Car Talk debuted in 1977 on WBUR in Boston when the Magliozzi brothers were asked to field calls seeking automotive advice. After 10 years, the show was picked up by National Public Radio. Today, the show is broadcast on 660 stations and heard by an estimated 3.3 million listeners weekly. It is NPR's top-rated weekend show.
Car Talk is the kind of quirky, off-beat show that could have only been broadcast on public radio. It's one more example of why we need public radio and why it needs our support.