U.S. history radio show debuts today

A new public radio show that debuts today will feature three renowned — and humorous — American historians who will delve each week into the history behind current events.

“BackStory with the American History Guys” is co-hosted by University of Virginia history professors Peter Onuf and Brian Balogh, as well as University of Richmond President Ed Ayers, a former UVa dean.

The weekly, hour-long call-in show’s premiere will explore the topic of newcomers in American politics. It will air at 3 p.m. today on RadioIQ (89.7 and 91.5 FM).

“People want some memory injected back into the news,” producer Tony Field said. “There’s almost a sense of amnesia when it comes to politics, the economy or social issues. There’s a hunger out there for some historical context to understand the issues of the day.”

Field, a former associate producer of NPR’s popular “On the Media,” added that listeners will come for the historical insight, but might stay for the witty banter.

Next Sunday’s topic will be controversial wars in American history. It will feature an interview with a retired four-star general and Nicholson Baker, author of “Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End of Civilization.”

Co-host Onuf, an expert in early American history, said that he never imagined he would one day be on the radio. Yet the show works, he said, because the three historians are buddies.

“The secret of our success — and I do think the show will be successful — is that we enjoy hanging out with each other, whether or not we’re on the air,” Onuf said.

Following its debut today on RadioIQ, “BackStory” will be added to Harrisonburg’s WMRA on Saturday and Norfolk’s WHRV on Aug. 6.

Additional public stations around Virginia might pick up the show in the coming months, said Andrew Wyndham, director of media programs for the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities at UVa, which produces “BackStory.” Wyndham hopes to take the show to public radio stations across the country in 2009.

“It has a new sound and an unconventional voice,” Wyndham said. “There’s nothing on public radio that I’m aware of that resembles anything like this.”

Rick Mattioni, program director of RadioIQ, said “BackStory” was a natural fit for the station’s Sunday schedule, which also features “Studio Virginia” and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ “With Good Reason.” “BackStory” will take the place of “Just Us Talking,” an NPR show hosted by correspondent Margot Adler.

Mattioni praised “BackStory,” saying it is a concept that can be sustained over time and one that will resonate with public radio listeners.

“They make people think,” he said. “And they make people laugh.”