Today marked the end of Central Missouri's only weekly television variety show. Pepper and Friends signed off for the last time after entertaining and informing viewers for 27 years.

To the end, viewers let us know they were unhappy with the decision.

"And I want to know...must you take away the Pepper and Friends show? I've searched the TV grid and I don't see any other programming that spotlights the local and mid-Missouri region, events, people, businesses, services like the Pepper and Friends show does. So I miss that. I will miss that show," one view called in to say.

And Beverly wrote us to say, "What will these households do when instead of being able to learn about issues vital to their state, their community, they instead are given one more Hollywood-type show? Fluff in the world of reality. What a shame to see a station put so little value on civic and community involvement."

"Perhaps the most difficult management decision I've had to make in my ten years here as general manager of KOMU has been the cancellation of Pepper and Friends," KOMU general manager Marty Siddall said. "I've always considered Paul and James to be my friends, and I knew their small yet fiercely loyal audience would be upset with the decision. In the end, I had to make a very difficult decision based on what's best, economically, for KOMU and our education mission as a commercial television station."

Paul is moving to the radio. You can listen to Radio Friends with Paul Pepper beginning October 5 at 8:50 a.m. on KBIA. That's 91.3 fm.

If you'd like to comment about KOMU 8 news, weather or sports, you can click on the Your View tab.

You can also call us on the Your View commentline at 573-884-NEWS, then watch Friday nights at 6 p.m. as we report your view of the news.