Thursday, June 30, 2005

"Global Voices Online"

"Global Voices Online"

"Inside Out Documentaries : EuroPower"

"Inside Out Documentaries : EuroPower"

Sunday, June 26, 2005

"The Armstrong Williams NewsHour"

"The Armstrong Williams NewsHour"

This Frank RICH is well worth reading by anyone following the Corporation for Public Broadcasting issues.

Friday, June 24, 2005

Sweet Unity Farms

Sweet Unity Farms

Here is the website for the coffee coop in Tanzania just profiled on All Things Considered and broadcast by WUNC.

The House of Representatives has voted to restore a portion of deep cuts proposed for public radio and television.

This "update" appears on the WUNC home page. It is one thing for WUNC to inform its listeners and others who come to the website about what is happening on an issue like this. But thanking WUNC supporters "who helped make this change" strikes me as confusing providing information with lobbying. The latter is not the role permitted for WUNC, like it or not.

"The House Votes to Restore Funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
(Updated June 24,2005)

The House of Representatives has voted to restore a portion of deep cuts proposed for public radio and television.

We want to thank all of North Carolina Public Radio � WUNC�s supporters who helped make this change. Members of Congress heard from thousands of listeners and viewers who wrote or called to express their support.

While this is encouraging news, the restoration of funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting addresses only part of the overall funding for public radio and TV targeted for cuts in the fiscal year that begins in October. Programs that pay for capital improvements, and money that supports children's television production, are still targeted for elimination.

Listeners and viewers still need to be heard on whether they want these cuts to stand or see full funding for stations and national programs maintained.

The Senate subcommittee that considers appropriations for public broadcasting will be facing pressure to balance the funds available with program needs. That subcommittee, chaired by Arlen Specter (R-PA), is scheduled to meet July 12 to make funding recommendations. The full Senate Appropriations Committee is likely to act July 14. "

Patricia HARRISON named CPB President & CEO

Patricia HARRISON named CPB President & CEO

WUNC has posted the official CPB press release here.

You might like to read more perspective in The New York Times story about the appointment.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Corporation for Public Broadcasting

This program on The State of Things today looks like it has the potential to shed more light on what is happening in Washington, and in North Carolina, with respect to federal funds and federal control of public broadcasting. There has been a fair amount of coverage of this issue on WUNC and in its website. Does it seem like the right amount? Too much? Not enough?

More here from The New York Times today.

Good stuff here from NPR's ombudsman.

And this about one of the guests.....It says that David FOLKENFLIK worked most recently for the Herald Sun in Durham, although the wording is a little vague. In any case, a search of the Herald-Sun's archives turn up nothing with his name in it going back to 1998. Perhaps it is a function of the Herald-Sun's archives or maybe he worked there prior to 1998.

Joan Siefert ROSE keeps saying, as she did today, that WUNC receives no state funding. Ask her whether WUNC receives any free services from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (the State of North Carolina). The answer is yes, and the total is hundreds of thousands of dollars each year. It is at least disingenous, if not worse, to keep making this, at least, deceptive claim.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

"Blind Chance: David Faucheux's Audio Web Log"

"Blind Chance: David Faucheux's Audio Web Log"

Wouldn't it be nice if WUNC were to bring some of this good work to our attention - the best audio blogs of likely interest to WUNC listeners, for example?

Monday, June 20, 2005

"CPB Chairman's Emails Cite White House Role"

"CPB Chairman's Emails Cite White House Role"

Southeast Marketplace Bureau

Southeast Marketplace Bureau

WUNC frequently mentions the bureau WUNC says it is setting up with Marketplace. An on air acknowledgement for Duffy GILLIGAN mentioned it today. So does this undated press release. The Marketplace site has a list of all its bureaus and there is no mention of WUNC or North Carolina here.

Sunday, June 19, 2005

"Toyota of Durham and Raleigh North Carolina"

"Toyota of Durham and Raleigh North Carolina"

This is a WUNC supporter. For those who have seen the television ad for this dealership, one may still wonder what "all the right reasons" really are......

"This I Believe: Looking at Life from Both Sides, Now"

"This I Believe: Looking at Life from Both Sides, Now"

Certainly well into the extraordinary category, as broadcast by WUNC today. Imagine, tho, the opportunity for WUNC to use some of its resources to record today's thinking of North Carolinians, and maybe even dredge up some recordings from the past in the process.

Beer and crabs

Beer and crabs

WUNC is adding depth and breadth to summer passtimes including beer and crabs!

"Giving Tourists a Truer Look at Plantation Life"

"Giving Tourists a Truer Look at Plantation Life"

This is a really interesting NPR story, broadcast today. Wouldn't we like to know more about how North Carolina measures up under the same kind of analysis?

Friday, June 17, 2005

"Earth Fare - the Healthy Supermarket"

"Earth Fare - the Healthy Supermarket"

Some background on a new WUNC supporter which seems to have opened its doors. Please remember there are other options in Chapel Hill, including Weaver Street Market.

Car Talk

Car Talk

Why is the promo for Car Talk so much louder - during All Things Considered today - than the programming that precedes or follows?

Pop Ups

Pop Ups

Anyone offended by WUNC using a pop up window to hawk the need for contributions?

"Congressional Action on FY 2006 Funding for Public Broadcasting"

"Congressional Action on FY 2006 Funding for Public Broadcasting"

This is WUNC's take on what is happening in Congress on public broadcasting funding and speculation about what it might mean to WUNC.

Thursday, June 16, 2005

Bob EDWARDS commenting on NPR

Bob EDWARDS commenting on NPR

This is a story from Alaska about an evening with EDWARDS and what he had to say about public radio.

"Sally Jessy Raphael"

"Sally Jessy Raphael"

Some may remember her on the radio. Some names like this don't fade away; they just move to the internet - from here in Nice where she lives part of the time and from other places in the U.S.

"Lobbyists' Role for Public TV Is Investigated"

"Lobbyists' Role for Public TV Is Investigated"

Wednesday, June 15, 2005

"PBS Updates Editorial Standards, Adds Ombudsman"

"PBS Updates Editorial Standards, Adds Ombudsman"

"BROWN leaves Marketplace"

"BROWN leaves Marketplace"

"Save NPR and PBS"

"Save NPR and PBS"

This is a page created by MoveOn.org dealing with the expected vote tomorrow of the full House Appropriations committee on public broadcasting funding.

"Special Programming Alert Now Available"

"Special Programming Alert Now Available"

WUNC sent out its "eUpdate" today to those who had signed up for the WUNC "email updates", or so it seems. Among other items in the e-mail message is the announcement that "Special Programming Alert Now Available". There was no explanation of what this will be - how frequent they will be, or what the messages will contain.

Medicaid story

Medicaid story

There is an excellent story on Medicaid (as it impacts NC) by Rose HOBAN but it does not appear in the normal date order on the WUNC news page. Here is a direct link.

"Melinda's Blog"

"Melinda's Blog"

It is too bad that WUNC does not offer this on a subcription basis. Perhaps others have the same problem of trying to remember to go look at web pages like this one. It would be so much easier to have it "delivered".

Monday, June 13, 2005

The Richard Brown Show" on WCOM, Carrboro

The Richard Brown Show" on WCOM, Carrboro

Are there other stations like WCOM in the WUNC listening area? Here is one of the places where you can find WCOM.

More NPR visitors to Chapel Hill

More NPR visitors to Chapel Hill

Another NPR personality appears headed to Chapel Hill. This time it is Scott SIMON. Will his visit (see the item with his picture on this page) be less secret than was Alex CHADWICK's?

Corporation for Public Broadcasting and WUNC

Corporation for Public Broadcasting and WUNC

WUNC has added some partial explanations of the situation in Washington related to the funding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and how this funding affects WUNC. For a somewhat clearer explanation of the former, click here. Additional information about NPR funding appear here. If anyone would like to know what the Station Resource Group is (mentioned in the WUNC posting) here it is.

Sunday, June 12, 2005

"French Journalist Is Freed in Iraq"

"French Journalist Is Freed in Iraq"
For anyone listening to WUNC, news of the world is probably an important reason for doing so. It is tough to imagine a more important "good news" story of the challenges posed for doing that job of "bringing the world home to you", or whatever the new WUNC motto is, than this story from The New York Times reporting on the release of Florence AUBENAS and her Iraqi assistant in Baghdad. (On a personal note, I arrived in France this morning, was robbed at the Nice airport on arrival, and yet this news more than makes up for the robbery!)

Friday, June 10, 2005

"The Connection.org : Reynolds Price"

"The Connection.org : Reynolds Price"
The second hour here.

"The Connection.org : The View From The Other Side of the Tracks"

"The Connection.org : The View From The Other Side of the Tracks"
This is the page created by The Connection to go with its first hour broadcast from WUNC this morning.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

US Census Bureau report on Hispanic population

US Census Bureau report on Hispanic population
There is an interesting short story about what the US Census Report today on Hispanic population trends means for Norwich, CT in the archives at norwich.com. Where is the WUNC version of this? One hopes that the WUNC news team is going to be looking very closely at this page in coming weeks.

The Connection from Chapel Hill

The Connection from Chapel Hill
Here is the WUNC explanation of the program to be broadcast live tomorrow morning. (Note that there is some garbled text, or so it seems, in the explanaiton of the first hour's guests.) Here is how Dick GORDON, the show's host, described the plans in his weekly e-mail newsletter earlier in the week: "Friday, June 10th Our good friends at WUNC in North Carolina have invited us down for a visit, and a chance to broadcast the program from their studios. I'll be traveling with Senior Producer Tara Murphy and Producer Jen Ehrlich. We'll also have a chance to meet some of our listeners while we're there and we are all looking forward to that."

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Alex CHADWICK

Yesterday, Alex CHADWICK said he would not be anchoring Day to Day for a "few days" because he was going to visit WUNC. This must be a highly secret visit, except for listeners to Day to Day, as there is not a word about it on the Home Page of WUNC.

"Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming"

"Bush Aide Softened Greenhouse Gas Links to Global Warming"
This article in today's New York Times is a first-class job not only because of the quality of the reporting, but because the rest of us are given a chance to see at least an example of the raw material from which the reporter worked. In an interview on Day to Day, broadcast by WUNC, the reporter - Andrew REVKIN - added some additional perspective on the story and noted that he had been denied by the White House a chance to interview the "editor".

"Rejected Radio Spot Raises Eyebrows"

"Rejected Radio Spot Raises Eyebrows"
The New York Times reports today on decisions taken by some public radio stations to reject "underwriting credits" requested by contributors to the stations. While WUNC is not mentioned, this brings back memories of a similar kind of decision made by WUNC last year. [In the interest of full disclosure, my wife is the CEO of Ipas, the organization whose message was rejected by WUNC last year.]

Tuesday, June 07, 2005

"NPR : Radio Turns to 'Jack' for Format Fix"

"NPR : Radio Turns to 'Jack' for Format Fix"
An All Things Considered story on one approach to radio format changes.

"Traditional Media Offer New Web Features to Reach a Wider Audience"

"Traditional Media Offer New Web Features to Reach a Wider Audience"
This is the transcript of a segment on the Newshour last night.

"Quest for Racial Harmony in Durham"

"Quest for Racial Harmony in Durham"
A WUNC story on the post-cross burning environment in Durham. Leoneda INGE is the reporter.

"In County Made Rich by Golf, Some Enclaves Are Left Behind"

"In County Made Rich by Golf, Some Enclaves Are Left Behind"
Another one of those stories telling part of North Carolina's story to people in other places. In this case, it is The New York Times.

"Wireless Internet: Intel Ranks the 100 Most Unwired U.S. Cities"

"Wireless Internet: Intel Ranks the 100 Most Unwired U.S. Cities"
The Triangle ranks, according to Intel, #8 in the country on this list of the most UNwired cities.

"Welcome to Daylight Magazine"

"Welcome to Daylight Magazine"
This is one of those NC-based "media" organizations that often gets overlooked. Here is how the Herald-Sun reported the organization's story yesterday.

Monday, June 06, 2005

"Alicia's Story"

"Alicia's Story"
Here is the link to Alicia PARLETTE's seven-part series being published in the San Francisco Chronicle. She read part of it today on Day to Day.

"Radio silence for NPR and Audible"

"Radio silence for NPR and Audible"
This story reports on changes in how NPR appears to be making its content available off the air.

Saturday, June 04, 2005

"Oldies Are a Thing of Past at Top Station"

Lots of things are changing in the world of radio. Not even golden oldies in New York City are sacred anymore. Here is an AP story from the Herald-Sun reporting on a recent radical format change.

"Open Source"

"Open Source"
Another radio initiative worth a listen.....

"KYOU Radio - Open Source Radio"

"KYOU Radio - Open Source Radio"
Here is some pretty innovative radio.....

"Hackers hit Duke health system"

"Hackers hit Duke health system"
A Herald-Sun story to go with the item broadcast by WUNC this morning.

Friday, June 03, 2005

"Charlotte neighbors to sell homes as a package, demand high price"

Another AP story from the N&O as reported by WUNC today.

"N.C. officials say NBC show to be shot in Wilmington"

As reported on WUNC, here is the AP story from the News & Observer reporting on "Fathom", a new NBC television series to be filmed in Wilmington, featuring "new form of life lurking in the sea".

"Rush begins podcasts"

For those interested, Rush LIMBAUGH will "whisper" in your ear in more places. Here is how he plans to use podcasts.

"Qatar Opens Debate on Thorny Muslim, Arab Issues"

Here is the website for the Doha Debates mentioned in this story on Day to Day today.

"Infinity To Podcast 9 News Stations"

It would be interesting to know how many people in NC are today choosing to RECEIVE podcasts. Many stations and others could offer the service, but like the trees falling in the forest, someone has to be there to listen in order for it to make any sense.

"T-Rex Sex Discovery"

Here is The New York Times story on the same subject to augment this WUNC news report.

"Drop the 'perverts', Turner tells CNN"

Some WUNC listeners who also watch CNN may agree with Ted TURNER's comments, reported here in the UK.

Thursday, June 02, 2005

"Papers Turn to Podcasting, the Newest of Media"

Any sign yet of newspapers in NC getting in to "podcasting". This story on WUNC today (All Things Considered) offers a good primer on what a number of newspapers elsewhere in the US are doing.

Cross burnings in Durham

It does not appear that The State of Things has yet done a program on the cross-burnings in Durham (where WUNC is about to open up a new studio). The Independent this week carries a thoughtful piece that is worth reading.

"Downtown Detroit on Endangered List"

Here is the National Trust for Historic Preservation page to go with this story, as broadcast today by WUNC (All Things Considered). Two members of the Board of Trustees of the Trust are from NC.

"Wachovia Completes Research"

Here is the link to Wachovia's research into "predecessor" companies that owned slaves, as reported today on WUNC.

The death penalty in NC

This looks like it will a good opportunity to learn more about where the possible moratorium on executions in NC stands in the state legislature.

Wednesday, June 01, 2005

"Culture and the Collision of Arts and Politics"

See earlier posting about Frank RICH coming to UNC next year. Here is an interview with him today on Fresh Air, carried by WUNC.

Bill to ban use of cell phones while driviing

WUNC reported that this bill has failed to make it out of committee in the House. Here is the Greensboro News and Record's story.

Interview with President Bill CLINTON on Friday

"Friday, Talk of the Nation hosts a conversation between callers and former President Bill Clinton at 2 p.m. ET. To join the discussion, send your e-mail to TOTN@npr.org "

" 'Rough South': Chronicles of L.A.'s Violent Past"

More about Karl FLEMING from Day to Day on NPR.

Baltimore Sun complains about broadcasters failing to give sources for news stories

No doubt this problem occurs in other markets.

"Use of Anonymous Sources Under Fire"

This is a good discussion of the anonymous sources issue, as carried as part of Morning Edition on NPR this morning.

PHIPPS

Neither the WUNC news report nor the News & Observer story from the AP (probably the source for both stories) mentions "why" the fine was cut in half. That's a good opportunity for WUNC to show that it can go beyond Associated Press wire copy in its reporting.

"NC Businesses fish for Government Contracts"

Here is the website for the conference mentioned in this story.

WUNC news page

There seems to be a technical problem with this page. This pops up each time: "[an error occurred while processing this directive] For more news audio and stories, visit the WUNC News Archive."

"Identifying Misinformation - US Department of State"

This site was mentioned in the BBC Newshour broadcast by WUNC today.