Best Free Services in Minnesota- MPR

Minnesota Public Radio is on my list of favorite things. Who said Oprah was the only one who can have a favorite things list?

I love MPR because it entertains me and teaches me at the same time.

I started to listen to MPR after I was forced into it. Why would anyone WANT to listen to talk radio? Apparently I do, and didn’t know it. It is one of those radio stations that grows on you and makes you pay attention to the world around you. If you haven’t given it a chance yet, I would give it a try.

Here are my favorite shows:

The Daily Circuit specifically with Kerri Miller. Kerri chooses topics that interest me and does a great job asking the right questions. What I mean by this, is that she doesn’t let guests get away with sweeping generalizations and always goes for the specifics. She does a great job picking guests who are leaders in whatever topic it might be.

Topics on this show range from how to deal with your family during the holidays to  Young Adult Fiction. They use their public insite network of listeners to help them come up with topics and participate in the show.  Topics that I think that I will not be interested in always turn out to be my favorites.

I always learn something or take something away whether it be a new book to add to my reading list or a new interest in a local nonprofit.

Wait, Wait Don’t Tell Me is a news quiz show. It is part of the weekend broadcast and it is a whole lot of fun to play along with. It is great to put on during a weekend road trip. I am hoping to have Carl Kasell on my answering machine one day.

Car Talk, Tom and Ray are those crazy uncles who talk about cars. Their smart humor makes this show something I like listening to even though I am not a car fanatic.

The Splendid Table not only does this show talk food but they make excellent cookbooks as well. They would make an excellent present for the cook in the family this holiday season. Lynne Rossetto Kasper celebrates food  and shares her expertise.

A Prairie Home Companion is a Variety Show that features the famous Garrison Keillor. Keillor introduced us to Lake Wobegon, a place that is very Minnesotan. My favorite segment is Guy Noir private eye because it is very silly and I like the characters that come see Guy.

I love the stories that MPR tells on This American Life. I recently listened to Little War on the Prairie with John Biewen. It was about Mankato, MN and one of the most, if not the most historical moment that happened in Mankato that is never talked about: the execution of 38 Dakota Indians, the site of the largest mass hanging in U.S history. It is a heartbreaking story part of our history that we would like to forget but cannot. It will be replayed Tuesday, December 11th at 12:00PM and can be found online HERE.

MPR now plays a huge part in my life. Every weekday morning I am tuning in to the daily circuit and when I am in the car during the weekend I am playing along.

I do suggest that if you become a listener that you become a member and donate and help MPR continue to produce this quality programing. You can become a member HERE.

What is your favorite show on MPR?

Because educational can be entertaining.

@mplsgossipgirl