In case you hadn't heard, this Friday's Aerial View will be the last ever. Long story short: my job's gone full-time and I'm no longer free on Friday evenings. Since I announced this four weeks ago, listeners have been sending me words of praise and regret... and a TON of questions:
Q: Chris T., I love Aerial View! Isn't there ANYTHING that can be done so you can keep your show?
A: I've tried, BELIEVE me, to reach an accommodation. No dice. Which is the epitome of 
because I work for a public radio company.
Q: You're kidding! You work for a public radio company and they won't arrange some way for you to keep doing radio?!
A: No, I'm not kidding. It's led to a great deal of 
on my part. But that's another story...
Q: What about doing another timeslot, somewhere else on the schedule?
A: The idea fills me with 
, unfortunately. If you notice, the majority of one hour shows on WFMU occur between 6 - 8 PM, Mon - Fri. I've always envisioned Aerial View as a weekday show in “drive-time” and I'm not sure it would work in some other spot.
Q: What about doing a “regular” show, like a 3-hour show?
A: Sorry, no. I have a total 
for the idea. I've always said this as half a joke but it turns out to be true: I HATE pulling records out and putting them away! Plus, I like doing only an hour: it's harder to wear out your welcome.
Q: Will you stay at WFMU in some capacity?
A: My desperate 
will keep me involved with the station for years to come, I'm sure. The plan, as of right now, is to do a podcast.
Q: A podcast? Will it be a phone-in talkshow podcast or something?
A: The whole idea has brought on my famous 
because I can't honestly say right now. The technology's such that it's certainly possible to do a phone-in podcast. But I've yet to work out the details - so, for the time being, any podcast I attempt will probably not have a call-in component.
Q: Will it be called “Aerial View: The Podcast” or another name?
A: Truth be told, I've been experiencing a lot of 
over this. Sure, “Aerial View” has name recognition. But maybe it's time to let go of it and try something new, like “Chris T.'s Cursing Like A Sailor” or “Snowball in Hell” or “Chris T. Mess”. What do you think?
Q: Me?! Suddenly I'm flush with 
at the thought of expressing my opinion!
A: Don't be anxious. Just e-mail me or leave a comment here and vote: do I retire the name Aerial View... or carry it into cyberspace?
Q: Chris T., how can we possibly show our love for all the great shows you've done over the years?
A: Unless you want to engender my 
, you'll pledge to our Marathon during the last ever Aerial View broadcast, this Friday, March 18.
Q: Thanks, I will!
A: No, thank you!
I think you should jettison "Aerial View" in favor of, perhaps, something more descriptive of the new medium/technology -- say, "Pod People," for an off-the-top-of-my-head f'rinstance.
Posted by: Chris J | March 15, 2005 at 03:03 AM
I think that the name Aerial View should be retired to the WFMU Hall of Fame (Infamy?). It seems that whatever you'll be up to will inevitably be a new format and therefore should have a new name. If you are worried about the name recognition, just use Chris T. in the title, you're WFMU famous, man!
Posted by: Rob S. | March 15, 2005 at 11:28 AM
How about "Invasion of the Poddy Snatchers" for a podcast title?
Posted by: Guest | March 15, 2005 at 11:34 AM
Aerial View should be retired for the time being - perhaps more of a sabbatical than a retirement.
Perhaps the podcast could be named Ariel View in homage to the Little Mermaid. Or Pod the Bod.
Posted by: lefty von righty | March 15, 2005 at 02:38 PM
Why not just call it "Chris T.'s Poddy Mouth"?
Aerial View should be retired, maybe dipped in gold and put on a mantlepiece.
Posted by: Walt | March 15, 2005 at 06:38 PM
I'll miss the "Oh my God! gurl. And the vitriol. Bon voyage Chris T!
Posted by: dale | March 18, 2005 at 06:21 PM