ENTERTAINMENT

Statesman launches streaming news radio station featuring Jeff Ward

Staff Writer
Austin American-Statesman
The Austin American-Statesman is launching a second streaming radio station. [Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN]

The Austin American-Statesman is launching a new streaming station, the Statesman News Network, and bringing a familiar voice back to the city’s radio landscape.

The new station will be available 24 hours a day at statesmannewsnetwork.com beginning April 13 and will focus on news and entertainment. It joins sister station Austin360 Radio, which went live a year ago and streams a new spin on 1970s funk, soul and more at austin360radio.com.

Listeners also will hear longtime Austin radio host Jeff Ward on the Statesman News Network. Ward, who was a host on KLBJ 590 AM/99.7 FM for 20 years, is making the leap from over-the-air to streaming with his new “The Jeff Ward Show,” airing live from 9 a.m. to noon Monday-Friday, also beginning April 13.

“There will be plenty of common sense rants,” Ward said in an announcement about his show and the new station. “But the goal of the show is always the same: I want you to find it compelling, and I want you to feel forced to think.”

LISTEN:Jeff Ward talks with Austin360 Radio’s Amy Edwards

Expect a focus on Austin and a wide range of opinions.

“I don’t cheer for political parties. In fact, I spend a great deal of time ripping them,” says Ward.

“I’m an Austin guy who likes to talk about Austin stuff.”

In addition to his livestreaming show, Ward will also create podcasts covering business and football.

Other programming planned for the new station include:

• “Austin Headline News Express,” a daily local news update

• “From the Newsroom,” news and interviews from the staff of the American-Statesman

• “512 Tech and Business Report,” a daily update on local business and technology news from Amy Edwards

• “Talking Tech” from USA Today, a daily consumer tech news update and gadget reviews

• “On Second Thought,” Texas Longhorns and other sports talk from Statesman sports columnists Kirk Bohls and Cedric Golden

• “Longhorn Confidential,” breaking news, interviews and updates on the Texas Longhorns

• “Longhorns Unfiltered,” Texas Longhorns updates from Statesman reporters

• “All-Centex All-Star Prep Podcast With Craig Way,” Central Texas high school sports news from the voice of the Texas Longhorns

• “Austin Found,” where Statesman reporter and Austin history buff Michael Barnes and radio personality JB Hager share the stories behind the making of the Texas capital

• “Rock Your Life With Amy Edwards,” where listeners learn to take their lives to the next level with practical tips, affirmations and interviews

More podcasts and programming are also planned for the future.