May 2008

May 9

Silver Umbrella Losing, searching, not always wanting to find what we thought we were looking for. Hemingway's lost manuscripts, a father's lost childhood, lost talent, lost opportunities and a mysterious silver umbrella. Stories of loss and memory are played out on the European rail system and interwoven in this feature by Natalie Kestecher of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This program airs as part of the international documentary exchange series Crossing Boundaries.

May 2

Dear Birth Mother After waiting for Mr. Right (who has yet to arrive) – and after years of fertility treatments – Suzanne, a single woman in her forties, decided to adopt. She chose transracial adoption. We follow her through workshops designed to "teach white people to raise kids of color," baby-shopping trips with Mom at Target, a critical rendezvous with a young mother at a pancake house, and, finally, a magical night at a suburban restaurant chain. We followed Suzanne for several months as she waited to see if she would become a parent; she offered extraordinary access into her home, and really, into every aspect of her life.

April 2008

April 25	The Soybean Wars In 1948 the Democratic party faced extraordinary challenges: how to forge an alliance between Southern conservatives, Western progressives and big city labor; how to incorporate a civil rights plank; how to quell the rise of a third party. Truman, Dewey and Henry Wallace. It was a year of upsets. Producer Moira Rankin brings us the sense, and sounds, of that pivotol election year. And are there political and social lessons for this year's presidential contest to be learned from the election of '48. The Bourbons, the Wampum and Boodle Boys, and Stalin's Mortimer Snerd In 1948 the Democratic party faced extraordinary challenges: how to forge an alliance between Southern conservatives, Western progressives and big city labor; how to incorporate a civil rights plank; how to quell the rise of a third party. Truman, Dewey and Henry Wallace. It was a year of upsets. Producer Moira Rankin brings us the sense, and sounds, of that pivotol election year. And are there political and social lessons for this year's presidential contest to be learned from the election of '48.
April 18	Escape To New Zealand Ever since Ben Franklin fell in love with it and came home with tales of 'Gay Paree', Americans have held to golden images of the city: the capital of eating and drinking, of glamorous night life, of perfume. Even if we haven't been there we can see in our mind's eye the barges gliding along the Seine, the lovers kissing in the streets and on park benches; we can smell the exotic cooking, and over it all we can hear the wistful accordion music. But how much of all this is myth, how much reality? Producer Alice Furlaud explores the question, starting with the myth that Vernon Duke created in his nostalgic song, 'April in Paris'. Don't come in April, she advises, better wait 'til May. April in Paris Ever since Ben Franklin fell in love with it and came home with tales of 'Gay Paree', Americans have held to golden images of the city: the capital of eating and drinking, of glamorous night life, of perfume. Even if we haven't been there we can see in our mind's eye the barges gliding along the Seine, the lovers kissing in the streets and on park benches; we can smell the exotic cooking, and over it all we can hear the wistful accordion music. But how much of all this is myth, how much reality? Producer Alice Furlaud explores the question, starting with the myth that Vernon Duke created in his nostalgic song, 'April in Paris'. Don't come in April, she advises, better wait 'til May.
April 11	Escape from Time On the night of April 14th 1865, in front of a thousand people at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Shouting ‘Sic semper tyrannis’ – ‘thus always to tyrants’, Booth believed that he was striking down a tyrant as surely as Brutus struck down Julius Caesar. Twelve days later Booth himself was shot dead in a barn in Virginia. From the moment Booth shot Lincoln, conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination have flourished – and 140 years later, for both historians and ordinary people, they are still very much alive. Some believe Booth was the ring leader of a small group; others are convinced he was simply a pawn in a grand conspiracy plot. While still others believe it wasn’t really Booth who died in that Virginia barn. Jean Snedegar tries to unravel the truth – and a myriad of legends - about the assassination of a great American president. After the Shot On the night of April 14th 1865, in front of a thousand people at Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, John Wilkes Booth assassinated President Abraham Lincoln. Shouting ‘Sic semper tyrannis’ – ‘thus always to tyrants’, Booth believed that he was striking down a tyrant as surely as Brutus struck down Julius Caesar. Twelve days later Booth himself was shot dead in a barn in Virginia. From the moment Booth shot Lincoln, conspiracy theories surrounding the assassination have flourished – and 140 years later, for both historians and ordinary people, they are still very much alive. Some believe Booth was the ring leader of a small group; others are convinced he was simply a pawn in a grand conspiracy plot. While still others believe it wasn’t really Booth who died in that Virginia barn. Jean Snedegar tries to unravel the truth – and a myriad of legends - about the assassination of a great American president.
April 4	Knitting with Dog Hair It seems we all love to hear revenge stories -- the petty ones and the grand -- even when they are painful or the recipient is blameless. And we seem to love to tell revenge stories about ourselves -- even stories that make us look childish or venal. Revenge visits the unspoken dark place where revenge impulses lie through the stories of people who have planned revenge and those who have carried it out. Revenge It seems we all love to hear revenge stories -- the petty ones and the grand -- even when they are painful or the recipient is blameless. And we seem to love to tell revenge stories about ourselves -- even stories that make us look childish or venal. Revenge visits the unspoken dark place where revenge impulses lie through the stories of people who have planned revenge and those who have carried it out.

March 2008

March 28	After Graduation: Meeting Special Needs Brown vs. the Board of Education was the 1954 Supreme Court decision that declared the old "separate but equal" policies of many school boards unconstitutional. Producer Kathy Baron takes a look at how far school systems have come over the past 50+ years in assuring equality for all students and whether technology plays a role in giving these students access. The Brown case triggered numerous court mediated desegregation policies around the country. Some school systems are only now emerging from court orders. Are schools for minority students now equal to those of primarily white students? And many higher education systems are facing a grim reality. In California university systems are not able to admit everyone who is eligible and a large percentage of incoming freshman are enrolled in remedial classes. Another major court case found that K-12 students in the state were not getting equal access to education. What, in fact, does an equal education look like? This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education. Equity in Education Brown vs. the Board of Education was the 1954 Supreme Court decision that declared the old "separate but equal" policies of many school boards unconstitutional. Producer Kathy Baron takes a look at how far school systems have come over the past 50+ years in assuring equality for all students and whether technology plays a role in giving these students access. The Brown case triggered numerous court mediated desegregation policies around the country. Some school systems are only now emerging from court orders. Are schools for minority students now equal to those of primarily white students? And many higher education systems are facing a grim reality. In California university systems are not able to admit everyone who is eligible and a large percentage of incoming freshman are enrolled in remedial classes. Another major court case found that K-12 students in the state were not getting equal access to education. What, in fact, does an equal education look like? This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education.
March 14	Loida and Johanna go to Flin Flon Welcome to the small mining town of Flin Flon in Manitoba, Canada, founded in 1915 and swept by a wave of immigration a decade later with the arrival of the Canadian railway and miners from around the world. Eighty-five years later, the mine is mechanized. Wal-Mart has come to town. The wave of immigrants has been replaced by the arrival of the occasional foreigner. Now Flin Flon's immigrants are people the town desperately needs: doctors from South Africa, an accountant from Pakistan. This is the story of Loida and Johanna, two young Filipino nurses who come to Flin Flon. This program was produced by Karin Wells of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and airs as part of our special international collaboration, Global Perspectives: Looking for Home.
March 7	The Convict Streak South African President Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison on Robben Island. Now the prison is closed and the island has become a museum, a fast growing tourist attraction in the new South Africa. Former political prisoners work alongside their former jailers as the new keepers of the island's history. It is perhaps one of the most tangible symbols of South Africa's miraculous transformation from apartheid to a multi-party democracy. But what about the personal transformations of those who continue to work on the island? Hear from some of the former prison wardens who continue to live and work there. Across The Water: Journey to Robben Island South African President Nelson Mandela spent 18 years in prison on Robben Island. Now the prison is closed and the island has become a museum, a fast growing tourist attraction in the new South Africa. Former political prisoners work alongside their former jailers as the new keepers of the island's history. It is perhaps one of the most tangible symbols of South Africa's miraculous transformation from apartheid to a multi-party democracy. But what about the personal transformations of those who continue to work on the island? Hear from some of the former prison wardens who continue to live and work there.

February 2008

February 29	Yellow and Black
February 22	Survivor
February 15	The Spoken Word People say going down south is like going home. Take a trip to the Mississippi Delta to find the true meaning of the Blues. Everyone has hard times throughout their lives, but does that classify as the Blues? Producers Askia Muhammed and Debra Morris search for an answer while going home. Going Home to the Blues People say going down south is like going home. Take a trip to the Mississippi Delta to find the true meaning of the Blues. Everyone has hard times throughout their lives, but does that classify as the Blues? Producers Askia Muhammed and Debra Morris search for an answer while going home.
February 8	Burning Embers Australian Broadcasting Corporation producer Natalie Kestecher thought it might be useful to have a few options up her sleeve if she ever decides to stop making radio documentary features. So she decided to become a Marriage Celebrant. Natalie enrolled in the first ever training course which, under new Australian legislation, all intending Celebrants must complete in order to be accredited. Being a Celebrant is not just about saying the necessary words (which must always include 'I do') and ensuring the right forms are correctly filled in; it's also about devising meaningful ceremonies for a secular society. Theme weddings, butterfly releases, and quotes from 'The Prophet' are all popular. So what happens if you don't do themes, you hate 'The Prophet' and you think butterfly releases are yucky? Natalie spent a week coming to terms with the modern wedding. It turned out to be a week of introspection. 'The Sobbing Celebrant' offers an entertaining insight into the process that confers upon regular (or not so regular) citizens the right to officiate at the most significant moments in our lives. This program airs as part of our special international collaboration, Global Perspectives: Romance Series. The Sobbing Celebrant Australian Broadcasting Corporation producer Natalie Kestecher thought it might be useful to have a few options up her sleeve if she ever decides to stop making radio documentary features. So she decided to become a Marriage Celebrant. Natalie enrolled in the first ever training course which, under new Australian legislation, all intending Celebrants must complete in order to be accredited. Being a Celebrant is not just about saying the necessary words (which must always include 'I do') and ensuring the right forms are correctly filled in; it's also about devising meaningful ceremonies for a secular society. Theme weddings, butterfly releases, and quotes from 'The Prophet' are all popular. So what happens if you don't do themes, you hate 'The Prophet' and you think butterfly releases are yucky? Natalie spent a week coming to terms with the modern wedding. It turned out to be a week of introspection. 'The Sobbing Celebrant' offers an entertaining insight into the process that confers upon regular (or not so regular) citizens the right to officiate at the most significant moments in our lives. This program airs as part of our special international collaboration, Global Perspectives: Romance Series.

January 2008

January 25	Who needs libraries? Computers in classrooms are a given in elementary schools across the nation. Now new technology initiatives are bringing computers into preschools, driven by the assumption that if children don't begin early, they fall behind. But is this really true? And are computers essential learning tools for very young minds? How do very young children learn, how do their brains develop, and does pointing, clicking and hyperlinking affect their neurological and social development? Early childhood education specialists weigh in on a government funded statewide program that aims to make toddlers computer literate. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education. Snacktime, Naptime, Computer Time Computers in classrooms are a given in elementary schools across the nation. Now new technology initiatives are bringing computers into preschools, driven by the assumption that if children don't begin early, they fall behind. But is this really true? And are computers essential learning tools for very young minds? How do very young children learn, how do their brains develop, and does pointing, clicking and hyperlinking affect their neurological and social development? Early childhood education specialists weigh in on a government funded statewide program that aims to make toddlers computer literate. This program is part of our ongoing series on education and technology and is funded in part by the United States Department of Education.
January 18	Throne of St.James In a Washington, D.C. garage, James Hampton, a non- descript janitor by trade, started work on the Throne of the Third Heaven of the Nations Millennium General Assembly. Built entirely out of discarded objects, this 180 piece sculpture was discovered after James' death in 1964. Considered by some to be one of the finest examples of American visionary religious art, the Throne resides at the Smithsonian. This is the story of The Throne of St. James. This program comes to us from Radio New Zealand and airs as part of the international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.
January 11	Deaf and Proud
January 4	Learning to Live: James' Story Twenty five years ago, four stunned mothers who'd lost their children, one an adult, one a teenager, the others younger, were introduced at a Toronto hospital by a chaplain. They found they could talk to each other with more ease than to other people. Their friendship grew to an organization, Bereaved Parents of Ontario, that now has hundreds of members. Producer Teresa Goff of the CBC brings us their stories and what the organization has done for them. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries. Out of their hands Twenty five years ago, four stunned mothers who'd lost their children, one an adult, one a teenager, the others younger, were introduced at a Toronto hospital by a chaplain. They found they could talk to each other with more ease than to other people. Their friendship grew to an organization, Bereaved Parents of Ontario, that now has hundreds of members. Producer Teresa Goff of the CBC brings us their stories and what the organization has done for them. This program is part of our international documentary exchange series, Crossing Boundaries.