WHRO makes the Wall Street Journal! Here's the excerpt:
Hampton Roads Uses Six Channels to Time Travel.
Hampton Roads Educational Telecommunications is taking multicasting to a new level with two FMs in Norfolk, Virginia. In what could be the most ambitious complementary programming strategy for HD Radio programming today, WHRO and WHRV program six digital channels daily. The main station, 89.5 WHRV (an NPR affiliate) is news/talk; the station's HD2 channel offers a "SpeakEasy" format; and an HD3 channel airs an alternative music mix dubbed "RadioNtenna." Meanwhile, 90.3 WHRO main channel plays classical music; its HD2 channel serves up connoisseur classics within its "Alternative Classic Music" format; and its HD3 brings listeners back to the roaring 20s via the "1920's Radio Network" channel.
For the full story.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
HD Radio(TM) Content Sees Strong Momentum
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Patriots and Whiners
A late night drive home on Rt. 13 through Virginia's Eastern Shore found me with earbuds jammed in tightly against the still of the dark and dreary night. I listened to one of my favorite podcasts to keep me alert.
It was a recent discussion on "Patriotism" (episode #724) by Clay Jenkinson as Thomas Jefferson, the host of The Thomas Jefferson Hour on WHRV, which caused my mental pause.
According to Clay's lifelong scholarly study, Jefferson supported dissent because he believed strongly that we, the people, should protect our rights to affect the direction of our country.
The First Amendment protects dissent. It is a self-check of the people by the people. While dissent oft times may be "over the top" and potentially includes obscenities, this exaggeration of our problems serves to force a look at our collective selves in the mirror. We may see something we don't like, but dissent allows us the candor to vocalize it and correct it.
Many quotes on patriotism were bandied about, but my favorite was this one from Mark Twain: "Patriotism is supporting your country all the time and your government when it deserves it."
With this definition, I can definitely count myself as a patriot and a firm believer in dissent (i.e. to disagree, to differ in opinion) as well. While I'm fairly middle-of-the-road, I do love to play "Devil's advocate".
Hence, I am expressing my "dissent". I heard WHRV's Hearsay on 8/7, and one of the guests was hawking his book. Dick Meyer is the editorial director of NPR's digital media unit and writes about politics, culture and media for Web and print. His new book is Why We Hate Us: American Discontent in the New Millennium.
I strongly, STRONGLY disagree with his comments on my avocation and vocation, which is communication and marketing. Meyer whined that social networks are a "symptom" of the "loneliness" we Americans feel, of people looking for connections online when these connections are best made face-to-face. He's skeptical of "evangelists" (like me!) for virtual communities and communications, claiming that we're naive if we think these networks are helpful.
If it were not for social networks, I would not have met many of the people I now count as personal, face-to-face friends in Hampton Roads and beyond, including the lovely Janel Keen of Vivid Expressions, who, until today, was only one of my Facebook "virtual" friends.
In my experience, social media and networks serve as a conduit to "real" networking, not an excuse for avoiding personal connections. SM allows you to meet, learn about, become friends and do business with people you otherwise would never have the opportunity to meet.
I did like this quote from Mr. Meyer's book (I'm actually loving this one!):
A tribute quoted him (columnist Lars-Erik Nelson) as once saying, "The enemy isn't liberalism. The enemy isn't conservatism. The enemy is bullshit."
Hear! Hear!
Thursday, August 07, 2008
Port Folio Weekly's Best ofs...
Port Folio Weekly is one of my favorite sources for culture and events in Hampton Roads. A recent series featured “Best of” solicitations from various public figures. These were some of my favorite responses:
“Best Radio Station for Talk. Cathy Lewis. She turns a listening area into a community” says Chris Hanna, Artistic Director for the Virginia Stage Company (VSC).
My note: If Cathy isn’t already using that tagline, she should consider it. What an enviable designation!
“Best Radio Station for Music. WHRV-FM. I love Out of the Box with Paul Shugrue. And the Friday Night Fish Fry. Really all the music they play is great,” according to Michael Khandelwal, Director of the Muse Writer’s Center.
“Best Radio Station for Music. WHRO and WHRV-FM. Particularly because of their diversity of programming and their commitment to local arts organizations,” adds Rob Cross, Director of Virginia Arts Festival and Principal Percussionist of the Virginia Symphony.
And, another vote goes to WHRO/WHRV for Best Radio Station for Music from Jeanne Bollendorf, Chrysler Museum of Art’s Historic Houses Manager who says “I don’t often listen to music on the radio, but love Out of the Box with Paul Shugrue. His program keeps me young and hip so I don’t embarrass myself.”
My note: yes, gotta love Paul! He keeps us all current and gives us a tapas of new music. Listen to Paul Mon-Thu 7-9pm, Sat 1-5pm on WHRV 89.5FM, and on-demand at www.WHRV.org
Monday, June 09, 2008
Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me! in VB
Friday, June 06, 2008
Wait! Wait! Don't Tell Me! Naw, just kidding...PLEASE TELL ME!
WHRO and the VA Arts Festival did it again. They brought a NPR radio show to Hampton Roads. This time it was the magnificently wicked and intelligent Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! This is NPR's weekly hour-long quiz show, and it came to life for me on the stage of the Sandler Center in VA Beach this week. I can't wait to hear the podcast and the version edited for radio (no, it's not aired live and now I know why! lol)
Each week on the radio I test my knowledge with real news and some that's just made up. I must say, I like the mixture!
WHRO and VAF had a joint event afterward to meet/greet the stars of the show. So, who did we meet?
Peter Sagal -- the show's host who, according to his bio, has had a varied career including stints as a playwright, screenwriter, stage director, actor, extra in a Michael Jackson video, travel writer, essayist, ghostwriter and staff writer for a motorcycle magazine. I was lucky enough to have him sign his new book The Big Book of Vices: Very Naughty Things (and How to Do Them). Thanks, Peter!
Carl Kasell -- is the "Official Judge and Scorekeeper". He's been on NPR's Morning Edition since 1979. If you're not familiar with the show, Carl's voice on your home answering machine or other voicemail device is the PRIZE for winning callers. What started as a lark (come on, they had little to no budget) has become a prized possession! One audience member and avid fan who had earned Carl's voice years ago sported a t-shirt espousing her success!
This week's panelists included Roxanne Roberts, a writer for The Washington Post's Style section; P.J. O'Rourke, a correspondent for the Atlantic Monthly and sometimes commentator on HBO's Real Time with Bill Mahr; and, last but certainly not least, Tom Bodett, an author and commentator, yet he will be forever immortailized by Motel 6 commercials for saying "We'll leave the light on for you".
What fun! Hope to SEE them again soon!
Wednesday, October 31, 2007
Sunday, June 03, 2007
The Thomas Jefferson Hour
Bert and I attended an appearance by Clay Jenkinson, noted humanities scholar, in his Thomas Jefferson persona. Clay is the voice behind The Thomas Jefferson Hour which can be heard on 89.5 WHRV Norfolk, VA Tuesdays at 1:00 PM or via podcast, my favorite way!
Clay appeared at the Suffolk Center for Cultural Arts on Saturday, June 2nd at a benefit for the Center for Hope and New Beginnings & Western Tidewater Free Clinic.
I was so moved by the performance and "Jefferson's" view of the decline of American ideals, i.e. celebrity worship, that I am canceling my subscription to US magazine (no link on purpose, so as not to promote the cheesy rag) and plan to encourage others to do the same. Bravo!!
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