Jason Cregier will be your new local companion each morning, succeeding longtime host Dan Klefstad who’s retiring after 25 years in the role. Jason hosted Weekend Edition Saturday on WNIJ from 2017-2021 so he’s no stranger to early hours. Then last February, he filled in on Morning Edition which gave him valuable experience. In recent months, he's also served as a fill-in Morning Edition host for WFYI based in Indianapolis.
But few things prepare you for an early start than having a young kid. “My sleep schedule is already gone so this will be fine,” Jason laughs.
One thing Jason looks forward to is connecting with WNIJ listeners. “I’ve been here for eight years,” he says, “but the listenership is different on the weekends. Same audience, but the breaks are shorter on Weekend Edition, so you’ll get more familiar with me.”
When asked about his philosophy for hosting, Jason had a quick answer:
“I’d like to stick to the view of the news as The News and not narrative-driven. I think that’s one thing we do great here at NPR, especially at WNIJ. You just get the story. It’s the news, no extras.”
Toward the end of our interview, Jason had a message for regular listeners to Morning Edition:
“Just let me get my sea legs. I’ve done this shift before; it’ll be an easy transition. I’ve been well-trained and I’m here to give you your news, your weather, and maybe a few laughs along the way.”
Jason starts Monday morning. Listen to Morning Edition weekdays from 5-9 on 89.5FM WNIJ.
