CANTON - NCPR’s flagship regional news magazine is getting a new name! Starting June 1, The 8 O’Clock Hour will be called Northern Light, with a new theme and logo to go along with it. Co-hosts Todd Moe and Monica Sandreczki will continue to bring their curiosity and conversational style to the day’s news and happenings across the North Country, backed by the reporting strength of the entire NCPR news team.

“Todd and Monica have been experimenting and innovating with new ideas for the show since Monica started co-hosting early in 2020,” said NCPR News Director David Sommerstein. “After more than two decades, we thought it was time to refresh the name and signature musical themes of the show to reflect the content and presentation changes Todd and Monica have already been making.”

Moe and longtime NCPR News Director Martha Foley made The 8 O’Clock Hour appointment listening since the late 1990s. They won many national and regional awards for their carefully curated, yet informal, mix of news, human stories, and events squarely focused on the North Country region. Northern Light carries on in that tradition.

“The new name recognizes our geographic place in the world,” said Sommerstein, “but it also reflects our job as journalists to cast light on the sometimes dark and hard-to-understand aspects of politics, government, society and culture.”

Canton composer Danny Thomas created Norther Light’s theme music, and graphic designer Catherine LaPointe Vollmer of LionheArt Graphics designed the new logo.

“The new name, sound, and look elevates NCPR’s signature news and culture magazine show to the next level,” says Program Director Bonnie North. “Northern Light, along with the rest of the award-winning NCPR team, will continue to tell the stories of the North Country to the North Country - and the world. I couldn’t be prouder of them.”