"Civil Rights Era Almost Split CBS News Operation"

This is an extremely interesting piece by Walter CRONKITE, broadcast yesterday by WUNC as part of All Things Conisdered from NPR. Listen to it alongside the previous interview with Karl FLEMING.

"Son of the Rough South"

One of the more interesting State of Things programs - an interview with Karl FLEMING. Here is his new book. If someone misses a piece like this when broadcast, and does not look in the archive on WUNC's site, there is not much chance to listen to the program - unless it is broadcast again. Given the amount of effort that goes into these programs, there ought to be some way to put them into greater circulation at least around the state, no?

Frank RICH at UNC

For those who read Frank RICH in The New York Times, this is good news that he will be speaking at UNC in the spring.

"There's a 'nuclear option' for PBS' woes as well"

The LA Times highly respected media writer, David SHAW, suggests a different way to deal with the threats facing PBS. In this piece, he suggests maybe it is time to do away with it.

"Slate's Well-Traveled: Texas BBQ? Not So Fast..."

There may very well be a NC response to this as well?

" 'La Kahena': The Sounds of Northern Africa"

This is one of those stories that only public radio is likely to bring us. It was carred today on WUNC as part of Day to Day. Here is more information about the album.

No local news worth archiving for four days?

If you click here you will see the WUNC news archive - those stories that you can listen to from your computer when you wish. One might ask if WUNC has produced no local news worth placing here for the last four days?

"The Provincials" on The State of Things

This program, aired yesterday, featured Eli EVANS, author of a 1973 book, The Provincials, republished by UNC Press.

"C.I.A. Expanding Terror Battle Under Guise of Charter Flights"

This story appears in The New York Times tomorrow with a Smithfield, NC dateline.

Readers asked for opinions for new design for Chapel Hill News

The Chapel Hill News is redesigning itself and has asked for feedback before making the changes. You can access the proposed changes here. One might think that WUNC could consider doing something similar when it considers future program or format changes at the station.

"Clear Channel in a Stealth Promotional Campaign"

Another story about the radio exploits of Clear Channel.

"Barbecue with a Critique on the Side"

More on the barbecue debate, on a more national basis, broadcast today by WUNC as part of NPR's Day to Day program.

"Age-Old Debate Over N.C. Barbecue Fires Up"

More coverage here of a local NC story, this time by the Associated Press. WUNC's coverage?

"Ombudsmen Rebuff Move by Public Broadcasting"

Ombuds"people" face challenges in defining who they are, especially as it relates to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and other non-news producing entities. This is a story about the controversy in today's The New York Times.

The Connection - 10 June in Chapel Hill

The home page of the WUNC site says that The Connection will be broadcast live from the WUNC studios on 10 June. There is no additional information on what the content will be and/or whether suggestions are welcome.

"Documentary Showcase"

This is the Sunday programming slot at 6PM, for an hour or two, depending ont he program. When you click here, you will see the upcoming programs, some of which will pre-empt the Thistle and Shamrock.

"Readers' Corner"

There are some limited similarities between this blog and one of those launched by the News & Observer earlier in the month for Ted VADEN, the paper's public editor and former editor of the Chapel Hill News. A little competition between the two might make for good sport?

Donors Choose

This links to a page in the Donors Choose site reporting on year to date contributions and funding in North Carolina. Donors Choose is mentioned on-air on WUNC from time to time as part of the station's recognition of financial supporters.

"Nanotechnology/Christine Kane"

Here is the link to the website of the singer who was on The State of Things yesterday.

"Veteran news director accepts post at North Carolina Public Radio"

Another press release that could benefit greatly from adding a date. It appears to be some months old, but now appears quite prominently, as if it were new, on the WUNC home page.

"WUNC increasingly recognized for broadcasting excellence"

This appears to be a recent (but undated) addition to the WUNC website, listing the many awards won by the station from various professional entities. The very impressive, alas, lacks any links to permit an easy "listen" to what garnered the awards. Instead, what appears to be a press release forces visitors to do the research themselves to see if they can find the stories in the archives. Surely, if the press release was worth doing in the first place (and it is good let everyone know of these awards), it is worth a few extra minutes to include all the links (and to note the stories that are not available, if any, on line), no?

Attorneys general in 34 states (including North Carolina) and D.C. file brief in reporter privilege case

This is an important media case, now before the US Supreme Court. A separate report here lists North Carolina as one of the states whose Attorney General signed the brief. There is no mention of the brief yet on the NC AG's site.

"Ratios of Home Prices to Rental Prices in Selected Metro Areas"

The New York Times today ran a story about trends in home prices and rental prices. The chart in the paper did not include the Triangle. The Times' website, however, includes a slightly larger chart that does take in the Triange. Here it is.

"Robert Reich finds humor in political setbacks"

Robert REICH appears regularly on Marketplace on WUNC, and formerly appeared as a cabinet secretary. NPR reported on his new play today in this piece, and so did the Cape Cod Times here a week ago.

"News is a Conversation"

This is a new blog started by the Spokesman-Review in Spokane, Washington this week. Five readers were asked to react to what they are finding in the newspaper on a daily basis. WUNC might want to think about doing something similar? The same newspaper has also launched another blog that takes readers into the newsroom twice a day to better understand decisions being made there. That's another lead that WUNC might want to consider following on a smaller scale.

Two remarkable "people" stories

Two of the stories on All Things Considered today tell amazing tales about two young Americans. Listen for yourself to one and the other. Is there an opportunity for WUNC to report North Carolina stories of this kind? Something in addition to what the station is already doing?

Freedom fries

A reference in a New Republic blog to a News & Observer story (cannot find it on the N&O website) reporting that Rep. Walter JONES now "regrets" having coined the "freedom fries" phrase since he now believes, as did the French, that the US went to war "with no justification".

"Gov. Easley's Wild Ride"

An interactive cartoon about Gov. Mike EASLEY's race car experiences, from the News and Observer in Raleigh.

Program schedule

Wouldn't it be nice if this were kept up to date or reflected in some way even temporary schedule changes? Last night, it sure seemed like the BBC was being broadcast between 10 and 11 instead of "As It Happens".

"Prayer vigils follow the cross burnings"

WUNC's latest story (on the website) relating to the cross-burnings in Durham. Here is the first one. Two related stories from Greensboro - Part 1 and Part 2

"The Writer's Almanac"

WETA-FM, one of the public radio stations in Washington, DC, broadcasts this additional Garrison KEILLOR program each morning. Since it does not appear to be broadcast by WUNC, you can nevertheless listen to it each day here.

International Press Institute adopts resolution on public broadcasting

The International Press Institute, headquartered in Vienna, Austria and meeting this year in Nairobi, Kenya, adopted a strong resolution regarding public broadcasting policy. While this was not directed solely at the United States, the text is worth reading in the midst of US discussions in various places on this subject.

"N.C. Officials Investigate Cross Burnings" in Durham

A news story that ought to lend itself to special WUNC coverage, maybe even a special edition of The State of Things? This "state of things" is not good.

"Nascar Goes From Pop-Tops to Popping Corks"

It's not possible without listening to WUNC to know if this is a story covered by the station. The story is a nice match for this one broadcast yesterday.

Rumsfeld laments global reach of war news

Secretary RUMSFELD spoke today about war coverage during a speech in Philadelphia. Here is the Department of Defense "news" story.

"Best beaches in U.S.? Expert ranks his 'Top 10'"

WUNC reported on the release of the list of the best beaches in the US. Here is the MSNBC story on the list. Ocracoke Island, NC is number 2 this year, up from number 6 three years ago.

Listening from Washington, DC

One of the nice things about the internet and WUNC is that you can listen to the station anywhere in the world (today, Washington, DC), or maybe almost anywhere, where you can connect to the internet at a sufficient speed. In order to do that, of course, you need only go to the station's home page and click on one of the optional programs you can use to make the connection. It would be nice to find something on the home page, each time you do this, that reflects the news or more of what is on the WUNC schedule for today, beyond a short line about The State Things subject "du jour".

Howard MORRIS of Andy Griffith Show dies

This is an AP story from the News & Observer in Raleigh about the death of Howard MORRIS who played Ernest BASS on the Andy Griffith Show. David BROWER, of WUNC, had a short item about this today on WUNC but there appears to be no way to link it if you missed it when it was broadcast earlier.

"Public Television Executive Argues Against Political Meddling"

This will take you to an NPR story broadcast by WUNC this afternoon reporting on a speech by the Public Broadcasting System president at the National Press Club. She is critical of initiatives undertaken by Corporation for Public Broadcasting chairman Kenneth TOMLINSON. On the linked page, you can click once again and listen to the entire speech.

"On N.C. Barbecue, East and West Don't Meet -- Except to Argue"

For those with an interest in knowing what people in Washington, DC are reading about life down here in North Carolina, here's a great snapshot. Maybe WUNC will do a followup?

"N.C. Law Allows Group to Sue over Alleged Dog Abuse"

This is a story by WUNC's Leoneda INGE, broadcast today as part of NPR's "Day to Day" show. The story does not appear in the WUNC news archive, so the only way to listen to this interesting piece is to go to the NPR site here.

"The Fight for NASCAR's Center"

WUNC appears to produce about one major news story per day. Today's contribution, by Dave DeWITT (not listed on the WUNC site as part of the WUNC news staff), deals with NASCAR and North Carolina, especially Charlotte. In order to check on these local news stories, click on "news archive" on the WUNC home page.

FAQs about WUNC's "financial picture"

WUNC has added some new content to its site, or so it appears (the addition is not dated). This new page presents links to WUNC's answers to these four questions/subjects:

"+Where does North Carolina Public Radio - WUNC get its operating funds?
+How does WUNC's fundraising compare to other public radio stations nationally?
+How does WUNC use the money we raise?
+North Carolina Public Radio - WUNC's relationships to other entities and management structure "

It is a good rough draft, but surely needs an editor, as well as someone to ask many of the questions for which the rather wordy text does not provide answers. For example, there appears to be a committee of people advising the station on fund-raising initiatives. Where is that list? The link to the part of UNC to which the station management "reports" contains no names, only an institution. There a dozen more like that.

Read this draft and send your comments to the station and/or post them here by clicking on "comments" on the next line.

The Connection.org : "Spreading Democracy American-Style"

For those who may not have done so, or as a reminder to those who have, The Connection comes with a page devoted to each show that is broadcast from 10 AM - Noon on WUNC. Here, for example, is the page for this morning's first hour. On this page, you will find a summary of the program subject, names of the guests, and if you are so inclined, you can e-mail the whole page to a friend/colleague. After the show has aired, you can go to this page and listen to it again, or listen for the first time if you missed it live.

UNC and autism research and treatment

Here is a story, broadcast today, by WUNC's Rose HOBAN who covers health for the station through a program funded by Blue Cross Blue Shield.

BBC off the WUNC "air" today

A strike at the BBC meant that there was no BBC news on WUNC this morning. Here is an account of the strike as reported for readers of the Manchester Evening News. (You would not know that the BBC was not being carried on WUNC if you were to look at the WUNC website which appears, at least on the home page, to be silent on the subject.)

"It's All Newsweek's Fault"

Frank RICH, the New York Times columnist, today links the White House response to the retracted Newsweek reporting on treatment of the Koran to the work of Ken TOMLINSON at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. He asserts that "(t)his steady drip of subterfuge and news manipulation increasingly tells a more compelling story than the old news that Newsweek so egregiously botched."

"Land Trust Day 2005"

"Land Trust Day" is 4 June and this is the site mentioned today on WUNC as part of the acknowledgment of the support of the Great Outdoor Provision Company.

On the Media

For those expecting to listen to all of "On the Media" on WUNC today, that proved not to be possible because there was, at first, a schedule change for the "Think Global" program not mentioned on the WUNC website followed by a lost connection with London. Some minutes later "On the Media" was, as they say, "joined in progress". If you want to listen to the whole show, click here. ("On the Media" is also participating this week in the Think Global project, but it does not appear that WUNC plans to broadcast the program at all.)

Think Global

Here is what the New York Times has to say today about the "Think Global" public radio series:
"This weekend, public radio wraps up "Think Global," (thinkglobal2005.org) an ambitious, weeklong examination of globalization that includes contributions from public radio stations and independent producers.
Regular programs, like "Talk of the Nation" on National Public Radio, were devoted to the topic, and several documentaries were also produced.
One of those was "Global 3.0," by American Public Media (the national public broadcaster that didn't receive $200 million from the estate of Joan B. Kroc, widow of the McDonald's founder).
The program starts from the should-be-obvious premise that globalization creates both winners and losers, and it's not always easy to tell which is which. Chris Farrell of "Sound Money" and Robert Krulwich, a correspondent for ABC News, the hosts, present deeply reported material with a breezy familiarity that never strays too far. The Web component is packed with useful links, as well as audio that can be downloaded and the program transcript."
This is the link to this item which appears in a longer "What's Online" column.

"Stations of the Cross"

For those interested in what's happening on other parts of the radio dial, this is an article from the current issue of the Columbia Journalism Review subtitled "How evangelical Christians are creating an alternative universe of faith-based news".

"A Different Reception For Public Broadcasting"

A Washington Post story about Kenneth TOMLINSON and his efforts to bring what he calls "balance" to public broadcasitng.

What programs on WUNC?

How do we know which of these "Think Global" programs are going to be carried this week on WUNC and when?

"Think Global: Public Radio Collaboration 2005"

You can listen to this program this Saturday, 21 May from 2 to 4. Here is the description from the site: "Hosted from London, Boston and Los Angeles, and reaching audiences on five continents, this special two-hour call-in program will explore the impact of globalization on your way of life, wherever you live. How does the global economy affect ordinary people? What are the cultural pluses and minuses? How can poor nations compete? Hosts Robin Lustig (BBC's Talking Point), Dick Gordon (WBUR's The Connection) and Larry Mantle (KPCC's AirTalk) guide a lively conversation between globalization experts Jeffrey Sachs (UN Millennium Project) and Edward Leamer (UCLA); BBC correspondents in Johannesburg, Beijing, Sao Paolo and Delhi; and listeners around the world."

"The Carrboro Poetry Festival"

A local event this week. See the mention of WUNC supporter Paul JONES and photo.

"Why Doesn't NPR Sound More Like the Rest of America?"

NPR's Ombudsman raises interesting questions about the way NPR "sounds". People in North Carolina have distinctive voices. Would NPR be better with a few more North Carolinian accents? And WUNC?

"The Future of Architecture"

Don't miss the photos on The Connection's website to go with this program broadcast on WUNC today.

Chapel Hill news opportunity for WUNC

This is a particularly good compilation of news - from a variety of sources - relating to Chapel Hill. You can subscribe by e-mail. WUNC does not yet appear to be one of the sources, but its Chapel Hill stories and State of Things programs should be included. It may simply be a case of of making that WUNC audio content more accessible to the software that does the aggregating.

Interview with Ken TOMLINSON of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Diane REHM today interviewed Ken TOMLINSON, the "controversial" chair of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting on her NPR show from Washington. You can listen to the show by clicking here

StoryCorps

NPR has covered the StoryCorps several times, most recently today. Their American tour is not scheduled yet to come to North Carolina. If you would like to urge them to come, you can send an e-mail here - feedback@storycorps.net