WICHITA — KAKE, Channel 10, is starting a new public affairs show that will look a lot like the one KPTS, Channel 8, just canceled.
“This Week in Kansas” debuts at 9 a.m. Sunday with host Tim Brown, who has hosted “Kansas Week” on KPTS since 2006.
“They actually canceled ‘Kansas Week’ after 21 years,” says Brown, who also is director of development for Via Christi Foundation.
KPTS is going in a new direction. More on that in a minute.
KAKE marketing director Bryan Frye says he and his station have long been interested in having a public affairs show and have liked and admired Brown.
Like “Kansas Week,” “This Week in Kansas” will feature journalists in a roundtable discussion. The show also will include politicians and other newsmakers.
Brown says he’s grateful KAKE stepped in to start a program like this.
He says he told KPTS if it was canceling the show because of him, “By all means go ahead and fire me and keep the show alive.”
Jesse Huxman, director of content at KPTS, says the problem wasn’t with Brown.
“He’s just a great, dedicated guy,” Huxman says.
Brown says the new show will be similar in tone and scope to “Kansas Week” with more state and national interviews.
“The resources are a little greater at KAKE, so that will help me considerably.”
Huxman says a new, yet-to-be-named show will debut on KPTS this fall and will include some public affairs but other topics as well. It will focus solely on Wichita and south-central Kansas unlike “Kansas Week,” which had a statewide focus.
Still, Huxman says, he was disappointed to see “Kansas Week” go.
“You always hate to say goodbye to a 21-year legacy and tradition, but the audience has changed.”