Signal WSIU Public Radio
An Online Newsletter
Vol. 5, No. 12 • December 2012
WSIU Radio Readies for Winter with New Series SIU Reviews! Dr. Metz hopes this new series will help prepare him for his online “Film Criticism” course that begins in mid-December. “My mission in the course is to invent a stable middle ground between academic writing about film,which... requires a great deal of expertise, and popular film reviewing, where the goal is merely to tell someone whether they should spend $10 on that particular film,” says Metz. He hopes to feature undergraduates on the series as their work develops throughout the course. SIU Reviews hosts Dr. Walter Metz (left) and Ph.D. student Liz Faber. Photo: Christina Clayton.
SIU Reviews is a new series on WSIU Radio featuring movie reviews by Dr. Walter Metz, Professor & Chair of the Department of Cinema and Photography at Southern Illinois University Carbondale, and Liz Faber, a Ph.D. student in the College of Mass Communication and Media Arts. The first episode launched on Friday, November 9 with a critique of the film The Cabin in the Woods by Dr. Metz. Faber’s first review aired Friday, November 16 and discussed the film Frankenweenie. SIU Reviews is currently airing sporadically throughout the week during WSIU Radio’s local feature time slots of 6:30am, 8:35am, and 5:30pm, with plans to move the segments to the same time slots on Fridays. Dr. Metz says the show came about because he felt “film criticism needed to be attended to as carefully as film history and film theory.” Metz has been arguing this point for the last 25 years, and feels an academic assessment should be applied to the public discussion on movies.
Future film critiques will focus on everything from Hollywood cinema to art cinema. Some of the film reviews to look forward to are: the Iranian film, A Separation, the American independent film, Goats, the silent film, The Artist, and the teen comedy, Easy A. “Listeners can expect to hear cutting edge academic humanities approaches applied adroitly to film in current release, or recently released to DVD,” says Metz. “Our reviews aim to be thoughtprovoking and helpful toward thinking about the importance of cinema in new ways.”
Film reviews are posted every Friday on the WSIU website. Visit news.wsiu.org/programs/siureviews to learn more about the series or listen to reviews.
Image: wsiu.org
SIRIS
volunteer Neil Kissack SIRIS Volunteer Neil Kissack. Photo: Christina Clayton.
S
ince the age of fourteen, Neil Kissack has had a strong passion for radio. He got his first gig on the airwaves in his hometown of Watseka, IL, and later worked on campus at Western Illinois University before transferring to Southern Illinois University Carbondale (SIU) to finish his broadcasting degree. He’s worked for CIL-FM, Rock 105 TAO, Z95.5 in Indianapolis, and other commercial stations in Nashville and Tallahassee, with programs usually centered on adult contemporary, rock, or country.
Kissack has been volunteering as a SIRIS reader since February this year and enjoys being on the mic again. “It’s an extension of what I did previously in radio…yet it fulfills a volunteer aspect that I’ve really been searching for,” he says. Kissack believes that volunteering can be a very rewarding experience and that everyone should try their best to get involved. “If you want to raise your own spirits, I think the quickest way is to help somebody else.”
Kissack is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration at SIU’s College of Business. He will graduate in May and plans to either relocate to Chicago where he’ll start working on a Master of Finance, or he’ll participate in SIU’s College of Business co-op program where he’ll be able to study in France to receive his Master’s.
Aside from being a busy MBA student, Kissack also plays soccer and is a drummer in Manx, a local band. He is a primary example of what it means to be selfless and contribute time to those in need. “You don’t have to volunteer [multiple hours a day], but if you can volunteer for an hour here or there, it really makes a difference.”
When Kissack saw a poster in Rehn Hall (the College of Business building) requesting volunteers for the Southern Illinois Radio Information Service (SIRIS), he knew this was the perfect opportunity to get involved. “At the time I was looking for a volunteer opportunity, and it was great that I saw that,” he says.
“It’s very important [to volunteer] because there are people who would love to [read] the newspaper, but with their visual impairment they can’t,” Kissack explains. “You don’t have to be an expert reader, or have a radio voice. It doesn’t take [a big commitment]. If you can read, you can volunteer.”
More New Programs!
If you’d like to volunteer at SIRIS, please contact WSIU Outreach Coordinator Vickie Devenport at (618) 453-6148 or vickie.devenport@wsiu.org.
Computer Ed Joins WSIU Programming Lineup WSIU Radio is “turning Geek speak into street speak” with the addition of the local series, Computer Ed, to the Sunday morning programming lineup from 6-7am. Computer Ed replaces the series The State We’re In, which is no longer in production by Radio Netherlands. Hosted by southern Illinois resident Edward Chrisler, aka “Computer Ed”, and his sidekick, Doug Berner, the series presents the latest in computing news and software / hardware reviews, explores new technologies, and offers listeners advice on how to get the most out of their personal computers. Check out recent shows and archives, read digital briefs, and more online at computeredradio.com.
What’s the Scoop? Specials DEC.
10th DEC.
17th DEC.
24th
NPR programs get festive with holiday-themed segments from now through New Year’s Day. On Thursdays this season, All Things Considered will talk recipes with cooks, bakers, and food writers. Fresh Air will feature a Christmas program (TBA) and Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! will present a “Best Of” compilation on December 30. And for holiday music, check out NPRMusic.org!
8pm
Hanukkah Lights 2012
A perennial NPR favorite, Hanukkah Lights features Hanukkah stories and memoirs written by acclaimed authors expressly for the show, as read by NPR’s Susan Stamberg and Murray Horwitz.
All Songs Considered for the Holiday
8pm
Host Bob Boilen and friends trade holiday cheer and snarky barbs while bringing you the best holiday songs from new and emerging breakout bands. This show is filled with fun and fresh renditions of great holiday music.
A Choral Christmas with Stile Antico
8pm
Stile Antico, the award-winning choir from London, visits St. Paul’s Church on Harvard Square for a concert celebrating the Christmas season with music by the most acclaimed composers of the renaissance. Hosted by Cathy Fuller of WGBH.
This Month on Morning Conversation Dec. 4.............
Members of The Stage Company talk about their upcoming performance of “Blithe Spirit.”
Dec. 11............ SIU Chancellor Rita Cheng discusses expectations from students and faculty.
Dec. 17............ SIU President Glenn Poshard discusses issues and events on campus.
Dec. 18.............
The annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Award Celebration for Carbondale is previewed with a reminder that nominations are due by December 31.
Any suggestions or questions? Email mornings@wsiu.org.
Morning Conversation, hosted by Jennifer Fuller, airs at 8:30am on Tuesdays and other weekdays, as scheduled, and repeats at 5:30pm.
Check the Morning Conversation Calendar at wsiu.org/programs/morning-conversation for more updates.
This Month on
Thank You Underwriters! Please join us in thanking the underwriters who recently began, renewed, or expanded their partnership to make public radio possible:
Calico Country Sew & Vac, West Frankfort/Carbondale/Paducah Greenridge Landscaping, Carbondale Oldtown Liquors, Carbondale Host Bryan Kelso Crow. Photo: Rachel Snow King.
Pheasant Hollow Winery, Whittington School of Art & Design at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale SIU Presents (Event Services) at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale Southern Illinois Healthcare/SIMS, Carbondale Southern Recycling, Carbondale Tickled Pink Boutique & Gift, Carbondale
Saturday 7pm • Sunday 6pm
For a complete list of WSIU sponsors and information about sponsoring WSIU programming, visit us online wsiu.org or call (618) 453-4286.
Dec 1 • New Releases It’s the last chance to add 2012 albums to the survey of new releases eligible for our end-of-year award.
Dec 8 • Sophomore Efforts This week’s survey includes some of the sophomore efforts by our leading Celtic bands.
Dec 15 • Old Favorites We dig into the record and CD stacks this week to share some timeless songs and tunes from favorite Celtic performers of the past several decades.
WSIU Radio would like to wish our listeners a safe and happy holiday season!
Dec 22 • Celtic Christmas
Music of the Christmas season has been an integral part of the Celtic cultures of Western Europe; we celebrate that tradition with songs in many languages in this week’s annual Celtic Christmas show.
Dec 29 • Best of 2012
Don’t miss this week’s roundup of some of the best Celtic albums of the year, culminating in Bryan Kelso Crow’s selection of the album of the year for 2012.
WSIU Public Radio Communications Building 1003 Mail Code 6602 Southern Illinois University 1100 Lincoln Drive Carbondale IL 62901 (618) 453-6101 wsiuradio@wsiu.org