March 2012 | WSIU Radio | Signal eNewsletter

Signal

Vol. 5, No. 3: March 2012

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An Online Newsletter from WSIU Public Radio P o w e r e d b y Yo u ®

WSIU Coverage of Southern Illinois Tornado

SIU Radio has been providing extensive coverage of the aftermath of a tornado that ripped through the Southern Illinois community of Harrisburg on February 29. Visit news. wsiu.org to read the latest reports filed by WSIU’s Jeff Williams, Jennifer Fuller, and Brad Palmer and visit NPR’s blog at npr.org/ blogs/thetwo-way to hear Jennifer Fuller’s reports to NPR.

This Month on Morning Conversations Thu., March 1 • Colon Cancer Awareness Month Tue., March 6 • American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society will talk about cancer screenings, treatments, and support.

Dr. Carolyn Byerl;y of Howard University

Fri., March 9 • Gender, Power and Journalism Dr. Carolyn Byerly of Howard University will discuss new research on women in the news industry.

Mon., March 12 • Girl Scouts’ 100th Anniversary Wed., March 14 • SIH CEO Rex Budde We talk with the CEO of Southern Illinois Healthcare about proposed Medicare Cuts and other pressures.

Thanks for the Love!

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hanks to your generous contributions this Valentine’s Day season, WSIU’s 16th Annual “Love is On the Air” event was a huge success. We shipped 137 boxes of delicious chocolates to lucky recipients across the country and raised over $8,400 to support the programming, services, and community engagement activities of the WSIU stations and SIRIS. “Love is On the Air” has become a popular Valentine’s Day tradition among public media fans. For donations of $45, $60, or $100, viewers and listeners can send locally-made gourmet chocolates from The Chocolate Factory in Golconda to loved ones around the country, courtesy of Mail Boxes Etc. in Carbondale. It’s a great way to do two important things: support public broadcasting and surprise someone special with a sweet treat!

WSIU would like to thank The Chocolate Factory and Mail Boxes Etc. for so generously donating their goods and services for this worthwhile cause each year. Please be sure to thank them for their support of public broadcasting and WSIU!

Tue, March 20 • SIUC Chancellor Rita Cheng Wed., March 21 • SIUC Paul Simon Public Policy Institute Director David Yepsen and Analyst John Jackson Mon., March 26 • SIU President Glenn Poshard Share your comments and suggestions for Morning Conversations to mornings@wsiu.org.

All Morning Conversations episodes are available online at www.wsiu.org/live. You can also find them on our podcast page and get a calender listing of upcoming events at www3. wsiu.org/radio morningconversation. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter!

We appreciate our sponsors!

WSIU’s Nature Hour Host Shares His Inspiration

SIRIS Volunteer Amanda Bradley admit that I rarely read newspapers. Now, I read them all the time, and I’m learning so much more about Southern Illinois.

It makes me realize that everyone should have access to newspapers.”

By Kevin Boucher

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or as long as I can remember, I have always loved nature and have always been drawn to the outdoors.

Ironically, one of the first nature experiences Kevin Boucher. Photo: Katie Tullis. to spark my lifelong interest in the outdoors was in, of all places, Washington, D.C. My parents took me on a hike to Roosevelt Island, which is an island in the Potomac River that has been set aside to remain in a wild state. And it was on that island that I saw my first snake and snapping turtle. I must have been about 7 or 8-years-old, but I can remember it as vividly as yesterday.

Since that day, I’ve loved spending time outdoors. I have also loved broadcasting and enjoyed watching the many Jacques Cousteau specials and Wild Kingdom when I was a kid. Today I still enjoy watching Jean-Michel Cousteau and the many science programs on PBS hosted by Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson.

I especially enjoy listening to NPR’s many news stories in which they go to wild locations and use natural sounds and narration to literally ‘paint a picture’ in my mind. The whole ‘theatre of the mind’ concept really fascinates me. I am just amazed at how we can use the wonderful tools of technology to conveniently explore the world around us.

After I received my Master’s degree last year, I suddenly had this tremendous amount of time on my hands, and I wanted to do something constructive with it. Being a former radio disc jockey, I thought reading about the natural world for SIRIS would be a fun way to combine my twin hobbies of nature and radio. I’ve been doing SIRIS readings now for almost a year, and really enjoy it. In my readings, I try not to get too preachy. I read articles about nature that point out the many small wonders of the natural world that are all around us – things we may not see because of our work, family, and school obligations.

It’s sad that there are so many people who, due to physical limitations, are not able to get out and enjoy the outdoors.

Knowing I can bring a little of the outside world to listeners who are often stuck indoors is a good feeling. I feel blessed to have the ability to do what I do and to read for the International Association of Audio Information Services. I like knowing that I can use the power of today’s media tools to take listeners on a “trip” around our wonderful planet, one hour at a time!

About the Host Kevin Boucher is a SIRIS volunteer reader who contributes his own special recordings of The Nature Hour for SIRIS. The Nature Hour is also being shared internationally through a programshare website for the International Association of Audio Information Services.

Kevin has contributed to radio segments for WSIU’s Radio Voices, including Owl Encounter and Monarchs on the Move. He also works as the traffic manager for WSIU Public Television.

Amanda Jo Bradley. Photo: Katie Tullis.

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or someone like Amanda Bradley, SIRIS is an extension of her interests, so becoming a volunteer was a natural step. Originally from Christopher, Illinois, Amanda came to Southern Illinois University Carbondale to pursue a degree in English, which she earned in 2002.

Currently residing in her hometown, she became involved with SIRIS after seeing an announcement at the Carbondale Public Library. Bradley says she was looking for new opportunities to give back to the community and also to maintain her public speaking skills.

“I like giving back,” says Bradley. “I also enjoy speaking, and (volunteering at SIRIS) is a low-stress activity. It really helps me practice my public speaking, but it’s also an easy way to give back to people, which I try to do as often as possible.”

Bradley says she’s gained a broader understanding of the services SIRIS provides, beyond the benefit of self-improvement and the assistance it provides to people who are physically unable to read for themselves.

In Bradley’s free time, you can typically find her either volunteering at The Carbondale Public Library or Free Again Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, or tutoring GED students at John A. Logan’s Literacy Program in Carterville.

Bradley also spends much of her time reading “anything and everything,” citing the Brontes, Jane Austen, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Thomas Hardy as some of her favorite authors. Her interest in period literature and films has also inspired her to perform in local theater productions.

To date, Bradley has performed in four separate productions at Rend Lake College, Sesser Opera House, and The Marion Cultural and Civic Center. She also has appeared in Oliver Twist, On Golden Pond, MASH, and Arsenic and Old Lace.

She also enjoys working on computers and playing various RPG video games, as well as hanging out with her Shih Tzu, Snags, which she adopted one year ago from the Humane Society of Southern Illinois.

Bradley is a public broadcasting fan and says some of her favorites programs include NPR news in the morning on WSIU Radio and Masterpiece and various concerts on WSIU-TV.

If you’re looking for volunteer opportunities, SIRIS is a great “I think one of the important place to start. Get involved things about SIRIS is that it today by contacting SIRIS at helps to preserve newspapers,” (618) 453-2808 or send an says Bradley. “When I first email to wsiu.org/siris. started working here, I

NPR Launches NewsPoet N

ow you can (re)discover poetry, thanks to NPR’s All Things Considered (ATC)!

All Things Considered’s Three-Minute Fiction Contest: Round 8

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elease your inner author -- the next round of All Things Considered’s Three-Minute Fiction contest starts Saturday, March 10, with a new judge, author Luis Alberto Urrea. The contest has a simple premise: Listeners submit original short stories with a 600-word limit that can be read aloud in three minutes or less. This rounds special rule will be coming out soon.

In January, ATC launched NewsPoet, a monthly project to bring a poet into the newsroom to compose a poem that reflects on the day’s news.

Each month during 2012, a wellknown or up-and-coming poet attends the 10 a.m. ATC editorial meeting, and visits with the Newscast’s team, correspondents, reporters, and hosts. S/ he also reads the daily story scripts of the pieces that will air later on ATC and writes a poem of 30 to 60 seconds in length.

At the end of one day, a composition reflecting the poet’s thoughts on what s/he perceives as the top NPR news story that day is read during ATC. Upcoming NewsPoet guests will include Jonathan Galassi, Ed Hirsh, and U.S. Poet Laureate Philip Levine.

Entries will be accepted starting midnight ET on Saturday, March 10, 2012, and must be received by 11:59 pm ET on Sunday, March 25, 2012. Selected story submissions will be posted here on npr.org throughout the competition. The winner will be announced on Sunday, May 20, and have his/her story read on-air during All Things Considered with host Guy Raz.

About Three Minute Fiction Launched in June 2009, NPR’s writing contest Three-Minute Fiction has generated more than 30,000 original pieces of short fiction submitted by listeners in its previous six rounds. Former judges for the contests include authors James Wood, Alan Cheuse, Ann Patchett, Michael Cunningham, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, and Danielle Evans.

Encourage Kids to Read with NPR’s Back-Seat Book Club!

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osted by Michele Norris (left), NPR’s Back-Seat Book Club, presented by All Things Considered (ATC), is a special segment aimed at young people ages 9 to 14.

Each month ATC chooses a special book and asks kids to read it and submit questions or comments for the author to backseatbookclub@npr.org.

When the author is interviewed on ATC by Michele Norris, the club members’ questions will frame the conversation. They can ask authors where they got their inspiration, why they chose a particular locale, or how they know so much about the topics they write about. ATC airs the segment at the end of each month.

Photo: Stephen Voss.

Poet Tracy K. Smith (above) wrote the first poem in the NewsPoet series, the beautiful “New Road Station,” after braving a full day inside the NPR Newsroom on January 27. Poet Craig M. Teicher wrote February’s poem. Next up is Kevin Young, the poet for March.

Listen to the poems online at npr.org/ series/144967617/poetry. Just click on the NewPoet feature on the page!

The project is a great resource for parents looking for quality books to share with their children and for teachers looking to update their classroom reading lists or to enhance their lesson plans with ATC content.

March 2012 Reading List March’s book pick is The Mysterious Benedict Society

by Trenton Lee Stewart.

Head to the Back-Seat Book Club website at www.npr.org/series/141728003/nprs-back-seatbook-club to read an excerpt, listen to previous ATC Back-Seat Book Club features, and more.

This month during the World Café 20th Anniversary Special

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orld Café celebrates 20 years. Join us this month as we revisit the show’s archives to enjoy music from their most outstanding guests, along with career retrospectives of legendary musicians.

Saturdays at 8pm March 3 • The Beatles: George Martin, Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Pete Best March 10 • Elvis Costello Through The Years

HostConnections Bryan Kelso Crow.

Photo: Snow King.

Celtic host, Bryan Kelso Crow: Rachel Photo: Rachel Snow King.

March 17 • Blues/Gospel: Buddy Guy, RL Burnside, Mavis Staples, Koko Taylor (interview with Michaela Majoun) March 24 • Robert Plant Through The Years March 31 • Jazz: Sonny Rollins, Stanley Clarke, Jack

Airs Saturday @ 7pm • Sunday @ 6pm

DeJohnette, Charlie Haden

March 3 | New Releases

About World Café

What’s new in the Celtic music world on both sides of the Atlantic? Tune in this week to hear a rousing sample of some of the best vocals and instrumentals from new and recent releases.

World Café marked its 20th Anniversary in October 2011. The two-hour program offers an eclectic blend of blues, rock, world, folk, and alternative country. Hosted by David Dye, World Café takes listeners on a unique journey of musical discovery with a mix of music from both new and legendary artists. Live performances and intimate interviews with Dye’s musical guests highlight each show.

Thank You, Underwriters!

Please join us in thanking the underwriters who recently began, renewed, or expanded their partnerships to make public radio possible:

Arts Connection of Central Illinois for the Effingham Performance Center Effingham, IL

Budslick Counseling & Psychotherapy Services, Carbondale, IL

Cedarhurst Center for the Arts, Mount Vernon, IL

Sujatha Rao, M.D. of Hem-Onc Care, Carbondale, IL

S.I. Elder Law, Marion IL

Leslie P. Williams C.P.A., Murphysboro IL

Wright Do-It Center,

Murphysboro/Sparta IL For a complete list of WSIU sponsors and information about sponsoring WSIU programming, visit us online at www.wsiu.org or call (618) 453-4286.

March 10 | Steamboat Songs Architecture professor Bob Swenson stops in to talk about his research on steamboats of the 1800s, as we feature steamboat songs from the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers.

March 17 | A Visit with Kyle Carey What better way to honor St. Patrick than by tuning in to this all-Irish program as we celebrate Ireland’s patron saint!

Mind you, there will be no green beer served here!

March 24 | Toe-Tapping Tunes Get ready to move this week as we feature a variety of jigs, reels, hornpipes, marches, polkas, slip jigs, and more.

March 31 | David’s Day Celebration Vocals and instrumentals from the past several decades are dusted off for this week’s show.

Share Your WSIU Story!

Tell us why you love WSIU Radio, and we’ll share your story on the air, online, or in print!

Online • www.wsiu.org/you Email • you@wsiu.org W S I U i s P o w e r e d b y Yo u ® WSIU Public Radio Communications Building 1003 - MC 6602 Southern Illinois University Carbondale 1100 Lincoln Drive Carbondale IL 62901 • 618/453-6101 • www.wsiu.org • wsiuradio@wsiu.org