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Showing posts from November, 2009

Survivors: Solitary Confinement - Airs Nov. 30

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Tens of thousands of inmates live in total isolation in America's jails and prisons today. And the number is rapidly growing. Often prisoners spend years – even decades – by themselves in a cell the size of a small bathroom. They don't see anyone. They don't talk to anyone. They don't touch anyone. They are completely alone. In this half-hour radio documentary, "survivors" of solitary paint a picture of what solitary confinement looks, sounds and feels like. These are the voices of both men and women; Black, White and Latino; old and young. Listen to "Survivors: Solitary Confinement" by independent producer Claire Schoen at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30. (Photo of Robert King Wilkerson, who spent 29 years in solitary confinement, was taken by Terry Foss.)

Heat of the Moment - Airs Nov. 23

Today, climate change is generally expressed as the gradual warming of Earth's atmosphere over decades. Scientists see these changes as startlingly rapid in the context of geologic time - but to millions of people around the world, the impacts of global warming are immediate, and becoming increasingly frequent and severe. In "Heat Of The Moment: Inside Out," science journalist Daniel Grossman takes us to places where the effects of climate change are acutely felt. He reports on the heat wave that killed 40,000 people in Paris and from the low-lying coastlines in India and Bangladesh that may soon be affected by global climate change. Grossman won the 2008 Science Journalism award from the Association for the Advancement of Science for an earlier documentary on global warming. Listen in to this great documentary from Grossman and WBUR/Boston.

Look into the Future - Airs Nov. 16

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Portrait of a Psychic as a Young Man by Katie Mingle Nathan is just like any other teenager - except that he’s a Certified Energy Healer giving psychic advice over the internet. Plus, "the kid blows light bulbs." We find him trying to locate his lost Nintendo Gameboy and looking into his own future. Crystal’s Ball by Tatiana Harrison Next, we go home-shopping with “Future Crystal” in her old rivals’ neighborhood. Crystal is a gang-affiliated youth who’s been in juvenile hall and expelled from all district schools. Regardless, she envisions a day with steady job and buying a house with a husband. It’s a wonderful trip until she realizes the toll this goal will take on her other big dreams. Genetic Fortune Teller by Neille Ilel Most of the women in Neille’s family have died from cancer. So Neille visits Joyce, a genetic counselor, to have her family tree read and get tested for the "breast cancer gene." If a woman has this mutation, she's almost g

Gender Bender - Airs Nov. 9

Boys don't wear pink. Girls gotta look hot. On our "Gender Bender" show, which airs on Monday, Nov. 9, we'll air stories about gender stereotypes and talk to one of the producers from the film Straightlaced: How Gender Has All Tied Up . We'll start the show with "Dressy Girls," a story about a group of fashion-conscious high school girls and the connections between what they wear, self-esteem, body image, and their relationships with boys and other girls. Then we'll talk about the film "Straightlaced" with producer Brittney Shepherd. This educational film has its Minneapolis debut at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 16 at Children's Theatre. Tickets are available here . We'll also air "Mea, Me, Mine," the story of Mea Tavares, who was born female and shpet the rest of his life redefining what it means to be male

Saltcast

If you're a Listening Lounge regular, you know we like stories from the Salt Institute of Documentary Studies in Portland, Maine. At Salt, students get to learn about radio and make their own stories. And a lot of those stories are simply fantastic: "Rolling Diamonds," "Dyana, Goddess of the Moose Hunt" and "Just Another Fish Story" are three of my favorites. One way to keep up with what's happening at Salt and to get tips on how to produce your own stories is to listen to the Saltcast, a podcast dedicated to the backstory of great radio storytelling. Check it out online or at iTunes .