MPR News names Nina Moini as new host of Minnesota Now

Oct 14, 2024

Cathy Wurzer to focus on Morning Edition after three years of hosting both shows

ST. PAUL, Minn., October 14, 2024 – Minnesota Broadcast Hall of Famer Cathy Wurzer will hand over the reins of her successful MPR News noon show, Minnesota Now, to MPR News veteran Nina Moini. The search for a new host who could continue to build authentic connections with Minnesotans around the state led back to the MPR newsroom and Nina Moini, a reporter with host and editor experience at MPR News since 2017. Moini will begin her new host duties in mid-November. 

The move allows Cathy Wurzer to solely focus her leadership on the MPR news magazine, Morning Edition, after three years of double duty hosting both shows. The award-winning Minnesota Now hit the airwaves in the fall of 2021 as Wurzer’s brainchild. The mission was to serve up Minnesota news to people over the lunch hour with approachable, down-to-earth, unscripted interviews aimed to inform and entertain.  

“We wanted Minnesota Now to be an on-ramp for people who didn’t think public radio was for them and I think we’ve done that,” said Duchesne Drew, president of Minnesota Public Radio. “Handing the microphone to Nina Moini who is an incredibly talented and respected member of our MPR News team is recognition of her talent and gives Cathy the opportunity to focus full-time on Morning Edition.”

An award-winning journalist, Moini’s leadership and role has grown since joining MPR News in 2017. In addition to covering a wide range of topics including public safety and immigration for radio and digital news, she serves as fill-in newscaster and host for MPR’s All Things Considered and other talk shows and podcasts. Nina hosted the podcast In Front of Our Eyes, which covered the killing of George Floyd and subsequent murder trial. She was co-host of Sunday evening news and variety show The Warming House which aired on MPR News during the winter of 2020-2021 as reprieve from the difficult news surrounding the height of the pandemic.

Nina was born in Denmark to Iranian parents and immigrated to the United States when she was 5 years old. She grew up in Apple Valley, a suburb of the Twin Cities. A graduate of the University of Missouri, majoring in journalism and political science, Moini is also a former University of Minnesota diversity fellow of the Hubbard School of Journalism.  

“I’m incredibly honored to serve as the host of a thoughtful and down-to-earth hour of Minnesota news,” Moini said. “Thanks to the vision of Cathy Wurzer and a brilliant team, we have a vibrant and creative foundation to build upon. Minnesota has been my home for most of my life and I’m grateful for every story I have been trusted to share over the past 11 years of reporting across this state. I look forward to sharing more stories that connect people and enrich their lives as the next host of Minnesota Now."  

Before joining MPR News, Moini reported daily news for WCCO-TV Minneapolis with live reports for CBS This Morning and other CBS affiliates. She started her career as a Special Projects Reporter for Waterman Broadcasting at WBBH/WZVN-TV in Fort Myers, Fla. She has won a regional Edward R. Murrow Award for Investigative Reporting and Regional Emmy awards for breaking news coverage and morning newscast.

“I’m so happy Nina will be the next host of Minnesota Now. She and the great team of producers on Minnesota Now will take the show to new heights,” said Cathy Wurzer, Morning Edition and Minnesota Now host. “This move will allow me the time to help grow one of MPR’s flagship programs: Morning Edition. More than ever, we want to help Minnesotans connect, clear out the information clutter and start their day with trusted journalists and news they need, answer their questions, and offer a little inspiration along the way. I’m excited to make Morning Edition my focus again.”  

###

About MPR News 
MPR News has long been recognized as one of the foremost journalistic organizations in the Upper Midwest, reaching news consumers across all platforms. Reaching just over 600,000 weekly listeners, the MPR News radio signal can be heard by 95 percent of Minnesotans. MPR News has received numerous awards for its reporting, including George Foster Peabody Awards, the Alfred I. DuPont Award and the RTDNA Edward R. Murrow Award. Visit mprnews.org for the latest regional, national and international headlines.  