NPR Voices Show Their Public Radio Tattoos
One of the most popular thank you gifts we offered during our March Membership campaign were the Public Radio Tattos offered by This American Life. The tattoos have now made it to NPR in Washington, DC and you can see the results below.
So … what’s your favorite?
Top row, from left to right: Nina Totenberg, Ari Shapiro, Michel Martin, and John Ydstie. Bottom row, from left to right: Lakshmi Singh, Jacki Lyden, David Greene, Guy Raz, and Rachel Martin
All Things Considered Focus Groups
St. Louis Public Radio is working with NPR to conduct two focus groups related to the show All Things Considered on Monday, April 29. We are looking for a variety of All Things Considered listeners: those who listen every day and those who may listen only once or twice a week.
If you’re interested in participating, please start by taking this very brief survey.
New Program: Arch City Radio Hour
Arch City Radio Hour is an hour-long program featuring music artists, bands, and events in the St. Louis region. Every two weeks, host Nick Garcia – of Archcityradio.com – will highlight notable St. Louis musicians and songs. The show will also feature in-depth interviews and live performances.
Arch City Radio Hour airs throughout the week on The Gateway KWMU-2, and can also be heard on the St. Louis Public Radio website.
Past Performers
Performers Beth Bombara and Marc Chechik were featured on the previous Arch City Radio Hour.
Beth Bombara writes and performs her own music, which she describes as Americana with a shot of blues. She has released three CDs, one LP, is working on a 7″ single, and is looking forward to releasing two EPs for 2013. She was named 2012 Best Singer-Songwriter by the Riverfront Times.
Beth and her band performed “Just Can’t Win” from her first album, and a brand new, unreleased song:
Marc Chechik is the song writer and rhythm guitarist for the band Melody Den. Melody Den’s second release, “Storylines”, delivers sharp, insightful songwriting with rock n’ roll instrumentation.
Marc performed the song “Storylines”, the title cut from Melody Den’s new album:
Currently on the Show
Fred Friction and Jason Hutto are our featured guests on the current Arch City Radio Hour.
Fred Friction first made a name for himself in the St. Louis music scene as a sideman on spoons, then ran the legendary south St. Louis club Frederick’s Music Lounge while playing with rock trio Highway Matrons, and has released one album, “Jesus Drank Wine.”
Fred is in the midst of an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds for his next album, “Murder Balladeer”, which Jason is producing.
Upcoming Performers
Steve St. Cyr (pictured: center in blue) will be our guest for the February 18-March 3 Arch City Radio Hour.
Steve produces Songbird STL, an intimate, in-the-round singer-songwriter show, every couple of months at the Focal Point in Maplewood. Steve got his idea from seeing Bluebird Cafe in Nashville, and carried this idea to St. Louis.
Steve will talk about the origin and history of Songbird, and play some of the more memorable performances from past Songbird Cafe shows, including a couple of the songs from a Songbird that took place in the UMSL Grand Center Community Room back in December 2012.
To listen to past episodes, visit stlpublicradio.org. New shows are added every other Monday.
St. Louis Public Radio receives Champion of the Arts Award
St. Louis Public radio received the Champion of the Arts Award from the Arts and Education Council at the 2013 St. Louis Arts Awards at the Chase Park Plaza Hotel on Monday, January 21, 2013.
The event kicks off the Arts and Education Council’s 50th anniversary of funding various arts organizations in the St. Louis area. Proceeds from the event benefited the Arts and Education Council’s annual campaign which funds nearly 70 arts education organizations throughout the bi-state region.
The award is given each year to one business or organization that epitomizes leadership, generosity, and dedication towards the arts in their local community. Local groups, organizations, and citizens nominate local businesses for this honor. The award is artwork by local artists.
The Champion of the Arts Award
St. Louis Public Radio is a constant supporter of the arts community in the St. Louis area through online and on-air work. St. Louis Public Radio provides the St. Louis area with in-depth interviews, a forum for civil discussion, and entertaining programs that focus on the issues and people that make up the St. Louis area. St. Louis Public Radio broadcasts live St. Louis Symphony performances on Saturday evenings, provides a 24-hour stream of classical music online and on HD channel Classical KWMU-2, and covers happenings in the arts in St. Louis each week on Cityscape. A video of the work St. Louis Public Radio produces was shared at the event.
Also honored at the Awards were Chuck Berry with the Lifetime Achievement award in the Arts, PNC Bank with the award for Corporate Support of the Arts; Judy and Jerry Kent for Excellence in Philanthropy; the Opera Theatre of Saint Louis for Excellence in the Arts; Michael Uthoff for Excellence in the Arts; and Duane Martin Fosteras Art Educator of the Year.
Consider More Things, Plus New and Old Friends Join our Lineup
2013 will bring some changes to the St. Louis Public Radio program schedule beginning this weekend with the permanent return of some familiar programs plus a new NPR show to test your knowledge. Then, on Monday you’ll get more things to consider with an additional hour of All Things Considered each weekday.
The new friend joining our schedule on Saturday at noon is Ask Me Another, a lively hour of puzzles, word games, and trivia played in front of (and with) a live audience. Ask Me Another‘s entertaining melange of brainteasers and fun is a descendant of Weekend Edition Sunday‘s Puzzle Segment with Will Shortz, but infused with the vibrancy and quick wit of Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me.
Listeners can play along, testing their knowledge of history, geography, literature, grammar, spelling, pop culture, and even mathematics, with the competitors called up to the stage.
Ask Me Another host, noted comedian, and storyteller Ophira Eisenberg, guides listeners with her witty banter aided by the comedic riffs and songs of house musician Jonathan Coulton. Each episode features an interview with a Mystery Guest (noteable actors, comedians, and authors whose identities are revealed via puzzle clues throughout the show), who then takes a turn in the contestant’s chair facing trivia games written especially for him or her.
Ask Me Another host Ophira Eisenberg
This American Life, which has been airing at noon on Saturday, will move one hour later to 1 p.m. with its Sunday broadcast remaining at 6:00 p.m.
Also joining our weekly line-up is Radiolab, which will air each Saturday at 3 p.m. Listeners have been able to hear the program in short runs on the station so we’re excited to have the series on each week beginning in 2013. Hosted by Jad Abumrad with co-host Robert Krulwich, Radiolab is designed for listeners who demand skepticism but appreciate wonder; who are curious about the world, but also want to be moved and surprised. Radiolab won a Peabody Award in 2011.
Radiolab hosts Jad Abumrad & Robert Krulwich
Another program that you may have heard in short runs is The Moth Radio Hour, which will be heard weekly beginning this Sunday at 7 p.m.
Moth storytellers stand alone, under a spotlight, with only a microphone and a roomful of strangers. The storyteller and the audience embark on a high-wire act of shared experience which is both terrifying and exhilarating.
Originally formed by the writer George Dawes Green as an intimate gathering of friends on a porch in Georgia (where moths would flutter in through a hole in the screen), and then re-created in a New York City living room, The Moth quickly grew to produce immensely popular events at theaters and clubs around New York City and later around the country.
The final major change in the schedule begins next Monday with an expanded version of All Things Considered. ATC will begin at 3 p.m. each weekday beginning on January 7, 2013, running until 7 p.m., with Marketplace still at 6 p.m. We’ll also bring you expanded news coverage from the St. Louis Public Radio newsroom with news updates from Maria Altman beginning at 3:04 p.m.
The move to start All Things Considered at 3 p.m. means that we will end our broadcasts of PRI’s The World as of this Friday. We had a long run with the program, but in looking at how we could better serve our audience we believe this is the best choice for listeners to St. Louis Public Radio.
With the new programs on the weekends, there are also new times for Snap Judgment and Marketplace Money, plus the Sunday airing of Car Talk will be leaving the schedule. For the complete schedule see our Program Grid on the website.
Happy Holidays from St. Louis Public Radio
Take the creative energy of one of our great staff members, combine with a new building and the holiday spirit… and the result is this wonderful video that gives new meaning to the concept of a “travel” mug.
Our Traffic Coordinator, Spencer Reed, produced the video and we offer it to you as a Holiday Gift from St. Louis Public Radio!
Thanks to Spencer for this creativity, and thanks to our listeners and contributors for their wonderful support!
Happy 45th Birthday to the Public Broadcasting Act
In the midst of the election yesterday and the aftermath today, a significant date in the history of broadcasting, particularly public broadcasting, nearly passed without notice.
It was 45 years ago today that President Lyndon Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 into law. The law established the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and eventually the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio It charged the CPB with encouraging and facilitating program diversity and the expansion and development of non-commercial broadcasting.
Here is some of what President Johnson said in his remarks before signing the Act (with apologies for gender insensitivities):
The message Samuel Morse sent to a friend after he invented the telegraph was, “What hath God wrought?”… Every one of us should feel that same sense of awe and wonderment here today… For today miracles in communication are a daily routine…Today our problem is not making miracles but managing miracles. We might ponder a different question: what hath man wrought and how will man use his inventions. The law that I will sign shortly offers one answer to that question. It announces to the world that our Nation wants more than just material wealth; our nation wants more than a “chicken in every pot.”
We in America have an appetite for excellence, too. While we work every day to produce new goods and create new wealth, we want also to enrich man’s spirit. That is the purpose of this act…. “What hath man wrought? And how will man use his miracles?” The answer just begins with public broadcasting. So today we rededicate a part of the airwaves–which belong to all of the people–and we dedicate them for enlightenment of all of the people…
The beginning of the Public Broadcasting Act Starts out:
(a) Congressional declaration of policy The Congress hereby finds and declares that–
(1) it is in the public interest to encourage the growth and development of public radio and television broadcasting, including the use of such media for instructional, educational, and cultural purposes;
(2) it is in the public interest to encourage the growth and development of nonbroadcast telecommunications technologies for the delivery of public telecommunications services;
(3) expansion and development of public telecommunications and of diversity of its programming depend on freedom, imagination, and initiative on both local and national levels;
(4) the encouragement and support of public telecommunications, while matters of importance for private and local development, are also of appropriate and important concern to the Federal Government;
(5) it furthers the general welfare to encourage public telecommunications services which will be responsive to the interests of people both in particular localities and throughout the United States, which will constitute an expression of diversity and excellence, and which will constitute a source of alternative telecommunications services for all the citizens of the Nation;
(6) it is in the public interest to encourage the development of programming that involves creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities;
(7) it is necessary and appropriate for the Federal Government to complement, assist, and support a national policy that will most effectively make public telecommunications services available to all citizens of the United States;
(8) public television and radio stations and public telecommunications services constitute valuable local community resources for utilizing electronic media to address national concerns and solve local problems through community programs and outreach programs;
(9) it is in the public interest for the Federal Government to ensure that all citizens of the United States have access to public telecommunications services through all appropriate available telecommunications distribution technologies; and
(10) a private corporation should be created to facilitate the development of public telecommunications and to afford maximum protection from extraneous interference and control.
So Happy Listening, Happy Viewing, and Happy Birthday to Public Broadcasting!
The Candidates and St. Louis on the Air
As Election Day approaches next week, we have received several inquiries from listeners asking why they have heard some candidates on our daily program St. Louis on the Air while others have not yet been featured on the program.
While our reporters have been covering many of the races including Lt. Gov. and the Missouri 2nd Congressional race, on the talk show we have limited time. Given this we decided that the four races in which we would extend invitations to candidates were: Missouri Governor, Missouri U.S. Senate, Missouri Attorney General, and the Illinois 12th Congressional (which is an open seat currently held by Rep. Jerry Costello).
In order to keep a record of fairness, our producers Mary Edwards and Alex Heuer have reached out to all of the candidates and kept meticulous records when doing so.
The four Republican candidates confirmed before any of the Democratic candidates.
Republican Gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence was on the program on Monday as have the other three Republican candidates.
Democratic Senator McCaskill was scheduled to be on the program last week though she had to cancel due to the illness of her mother. She was rescheduled to be on the program on Tuesday but again had to cancel following the passing of her mother on Monday. Senator McCaskill has now been rescheduled to appear on St. Louis on the Air on Monday (the day before the election).
Democratic Attorney General Chris Koster’s campaign has not acknowledged our request for an interview after repeated attempts. IL 12th district candidate Democrat Bill Enyart was on the program last week. In the case of Governor Nixon, his campaign has virtually said there is no time. There are no active negotiations taking place to have him on the air.
We have also devoted time on the program to third party candidates including the Libertarian candidate for the U.S. Senate, Jonathan Dine.
We are also devoting two programs this week to a discussion on the major ballot initiatives facing voters in next week’s election.
All of our election coverage can be found on our website, as well as on Beyond November.org, which is a collaboration with The St. Louis Beacon and the Nine Network for Public Media
Finally, a reminder that St. Louis Public Radio will be your source on-air and on-line for full election coverage on election night.
Exploring a New Model to Serve St. Louis
Response from the St. Louis community and beyond has been very positive in the aftermath of announcement that St. Louis Public Radio and the St. Louis Beacon are exploring an alliance to better serve the community through journalism.
The non-binding letter of intent signed last week expresses a shared belief that the Beacon and St. Louis Public Radio can serve St. Louisans better together than they can separately. As a result of this action the two news organizations will begin exploring options for strengthening regional news reporting by using their individual assets in combination.
It is the perfect time for us to be embarking on this expedition seeking a new model for public service journalism. Both organizations have established reputations for delivering exceptional journalism to its audiences and, with the digital revolution transforming media, there is a historic opportunity to further establish St. Louis as a leader in journalism innovation.
We have been “test driving” some joint news reporting utilizing Rob Koenig, the Beacon’s Washington D.C. reporter, regularly sharing his observations on politics and issues with St. Louis Public Radio listeners on St. Louis on the Air, our daily local program. In the last few months, Beyond November, a comprehensive, in-depth election-coverage project that also includes collaboration with the Nine Network of Public Media, has increased the level of collaboration between our organizations.
In the announcement, we specified that the alliance discussions will be dedicated to improving the St. Louis region by:
- Advancing regional news reporting at a time when many news organizations around the nation are shrinking;
- Engaging people throughout the region and sharing reporting on air, online and in person;
- Encouraging vibrant dialogue and driving innovation with new tools in the digital age.
We also intend to continue to work in partnership with the Nine Network of Public Media and with other regional and national organizations.
While the letter of intent is non-binding, it authorizes the two organizations to share expertise with each other and develop options for a formal arrangement. We expect to conclude exploratory discussions by the beginning of 2013.
It’s an exciting time for us to begin this journey and we’ll keep you up-to-date as we progress down the road.
An Invitation to an Open House
open house
n.
1. A social event in which hospitality is extended to all.
Classes have started, St. Louis Public Radio is on the air, and we are thrilled to have the St. Louis community see the exciting things the University of Missouri–St. Louis is doing in Grand Center. We are certainly looking forward to furthering our working relationships with our many other arts, education, and media partners, such as the Nine Network of Public Media, St. Louis Symphony, Jazz at the Bistro, the Contemporary Art Museum, the Sheldon, and the Kranzberg Arts Center.
UMSL at Grand Center will open its doors to the public on Sept. 15 for a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house. The new $12 million facility makes UMSL neighbors with the facility (pictured in the background) that houses Nine Network of Public Media, HEC-TV, and the St. Louis Beacon. Other neighbors include the Fabulous Fox, the Sheldon Concert Hall and the Contemporary Art Museum. (Photo by August Jennewein)
Brian Owens
Erin Bode
About St. Louis Public Radio General Manager Tim Eby
General Manager Tim Eby joined St. Louis Public Radio on January 20, 2009 bringing more than 25 years of public radio experience to St. Louis.
Eby was a member of the Board of Directors of National Public Radio from 2002-2008 and served as Chairman from 2004 through 2007. He is an active leader and member of several other professional organizations including Public Radio in Mid-America.
Prior to coming to St. Louis, Eby was the Radio Station Manager at WOSU Public Media from 2004-2009. Prior to his work in Columbus, Eby transformed WVPE Public Radio in Elkhart, Indiana from a student-run station to a fully professionally staffed operation.
"Pondering the persistent questions of life with my students." -Professor Cordell Schulten
