MINNEAPOLIS _ Minnesota Public Radio and former host Garrison Keillor said Friday they have reached an agreement that would once again allow public access to thousands of past shows of "A Prairie Home Companion" and "The Writer's Almanac."
Under the agreement, MPR will pay Keillor $275,000 for money owed through past contracts. In return, Keillor agreed not to take legal action against the station.
MPR severed ties with Keillor and blocked public access to the archives in November, after the public radio station learned that the longtime creator and host of "A Prairie Home Companion" had been accused of inappropriate behavior with a woman who worked on the show.
"What the agreement means is that I won't sue MPR for damages, and they will allow 'A Prairie Home Companion' and 'The Writers Almanac' archives to be available to the public again," Keillor said in a statement. "And it means that we move on to more interesting things, namely writing stories and creating a podcast. Compared to sitting in mediation, writing is one of life's great pleasures."
The broadcasts will be available within the next 15 days on Keillor's website, according to the statement. Keillor said that he and his production company plan to relocate the archives to another platform after three years.
"These archives feature the work of thousands of talented artists, poets and musicians," MPR CEO Jon McTaggart said in a statement. "We are pleased that these performances will once again be available to fans of these programs."
