GPB’s ‘On Second Thought’ on WRAS takes a hiatus

The station wants to ‘reassess the show’s goals’
Virginia Prescott is the host of “On Second Thought.”

Credit: Rodney Ho

Credit: Rodney Ho

Virginia Prescott is the host of “On Second Thought.”

Originally posted Wednesday, July 18, 2018 by RODNEY HO/rho@ajc.com on his AJC Radio & TV Talk blog

Virginia Prescott's radio show "On Second Thought" on 88.5/WRAS-FM is taking an unusual hiatus for the next two months starting Thursday, July 19.

Prescott just joined the show a few weeks ago, taking over for Celeste Headlee, who started the daily hour-long news/talk program in 2014. It has aired on weekdays at 9 a.m. and blends interviews and discussions of topics of interest to the state of Georgia.

During the interim, “Fresh Air with Terry Gross” will air during that time slot.

This does not mean the show is going away. Rather, the station said it wants to “reassess the show’s goals,” according to a press release. Prescott, during her break, will gather feedback and ideas and will do listening sessions across the state.

A person close to the situation said it was also a matter of staffing. When Headlee left for other pursuits, one of her producers departed for WABE and two others moved to other jobs within GPB. That meant Prescott came in with no institutional memory.

Worse yet, soon after Prescott started last month, her new lead producer had to leave for personal reasons.

Prescott came from New Hampshire Public Radio.