American Experience: American OZ
Explore the life and times of author L. Frank Baum, the creator of one of the most beloved, enduring and classic American narratives. By 1900, when The Wonderful Wizard of Oz was published, Baum was 44 years old and had spent much of his life in restless pursuit of success. With mixed results he dove into a string of jobs — chicken breeder, actor, marketer of petroleum products, shopkeeper, newspaperman and traveling salesman — Baum continued to reinvent himself, reflecting a uniquely American brand of confidence, imagination and innovation. Premieres April 19 at 9:00pm.
Birthdays
4/21 - Mike Madden
4/21 - Tamra Fatemi
4/27 - Kris Allen
4/30 - Jill Hockenberry
WPSU Radio Highlights
BookMark 4/15 & 4/18 – "The Memory Eaters" by Elizabeth Kadetsky
This week—a meditation on memory, grief, and loss. This week's book is about intergenerational trauma. Reviewer Savita Iyer is the senior editor of Penn State’s alumni magazine, The Penn Stater.
In Case You Missed It . . .
In Performance at Penn State: April 2021
In Performance at Penn State is a monthly hour-long program that showcases performances from Penn State's School of Music. This month, hear excerpts from the Orchestral Suite in B Minor by Bach, played by Sheila Hornberger, transverse flute with the Penn State Baroque ensemble directed by James Lyon; “Variations for Harp on a theme in ancient style” by Carlos Salzedo, played by Anne Sullivan in a Penns Woods Music Festival concert; and the Penn State Philharmonic, with guest conductor Teresa Cheung, playing The Enigma Variations by Sir Edward Elgar. Listen here.
A Voter Guide To Pennsylvania’s 2021 Judicial Elections
Yes, there’s another election day just around the corner. It’s May 18. And, in fact, thanks to no-excuse mail ballots, widespread voting is already open. In addition to deciding local races, voters this year will elect a slew of new judges to Pennsylvania’s three statewide appellate courts — judges who will no doubt shape important policy in the state for at least the next decade. Guide is here.
Democracy Works: Reforming Criminal Justice From the Inside Out Jenna Spinelle talks with Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner about the promise and peril of institutional reform and how he built a coalition of voters who are traditionally overlooked in politics. He spent his career as a civil rights attorney, not a as a prosecutor like his predecessors. He's part of a growing movement of progressive district attorneys who focus on ending mass incarceration, not solely on enforcing law and order.
Take Note: Oceana Sawyer on Advocating for the Dying as an End-of-Life Doula WPSU’s Lindsey Whissel Fenton talks with Oceana Sawyer, an End-of-Life Doula, who helps people die in a context of love, grace, and beauty. She draws upon her training in expressive arts, meditation practices, and integral counseling psychology, among other things, to help her clients create a conscious—even pleasurable—death experience.
WPSU Television Highlights
American Experience “OZ” - Monday, April 19 at 9:00 pm
Explore the life of L. Frank Baum, the man behind one of the most beloved, enduring and quintessential American classics. The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, published in 1900, has been reinterpreted through the generations in films, books and musicals.
Philly D.A. (8-part series) - Tuesdays at 9:00 pm starting April 20
Go inside the emotional, high stakes work that Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner and an ensemble of idealistic outsiders from different walks of life take on as they attempt a fundamental overhaul of an entrenched criminal justice system.
Nature “Sharks of Hawaii” - Wednesday, April 21 at 8:00 pm
Learn surprising facts about the sharks that call the warm waters near Hawaii's islands their home. Meet the White Tip Reef shark, Whale shark, Tiger shark and more.
Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World - Thursday, April 22 at 8:00 pm
Travel with the world’s best-known climate activist as she embarks on a mission to ensure that world leaders work to limit global warming.
Frontline: The Virus that Shook the World, Part 1 - Monday, April 26 at 9:00 pm
The impact of COVID-19 across the globe, from lockdowns to funerals to protests, and how people and countries responded to the virus.
Finding Your Roots “On Broadway” - Tuesday, April 27 at 8:00 pm
Henry Louis Gates, Jr. investigates the family histories of Broadway stars Audra MacDonald and Mandy Patinkin, discovering ancestors whose struggles laid the groundwork for their success.
International Jazz Day 10th Anniversary Celebration - Friday, April 30 at 9:00 pm
A look back at 10 years of historic International Jazz Day concerts featuring dozens of music icons. Watch unforgettable performances by Herbie Hancock, Wynton Marsalis, Stevie Wonder, Aretha Franklin, Annie Lennox, Hugh Masekela and many more.
Governmental Relations
Government Relations – Federal
Last Wednesday, the US House Public Broadcasting Caucus began circulating the annual “Dear Colleague” funding letters in support of increased Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) funding. These letters are essential to building support for our funding requests each year.
What can you and I do? If you have not already done so, reach out to your elected Congressman through this grassroots organization – Protect my Public Media urging them to sign on in support of public media. It only takes a few minutes of your time and can be done via email or phone. In the past, outreach by grassroots advocates has resulted in a record-breaking number of signatures, including new signers on both sides of the aisle. Historically, Congressman Glenn Thompson (R-15) has signed on in support. All three (3) elected representatives from our WPSU coverage area – including Congressman Fred Keller (R-12) and Congressman John Joyce (R-13) have received these “Dear Colleague” letters.
Industry News
How Susan, Linda, Nina and Cokie Became NPR’s ‘Founding Mothers’
Susan Stamberg, Linda Wertheimer, Nina Totenberg, Cokie Roberts. Not only did these female journalists break glass ceilings, they made a lasting mark on NPR during the network’s formative years. In her latest book, Susan, Linda, Nina & Cokie: The Extraordinary Story of the Founding Mothers of NPR, Lisa Napoli follows the four women from their childhoods through their careers and trailblazing contributions to broadcasting and public radio journalism. In this excerpt, Napoli describes the influence that Roberts, Wertheimer and Totenberg wielded at the network in the late 1970s. Excerpt here.
How At-Home Pandemic Recordings Are Changing Pubmedia’s Standards For Audio Quality
Part and parcel of producing radio at home are the wacky intrusions into broadcast interviews by kids, spouses, neighbors and pets. Weekend Edition Saturday host Scott Simon recently had to pause an interview because of construction noise in his Washington, D.C., apartment building. A cat named Ori interrupted a live interview by Alicia Zuckerman, editorial director of WLRN in Miami. Ori’s meowing was not as intrusive as the power drill overheard in Simon’s interview but nevertheless distracted Zuckerman and her listeners, she said. Current has the story on recording the stories.
Amusements
When Love Transcends Prison Bars, A Couple Finds Each Other Through Letters
How do you tell the story of absence? How do you visualize the space occupied by longing? These were the challenges in creating Sheila & Joe, a film about two people separated by incarceration who met, fell in love and committed their lives to one another through letters.
Everyone's a Critic
Jason Harvey, 50, of Romford, England, has been fined about $3,800 after his east London town council received 150 complaints from neighbors about his Saturday-night karaoke parties. "It has been a nightmare," said one neighbor. "It was so loud, and his singing was terrible." Noise officers told the Evening Standard they received specific complaints about Harvey's covers of Dire Straits' "Sultans of Swing" and Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton's "Islands in the Stream." Harvey, who said he would appeal the fine, defended his voice: "I admit I'm no singer, but I have a go. I would have a couple of people over and they loved all that.”
Quotables
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better.” —Albert Einstein, physicist.
Resources and Tips
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