NEPM’s ‘And Another Thing’ Premieres April 26

SPRINGFIELD, MA (April 12, 2021

More than a radio show, And Another Thing will inhabit a robust digital environment via Facebook and Twitter and at NEPM.org. Hosts Dara Kennedy and Maya Shwayder invite listeners to be part of the experience — and even help build the show. Every morning, And Another Thing will share the topic for the evening show and give listeners the chance to interact and weigh in. Then, the team will roll up their sleeves to put everything in place for an engaging 30-minute community discussion. Dara and Maya will guide the conversation and talk to local experts and people from the region, bringing journalistic chops, a passion for real conversation, and a dash of levity and humor.

Host Maya Shwayder describes And Another Thing like this, “Remember what it’s like to go to a party? You walk in and immediately notice a cluster of people having an animated discussion about something you really care about. You want to be part of it. That’s the environment that we’re building for And Another Thing.” Host Dara Kennedy adds, “We are excited to engage in news-driven, community-focused, and inclusive conversations across platforms. Launching in the middle of a pandemic has highlighted that our region is polylithic; that we should dive into untold stories from lesser-heard voices that resonate with our audience during and, after the show.”

Dara is a broadcast journalist who recently spent over five years working abroad as an anchor, producer, and speaker. She has been on Emmy-winning production teams and as a host and reporter has covered news and politics to sports and business. Kennedy has delivered worldly breaking news and top stories and has interviewed top names for TV networks in America, London, and the Middle East. She has also served as a foreign correspondent covering Africa and the Americas. Her education and training include the London School of Economics, Peking University in China, the Big Ten and CNN international as an intern.

Dara will be familiar to viewers in New England as she was the first African American woman to anchor NESN’s nightly flagship show in Boston. She also hosted several broadcasts of NEPM’s Connecting Pointlast fall, including the primetime television special, “Generation Vote.”

Maya Shwayder grew up outside Detroit and attended Harvard College and Columbia Journalism School. She spent four years in New York City as a local reporter writing for a variety of outlets, eventually becoming the UN Correspondent for the Jerusalem Post, before moving abroad to pursue a TV career.

Maya spent over 4 years based in Berlin, traveling around Europe and the US, as an international correspondent and anchor for Deutsche Welle/DW News, Germany’s international broadcaster. Her work has also appeared in The Washington Post, The Atlantic and the Daily Beast, among others. Most recently, she has worked as a host for WCRB, as well as a writer for Business Insider and The Boston Globe, covering education, privacy and technology.

“Dara Kennedy and Maya Shwayder represent the future of media presenters. They are digital-native, global in perspective and operate with the best of journalistic principles,” said Maxie C Jackson III, NEPM’s Chief Content Officer. “We are thrilled about their new show.”

NEPM brings quality public television programs to audiences across western New England, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs, to hear diverse viewpoints, and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS KIDS helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. NEPM’s locally produced television programming includes the magazine-format public affairs show Connecting Point, the bilingual series Presencia, and the academic quiz show As Schools Match Wits. NEPM is available over the air on digital channel 57-1 and on cable throughout western Massachusetts and northwestern Connecticut and can be seen in high definition in western Massachusetts at Comcast 857, Time Warner 1221, Spectrum 782, and over the air on channel 57. Where to Watch

New England Public Media’s radio presence provides an essential and trusted voice for the region through local reporting and locally-produced music programming, and by connecting the region to the world through its partnership with NPR and other national and international public media organizations. Its flagship signal, 88.5FM WFCR, and 5 repeating stations in Berkshire County, presents news, jazz, and classical music, while the six stations of the NEPM News Network provide the region with news, talk, and cultural programming 24/7.