%s1 / %s2

Playlist: News Station Picks for Jan. '10

Compiled By: PRX Curators

Credit: <a href="http://www.sprixi.com/i/8822552653?link=direct&size=4">[BarZaN] Qtr [Boston]</a>
Image by: [BarZaN] Qtr [Boston] 
Curated Playlist

Here are January picks for news stations from PRX News Format Curator Naomi Starobin.

"This month, I've selected work by independent producers and reporters. These talents are not working for local stations or networks. There is some marvelous work out there. Take a listen. Whether being an independent frees you up to be more creative, or makes it more challenging (or maybe a bit of both), there is clearly a huge amount of energy and creativity on display. See below!"

More about what Naomi listens for in news programming.

Hide notes

Hairdressers of New York City

From Laura Spero | 00:03:07

This is a fun sound-rich portrait of NYC hairdressers. Meticulous sound editing makes this a lively feature that would pair nicely in a segment with something about jobs, entrepreneurs, etc.
Laura Spero is the producer. She lives in Manhattan and is also the founder of a charity in Nepal. She did some work with StoryCorps, and clearly became good at listening for bites that grab the ear.

hairdressersremixbnc.mp2

Owners of a Purple Heart

From Hillary Frank | 00:05:24

This comes from freelance writer and radio producer Hilary Frank from Philadelphia. Solid production and surprising comments from veterans who have earned a Purple Heart, about their mixed feelings.
Caution: this aired on Weekend America, and Frank's soc-out identifies it that way.

Purple Heart

The Body Secrets Project

From Ross Chambless | 00:06:13

Although this is coming from Utah, there are universal messages about body image and eating disorders. Nice riff off of anonymous personal comments left by people at a museum exhibit called "Body Worlds 3," then we hear experts weigh in on eating disorders. Nice to hear men are included in the description of eating disorders.

A couple of notes about the style of the piece: there are music beds here and there, and some of the script is in first person. The piece ends on an up note, with quotes from those same messages left by museum-goers, this time the optimistic and encouraging ones.

"The Body Secrets Project" is produced by Ross Chambless out of Salt Lake City.

Body_Secrets_Project_PRX_

Seating Mr. Pacino

From Eric Winick | 00:07:21

This first person piece has a "The Moth" feel, unfolding a personal, true drama. It's by Eric Winick, independent reporter/producer out of Brooklyn. He does a nice job of using music beds to accompany the drama and provide little recesses from it. This would work nicely in a Morning Edition E segment, or an ATC D segment.

John_Morogiello_Final

Grandpa

From Lu Olkowski | 00:08:46

This piece is difficult to listen to but very sweet overall. Beautifully done and sensitive to the subject: the death of a grandfather and the documentation of it. A twist midway through makes this one stand out.

Independent reporter/producer Lu Olkowski of Brooklyn produced this piece. She's done work for Studio 360 and other shows.

Grandpa - FINAL

Deep In Our Hearts

From Sandra Sleight-Brennan | 00:58:57

There's just something about this hour-long documentary. These four women weren't out to be heroines, weren't born to become active in the civil rights movement. Each with their own set of reasons, carefully and nicely laid out in the piece, they became involved. Very nice pacing. An hour your listeners will enjoy and be enriched by. The story of these women contains the history of the women reflecting back on their original motivation for getting involved, as archival tape.

It's done by Sandra Sleight-Brennan, an independent producer from Stewart, Ohio, who has been in the biz for a while, and it shows.

Deep In Our Hearts

Average Rating


Actions

Other Playlists by PRX Curators