my favorite memory was the weeks-long debate that raged in our control room after some of us started putting marshmallow peeps in our coffee.

Melissa Harris-Perry: I guess a lot of this team has some pretty good memories regarding food.

?Speaker 28: So many favorite memories of The Takeaway, I can't even begin, but I will say the epic bake-offs were beyond, for birthdays, for random reasons. The levels of skill and intelligence that went into the broadcast and went into the bake-offs was epic and one of my favorite things about The Takeaway.

?Speaker 29: Back in 2019, I had just started at The Takeaway as a per diem associate producer. I was working on a story about dairy farmers in upstate New York. I was staying late at the office, and I think it was around 6:30 PM and Lee Hill had walked in with a bottle of wine and he popped it. Me and some of the other people there at the time just sat around and we took like a 30-minute break just laughing and joking in the office, having some wine. That's when I realized that I'm going to remember this moment for the rest of my life because where else am I going to be able to have a good time with my team covering such important topics that The Takeaway gets to do? We're going to miss that when The Takeaway is off the air.

Tim Einenkel: Hi, this is Tim Einenkel, long-time listener, first-time caller, former producer/engineer. Many favorite things about working with The Takeaway. The incredible editing team, and the incredible producers, and the incredible hosts that we're able to work with, the ability to just change on the fly and have it go smooth like butter. The Takeaway is a great team. I'm going to miss the show. Love to you all.

?Speaker 31: The Takeaway wasn't my first job in journalism, but it was the most impactful. The show consistently pushed the boundaries of what public radio could look and sound like. During my time on The Takeaway, I was encouraged to follow my curiosity, whether that led to a story about human composting, the world's remaining quiet places, or the history of white violence in the US, plus I got to work alongside some of the best in the biz, from the leadership stylings of Lee Hill to the sonic magic of Jay Cowit.

Ethan Oberman: Hey, this is Ethan Oberman. I'm a former producer for The Takeaway. One of my favorite Takeaway memories is from back when I was an intern in 2016, and our host at the time was late. Our director, Jay, and our line producer, Berkeley, had to step in and do two of the interviews for that day's show, which at the time I thought was maybe normal, but looking back, was actually very unusual, but I think does really speak to the fact that this team has always just been ready for whatever gets thrown at them.

John Asante: My name is John Asante. I worked on The Takeaway from 2016 to 2017, and I'm so sad that The Takeaway is leaving our airwaves, but I'm thankful for the time I spent on that show. From the moment I began, I realized how much I felt like I joined an elite team. I got traded to this team that people maybe overlooked or underrated, but I knew, having worked on another daily news show, that this was one of the toughest and strongest teams in the building at WNYC.

When it came to pitching ideas, I felt like we were always trying to hit the angles on new stories beyond the typical public radio landscape and beyond what we saw on TV and what was really a part of our conversations in our daily lives. Cheers to the hardest-working crew in public radio. You will be missed. You've set a model for the rest of the shows out there. It's a shame that The Takeaway is leaving the airways, but I'm grateful for the time it was on the air?

Deborah Goldstein: I'm Deborah Goldstein, and I was a producer at The Takeaway. Pitch meetings were definitely a highlight of my year at The Takeaway, and what I loved about this time was getting to know each of the people on the team. Every pitch was a chance to learn more about the person behind the producer, about their interests, unique perspectives, and passions, not to mention the occasional cameo from pets or kids. While all the pitching was going on, you had to keep the chat open for the epic threads of outrage, trivia, and general hilarity. It was the best. Best of luck to you all.

Melissa Harris-Perry: What great memories. Thanks to all the team Takeaway forever members who sent those in.

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Shanta Covington: Welcome back to The Takeaway. You may have guessed by my voice already. I am not Melissa Harris-Perry, I'm Shanta Covington, senior producer for The Takeaway, and this, this is a long overdue thank you to our host and my friend, MHP. Melissa, you ma'am, are a force of nature, how you're able to juggle being a professor, a radio show host, mom, wife, and sometimes chicken wrangler, [laughs] I get tired just from reading that very long list, and though I know you feel like some days you don't always do your best in each of these areas, I'm here to tell you that to us, your team, you are simply the best.

Because when it comes to this team, Melissa, you have made each one of us better producers, better teammates, and better human beings, and the work we've produced together is proof positive of that. You, Melissa, are the one who always fought for us, especially when it felt like no one else did. Thank you. We love you and we are going to miss you. Without further ado, I think you should hear from the rest of the team about how much you mean to them.

Vince Fairchild: This is Vince Fairchild, engineer for The Takeaway. MHP, what I'm going to miss the most about working with you is your generosity of spirit, of yourself, of your time and attention, that working with you meant true collaboration, that we were all working towards the same goal, but there was no sacrifice of acknowledging every staff member's humanity.

Katerina: Hey, MHP, this is Katerina. I just wanted to say thank you for everything, and I mean everything. I'm in constant awe of your almost encyclopedic knowledge of all things political science. You taught me how to be a better writer, a better producer, and to write with more empathy, and to maybe not always start a story in the most obvious way.

Jackie Martin: I'm Jackie Martin, line producer here for The Takeaway, and I have so many good things to say about Melissa Harris-Perry. She is brilliant, and kind, and encouraging. She's the host that will never belittle you when things go wrong. She works through anything with you. The last two years working with her in the mornings have been just pure joy. I mean, I don't know, I hope one day maybe we could work together again, but if not, Melissa, just know that you are one of my favorite people on the planet.

Morgan Gibbons: This is Morgan Gibbons, and one of my favorite things about Melissa Harris-Perry is the fact that she explains her decision-making. When she would make changes to a script or make suggestions or bring ideas, she would explain her thinking behind it. You're not working in a vacuum, and it could be the professor in her, but it means that you keep learning and you keep growing, which is awesome.

?Speaker 40: Melissa, I'm really going to miss you for many reasons, our little side conversations in the Google Docs. I'm going to miss putting corny jokes in the script to try and make you laugh. I'm going to miss essentially getting a masterclass in interviewing and storytelling nearly every day just by watching you. I want to thank you for being a teacher to me on so many levels. I will always be inspired by the example you set with your empathy, your ambition, your sense of justice, and your confidence in yourself.

Monica Morales-Garcia: This is Monica Morales-Garcia, and I just want to say thank you so much, Melissa, for being one of the funniest, smartest, and most generous hosts I've ever worked with. Now I get to brag to everyone that I know Melissa Harris-Perry. Honestly, I've done it a couple of times, and it's truly, truly a privilege to know you and to work with you.

Ryan Wilde: This is Ryan Wilde. Melissa, you have been the most supportive, fun, intelligent, insightful host I've ever worked with. We work in a job environment where we are grappling every day with serious and challenging issues, but one thing I so appreciate about you is that every day, you've always managed to bring humor and joy to our work as well. You've encouraged us to do the same. It's been the privilege of my career so far to have worked with you, for you.

David: Hey, Melissa, it's David. I will miss you. I will miss stories of your family and your chickens and your celebrations and your joy. Thank you for being so kind, so empathetic, such a good listener, so appreciative of each and every one of us, and for the gift that you have on the air of drawing listeners in to a story that they might have never thought about listening to or have never considered, and I have been one of those listeners and I appreciate it.

?Speaker 44: Melissa Harris-Perry, oh my gosh, you are a class act, a petty queen, a bold, courageous leader who's always looking to get it right. You're also one of the single most influential people who I've had the pleasure of working with. I mean, we always end up finding our way back to each other, and I look at that as meaning something way bigger than you and me both.

?Speaker 45: Hey y'all, it's [unintelligible 01:05:56] I'm an associate producer for The Takeaway. To our fearless host, Melissa Harris-Perry, I just want to say thank you so, so much for always setting the example in what it means to be a stellar leader, for always having our backs, for fighting for the beautiful folks that work on this show, and for teaching me valuable lessons about what it means to be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of host.

Jay Cowit: This is Jay Cowit. Melissa, thank you so incredibly much for being here for all of us in every sense of that phrase. You are a force in this industry, this country, this universe, and I am so proud to be a part of your orbit. I will miss our mornings and the pure energy of them and fighting together when things got tough and being there when things were good and fun and real. It has been the true experience of a lifetime and it made me believe in audio all over again, and I thank you for that, boss. I will miss you so much, my friend. Thank you, Melissa.

Shanta Covington: Thank you.

Jay Cowit: Thank you so much, Melissa.

Jackie Martin: Thank you so much, Melissa.

Katerina: I'm just going to be forever grateful that I got the opportunity to work with you and learn from you.

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Melissa Harris-Perry: All right y'all, we're at the end, the end of the segment, the end of the hour, the end of the week, the end of 15 years, the end of 3,933 episodes, the end of The Takeaway. Now, there will be no new episodes of our show, but you can always listen back to segments and shows that you've loved by checking out our podcast or heading over to thetakeaway.org. We've been told all the past segments will remain archived and available there. A final note to our team and to all of you, a reminder that nothing in media is permanent and endings are not synonymous with failing.

Change can feel good and exciting, or change can feel painful and terrifying, and sometimes change just is. What lasts and endures are the lessons we've learned, the changes we've made, and the people we've become. See, the daily broadcast that you heard for the past 15 years, that's just the show, but the show is just a little glimpse of The Takeaway. The Takeaway is all of us and all of you. It always was, and it always will be. Thanks so much for being with us and for spending a part of your life with us. I'm Melissa Harris-Perry, and this has been The Takeaway.

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[01:09:43] [END OF AUDIO]

 

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