About

Airs: Thursdays at 8 p.m. and Fridays at 6 p.m. on WTIU

The Weekly Special is an eclectic local magazine program that looks at issues, events, people and things of interest in our broadcast area.

The program looks at what’s creating the buzz in our viewing area each week. If a regional political issue, incident or event is gaining attention, The Weekly Special provides the background, finds the right people and gathers the latest information.

If a special entertainment or artistic event visits the region, The Weekly Special takes you there. The program even introduces you to fascinating things and people who are all around you but often go unnoticed.

Joe Hren co-hosts the program with local radio personality Pam Thrash.

Former Weekly Special Producer Ann Shea and former News Directors Tony Perkins and Chuck Carney can be seen in archived episodes.

The Weekly Special uses the metaphor of the local restaurant as a focal point for community discussion, and the format is a mix of live discussion, performance, and regular pre-taped features.

Joe Hren, Co-Host

 Joe Hren currently heads up severe weather and delays and closings information on WTIU as well as managing the WTIU Air Operations.

You might even hear Joe on WFIU; as part of the move to the new WTIU/WFIU Newsroom, he is learning the board for WFIU radio.

Joe is from Hebron in northwest Indiana and relies on the Hoosiers to get him through the Cubs’ off-season.

Pam Thrash, Co-Host

Originally from Muncie, Indiana, Pam brings more than two decades of media experience to co-hosting The Weekly Special.

She is well-known as host of the Retro Lunch Hour on Bloomington radio station B97 and from her numerous live appearances at Bloomington-area events.

The Weekly Special Staff

• Sarah Curtiss, Producer
• Jay Kincaid, Director
• Shameka Neely, Contributing Producer
• Ron Prickel, Contributing Producer
• Susanne Schwibs, Contributing Producer
• John Winninger, Contributing Producer
• Jason Pear, Chief Videographer / Editor
• Bill Shaw, Videographer / Editor
• Michael Nice, Technical Director
• Stuart Norton, WTIU Audio Engineer
• Mike Gray, Studio Manager
• Scott Carmichael, AVID Systems Administrator and Computer Graphics
• Fred Duer, Art Director
• Rob Anderson, Director of Education and Production Services
• Phil Meyer, WTIU Station Manager
• Perry Metz, Executive Producer