About A Moment In Time and Why It Is Committed to Bringing History to Life

The Wall Street Journal reported that a survey of senior class students at the 55 best universities in the United States revealed that a large percentage could score no higher than a D- on a high school history test and that while 78% of these young scholars knew the identity of Bevis and Butthead, only 33% knew that George Washington was at Yorktown. These are the people who are about to inherit our nation's mantle of leadership. These are the people who are going to formulate policies that govern our lives…a scary thought.

In 1993, University of Richmond History Professor Dan Roberts decided to try and do something about this growing epidemic of ignorance about the past. In response, he developed the syndicated radio show, A Moment In Time, a brief, exciting and compelling journey into the past. Episodes play weekdays on over 150 public and commercial radio stations, XM and Sirius Satellite Radio, and the Armed Forces Radio Network around the world. We have earned an audience of over 2 million listeners daily. In addition, we have established this full-service Web site to provide historical resources for listeners, students, and teachers.  These historical resources (daily AMIT transcripts, audio, video, podcasts, 10 Minute Guides, and live video clips) can be found under AMIT Broadcasts.

What people are saying about Dan Roberts

“[W]hat [Dan’s] doing is so much FUN to listen to every day.  It’s as dramatic as a good, grownup soap opera—but satisfying and meaty in content.”

 “I just wanted to tell [Dan] that A Moment In Time is great. I love this spot on my XM and find myself making other people in the car be quiet so I can listen. I’ve started many dinner conversations off stories [he’s] told with good results. Thank you for the little glimpses at history my teachers would never have given [me].”

“I love history and I love radio. For the longest time I have been disappointed with how people in my age range view history and how little they know. I think our education system needs revising…when I was in school all the emphasis was put on ‘math and science,’ ‘science and math.’ And now we have generation or two that doesn’t even know who Ben Franklin was, a man important to science and the history of our country....Keep up the great work!”

"I consider your Public Radio feature, A Moment In Time, to be a priceless educational achievement, the value of which would be very difficult to quantify."

 “I have become addicted to A Moment In Time and try never to miss it. Never before have I cared in the slightest about anything that happened hundreds of years ago, but somehow [this] tiny program has kindled the flame.”

"It's amazing how easily history can be told in such a way that you're nearly sitting on the edge of your seat!”

“Thank you, Dan Roberts, for making history so interesting.”

WHO'S GOT TIME FOR A Moment In Time?
A LARGE AND DESIRABLE AUDIENCE, THAT'S WHO.

AMIT’s audience is distinguished by its high level of educational and professional success. Listeners—soon to be part of an ever bigger television viewing audience—are affluent, active consumers and business leaders, all of whom are very involved in their communities. Nearly 70% of all listeners (NPR) are ages 25-54 with a median age of 42. On XM and Sirius, the vast majority of listeners (89%) are adults, 18 years of age and older.  The Armed Forces Radio Network broadcasts to all service personnel, embassy staff, and other international listeners.

A Moment In Time Listeners are Affluent and Active Investors:

• 1-in-4 have individual income of $75,000+
• 1-in-3 have individual incomes over $50,000
• 91% more likely to have traveled abroad in the past 3 years
• 44% purchased fine jewelry in the past year

A Moment In Time Listeners are Educated:

• Twice as likely to have graduated from college
• 117% more likely to buy 6+ hard-cover books in a year
• 70% use a computer at work or home

A Moment In Time Listeners are Decision-Makers and Opinion Leaders:

• 16% are in top management (owner, partner, president, CEO, etc.)
• 1-in-10 are self-employed
• Half hold a management level job title
• 45% are employed as professionals, managers or administrators
• 37% make business purchase decisions of $1,000+
• 85% made a charitable contribution in the last 12 months

A Moment In Time Listeners are Highly Motivated:

• Highly educated and successful
• Involved in policy-making, international events, decision making
• Participants in global trends, concerns, contexts

NPR Listener Demographics:

• 56% are men, 44% are women
• 51% are between the ages 35-54
• 57% have a college degree or beyond
• 61% are married
• 30% have an annual household income of $100,000 or more

Source: NPR Audience and Corporate Research, Profile 2006; XM and Sirius listener demographics

A Moment In Time Radio Carriage List

Domestic Stations: 150+
Domestic Markets: 3,000+
Armed Forces Radio NetWork: 800,000 personnel, US Navy ships on deployment, and every embassy and consulate worldwide (approximately 1 million listeners daily)

To find A Moment In Time in your, or any, area, please contact Nancy Waldo at nwaldo@richmond.edu or 804-289-8679.

Frequently Asked Questions of Dan Roberts

1. How did you come up with the concept of A Moment In Time?

During an early graduate-school experience, I became an avid fan of the infant network National Public Radio, especially its first news magazine, All Things Considered, which contained long, serious attempts at understanding complex social and political issues. It was a rare and valuable effort at public service.

While completing my Ph.D. at the University of Virginia, I met one of the senior producers for NPR in Washington and did some commentary for Morning Edition. In the spring of 1993, having taught undergraduates at the University of Richmond for almost a full school year, I recognized they were bright, intelligent students, hungry for knowledge and enlightenment, but they seemed disconnected from history. Having produced two school shows for local radio stations while in high school, I felt perhaps some means could be devised to break into popular culture with the story of the past. This led to the conception of a new type of public history program, a series of two minute vignettes: short, compelling, entertaining. A Moment In Time was born.

Working closely with Richmond's local public radio station, WCVE-FM, especially Producer Steve Clark and General Manager Bill Miller, the program went from conception to reality, and finally premiered locally in early January 1994. It went on the NPR satellite the following March and acquired the first non-Virginia station in April. The rest, as they say, is history.

2. How long has AMIT been on the air?

A Moment In Time was first broadcast in 1994, but the program had been in active development for seven months prior to its first airing.

3. How do you decide on which subjects to use for your radio show?

An active paradigm is utilized which includes episodes concerning:
1. North American History (50%)
2. European History
3. Non-European Cultures
4. Historical Contribution of Women
5. Historical Contribution of Minorities
6. Interaction between ideology or faith and political action.
7. Progress of technology and innovation
8. Or, suggestions by colleagues, students, and interested listeners

4. Do you have a favorite topic?

While I have no real favorite area of exploration, I constantly find myself in awe of the variety of human experience and fascinated by topics which previously held no interest for me. One of the advantages of A Moment In Time is there is no limit to the subjects we can examine.

5. If you could pick one single event in history that is the most meaningful to mankind today, what would it be?

Our world is too complex to isolate a single event as the most meaningful to mankind. The development of civilization is a demonstration of interdependence. Events, achievements and innovation depend on preparation, previous cause and effect, and insight. No event or person stands alone.

6. Is there a procedure one can follow to have A Moment In Time broadcast in a particular city?

You can contact your local public radio station and encourage them to broadcast A Moment In Time. If you need help in finding contact information, call Nancy Waldo at the AMIT office, 1-800-928-1776, or e-mail nwaldo@richmond.edu.

7. How does AMIT reach around the world?

A Moment In Time is broadcast on the 400 stations of the Armed Forces Radio Network, where it reaches our service men and women. It is also carried on the Sirius Channel, where it is broadcast openly to a huge audience.

Please submit any questions you may have regarding A Moment In Time:

Nancy Waldo
nwaldo@amomentintime.com
(804)289-8679
1-800-928-1776
Box 1776
University of Richmond
Richmond, VA 23173