"This show has been the pipeline for some time, but first we had to get through the license transfer and move our offices before we could get it on the air," said WQPT General Manager, Rick Best. "Now that everything is in place, we are very excited to begin production on "The Cities." The program is being supported in part by a grant from the Victor and Doris Day Foundation.
"The Cities" joins other new local programs on WQPT including "WIU Presents," an hour long performance program provided by Western Illinois University; the second season of "Get Movin'," a children's exercise and healthy living program hosted by Jennifer Neal and "Out and About" a weekly look at events coming up in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas.
Host Jim Mertens is known in the Quad Cities as the morning anchor for WQAD. "I think this type of longer format public affairs programming is missing in the Quad Cities. We hope the audience will help us form the show so we can showcase the important issues... and great community programs... that we either don't realize exist or simply take for granted," said Mertens. "Not to be Pollyanna about it, but each week we hope to discover not only what is happening in the Quad Cities, but what could happen to make it a better place."
"The Cities" will be taped at Fusion Communications in Davenport, Iowa and will air on WQPT Thursdays at 6:30 pm. Starting in mid December WQPT will also repeat the program on Sundays at 5:30 pm.
WQPT is a media service of Western Illinois University, located in Moline, Illinois.
# # #
