After an impressive 22 years of welcoming Austin residents each morning, Jennifer Stayton, the beloved host of KUT News’ “Morning Edition,” is set to transition to a later time slot. In addition to her new schedule, Stayton will focus on special events and work on an upcoming project dedicated to aging in the Austin community.
Before her long tenure at KUT, Stayton served as the Morning Edition host for WAER in Syracuse, New York, where she began her radio career. Reflecting on her experience, she shared, “We’re pushing 25 years of getting up around 4 a.m., if not a bit earlier. I’m ready to sleep a little bit later, quite honestly,” in an interview with KUT’s assistant program director, Jimmy Maas.
During their conversation, Stayton reminisced about her journey in public radio, beginning with her upbringing in Austin. She later pursued a degree at Williams College in Massachusetts and took her first job at a family-owned radio company in Western Massachusetts. “I did sales for a year, music hosting, news reporting, commercial producing—just about everything,” she recalled.
Her desire to explore new opportunities led her to Syracuse University, where she earned a master’s in radio-television-film. While there, she interned at WAER, a university-licensed public radio station, and eventually took on the role of Morning Edition host after the previous host was promoted.
Stayton’s time in Syracuse was marked by challenging winters, where she learned the importance of timing her commute around snowplows during blizzards. However, upon returning to Austin in 2001, she found herself out of the radio scene for a few years but remained a dedicated listener of KUT.
In early 2004, she seized the opportunity to return to radio when she noticed a vacancy for the Morning Edition host at KUT. “If I’m ever going to get back into radio, it’s going to be now, now or never,” she thought at the time. Thankfully, her passion and commitment paid off, leading her to the role she has cherished for nearly two decades.
As she prepares for her new role, Stayton reassured listeners that she will not be leaving KUT entirely. “I’ll be on the air from 9 to noon, Monday through Friday, once we have someone to take over Morning Edition,” she stated, expressing excitement about potentially hosting other programs like Austin Signal and All Things Considered.
Stayton is also looking forward to conducting interviews and covering special events related to the aging project launching soon in Austin. “It’s the best job in the public radio system, I am convinced. I have loved it dearly and will miss it dearly,” she reflected on her time as a morning host.
While her transition may bring a sense of loss for some listeners, KUT is committed to celebrating Stayton’s significant contributions throughout the week, with plans for a more elaborate acknowledgment in the summer as she passes the baton to her successor.
