A Public Affair is WORT’s daily hour-long talk program. It aims to engage listeners in a conversation on social, cultural, and political issues of importance. The guests range from local activists and scholars to notable national and international figures.
Listeners may call in to join the conversation and ask questions of the guests. Callers are asked to pose a question relevant to the subject at hand and refrain from calling more than once per week.
Host Schedule
- Monday Archive
- John Quinlan
- Tuesday Archive
- OPEN
- Wednesday Archive
- Karma Chavez and Tim Hansel
- Thursday Archive
- Allen Ruff
- Friday Archive
- Esty Dinur
Studio Call-in Phone #: (608) 256-2001
Toll-free Line: (866) 899-WORT
For booking questions, please contact Molly Stentz at (608) 256-2001 or newsflash@wort-fm.org
Have you ever wanted to be on the radio? Do you enjoy learning about the world and sharing interesting news and information with those around you? Consider becoming a host of A Public Affair on WORT. 
On Thursday April 25th, host Allen Ruff spoke with author Susan Abulhawa about her book, “Mornings in Jenin.” Abulhawa was born to refugees of the 1967 war when Israel captured what remained of Palestine, including Jerusalem.
On Wednesday April 24th, host Karma Chavez interviewed Kat Rodriguez of Coalición de Derechos Humanos in Tucson, to talk about Comprehensive Immigration Reform. 
On Tuesday April 23rd, Brenda Konkel spoke with a panel about the upcoming Housing is a Human Right Summit. She spoke with Anthony Prince of the National Lawyers Guild, Karen Andrews of the First United Methodist Church and Heidi Weglietner of the Dane County Board of Supervisors.
On Monday April 22nd, host Anjuli Brekke, spoke with author Jared Diamond about the lessons we can learn from traditional societies.
On Friday April 19th, host Esty Dinur started the show with a discussion about the Boston bombing and the Chechnya connection with Chip Berlet and Professor Uli Schamiloglu. During the second half of the program she interviewed Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club, who was the keynote speaker at Isthmus Green Day on Saturday April 20th at the Terrace Community and Convention Center.
On Thursday April 18th, host Allen Ruff interviewed Jeremiah Goulka, author of the timely piece on Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, “Iraq Is Such a House of Trauma, It Doesn’t Take Much to Get PTSD.” Allen discussed with Goulka his observations and experience with what amounts to something approaching “national trauma.”
On Wednesday April 17th, host John Quinlan interviewed Todd Price about the book he co-edited, “Defending Public Education from Corporate Takeover.”
On Tuesday April 16th, Norm Stockwell subbing for Anjuli Brekke interviewed Roger Lipsey, author of the book, “HAMMARSKJÖLD: A Life.” Lipsey is an author, art historian, editor, and translator, and has written on a wide range of topics and intellectual figures.
On Monday April 15th, host Tim Hansel interviewed Jason Stein and Patrick Marley about their recent book, “More than They Bargained For: Scott Walker, Unions, and the Fight for Wisconsin.”