Welcome to the inaugural edition of WETF’s online news page.
The past few months have seen several significant changes at our station, including the relocation of our office and studio from the Marycrest Building on Western Avenue in South Bend to the WNIT /Public Media Center downtown.
Also, there have been additions to WETF’s broadcasting family and changes in the program schedule:
Among those joining our ever-growing list of on-air presenters is David Cavalieri (see “Profiles” page), who has created two weekly “Jazz Alive” shows designed to keep our listeners up to date on what’s happening at the jazz venues in Chicago and throughout our region, including South Bend’s Merrimans’ Playhouse. “Jazz Alive-Weekday Edition” airs at 1 p.m. Tuesdays with a replay at 6 p.m. Wednesdays, and “Jazz Alive-Weekend Edition” airs at 9 a.m. Thursdays with a replay later in the day at 6.
WETF’s other newcomer is Andrew Fisher, host of “Merrimans’ Playhouse”, which features performances recorded at The Merrimans’ throughout the years. It airs Tuesdays at 2 p.m.
Two longtime members of WETF’s broadcasting family have taken on additional assignments. John Clark, voice of “Jazz Focus”, now is also curator of “Mornin’ with Pops (Louis Armstrong)” at 8 a.m. Tuesdays, replacing “Big Band Blowout” (which can still be heard at 6 p.m. Tuesdays), and Mike Finnerty, host of “Collector’s Choice” on Tuesdays and Thursdays and “Mornin’ with Mike” on Fridays, will become “The Phantom of the Bopera” at midnight Fridays and Saturdays.
Visit “Weekly Schedule,” for a conveniently printable version with all the updates.
In other news, international recognition has come to WETF with the recent naming of program director Brent Banulis as a 2026 recipient of the Jazz Journalists Association’s “Jazz Hero” award. Since he became program director five years ago, WETF’s broadcasting family has grown from a half dozen to more than 40, twenty-five of whom present weekly shows exclusive to WETF.