Mitch Wertlieb has been named permanent host of Vermont This Week, the station has announced. His first show will be Friday, May 10 at 7 p.m.
Last summer, Wertlieb ended his 20-year run as local host of NPR’s Morning Edition to become host and producer of Vermont Public’s daily news podcast, The Frequency. Mitch will continue to host the daily podcast in addition to this new role.
Wertlieb follows longtime Vermont This Week Host Stewart Ledbetter, who stepped away from the program last spring after nearly 17 years. The program continued with a rotation of guest hosts, including Wertlieb, over the last year.
"If it's possible to be thrilled, inspired, and nervous all at once, I've hit the trifecta in finding out that I’ll be taking on the role of host of Vermont This Week, Wertlieb said. “After a career in live radio journalism, the last nine months of producing The Frequency podcast have been an exciting challenge—one that is renewed now as I venture into a video format. I’m grateful to the Vermont This Week crew for welcoming me and I’m looking forward to keeping Vermonters up to speed with the best journalists in the state."
Wertlieb will be the fourth host of the program, which debuted in 1982 on Vermont Public Television. Modeled after PBS’ Washington Week, Vermont This Week has invited Vermont’s best journalists for an unscripted conversation around the political, business and government news of the week on Friday evenings.
“We were inspired by Mitch’s desire to highlight panelists’ expertise by digging into their process and bringing their personalities to the fore,” said Angela Evancie, senior vice president of content. “His respect for the Vermont press corps, as well as his interest in potentially developing new segments for Vermont This Week, made us excited to start this new chapter with Mitch – especially as we look to further integrate the program into our public affairs coverage. And, of course, we know our audience will appreciate his regular return to our airwaves, albeit on a different platform.”
Vermont This Week airs weekly on Vermont Public’s main radio station at 7 p.m., on its main television channel at 7:30 p.m. The show is also available via video on demand and podcast.
