Radio National announced its new schedule, which will begin at the end of January 2003. Peter Thompson will present Radio National Breakfast, Francis Leach will present a new evening program and there will be a reworked weekday evening line-up.

Former Triple J morning presenter Francis Leach joins Radio National as the host of a new weeknight program, The Deep End, which will air at 8.35pm. His background as both an issues-based reporter and music presenter – previous stints include hosting Radio National Summer Breakfast and presenting Triple J’s arts and culture program Creatures – makes him the perfect choice for the new post. The Deep End will introduce listeners to new music as well as keeping them in the picture with the latest arts news and reviews.

Strong listener feedback has resulted in the reintroduction of the evening broadcast of the popular daily reports. The Health Report (Monday), Law Report (Tuesday), Religion Report (Wednesday), Media Report (Thursday), The Sports Factor (Friday) will be replayed at 8pm for listeners unable to tune in at 8.30am. Radio Australia’s Asia Pacific program, previously broadcast at 8pm, will now be aired on Radio National at 5am, Tuesday to Friday.

In the latter half of the evening line-up, the second play of the Book Reading moves to the earlier timeslot of 9.45pm and a replay of The Planet now commences at 11pm. From Midnight until 1am, Radio National will simulcast DIG Internet Radio giving Radio National listeners an opportunity to hear a sample of the ABC’s recently launched music service, otherwise available via the internet at abc.net.au/dig and on digital TV.

The Ark is another brand new program being introduced in 2003. Broadcast at 2.15pm on Wednesdays, Rachel Kohn will be in conversation with a knowledgeable guest discussing an inspirational event, person, artefact, practice or place in religious history.

There’s also a fresh injection of new comedy at 5.30am every Tuesday with a string of recent hit BBC Radio series. The season begins with six episodes of The Sunday Format written by Nick Revell of TV’s Drop The Dead Donkey. It is followed by sixteen episodes of the award-winning comedy series People Like Us which went on to be a hit TV series, broadcast recently on the ABC. Other Tuesday comedies include Think The Unthinkable, a satire on management consultants, and At Home With The Snails, a surreal story about a family and their relationship with a common garden pest.