OPB's "Think Out Loud" to Host Candidate Forums

Last modified on April 23, 2008 08:43 AM

Think Out Loud, OPB's local online and daily radio show, will hold discussions with candidates in local, state and U.S. congressional races before the May 20 Primary election. This series of "Primary Conversations" will follow the usual program format with host Emily Harris leading the on-air discussion. Candidates will take questions from callers, and online host Dave Miller will contribute questions from online participants.

Think Out Loud is OPB's new and engaging regional call-in show. It offers a unique forum on the air and online for voters to hear where candidates stand on the issues and to ask questions. This is public radio-style campaign discussion with an emphasis on issues of importance to voters, civil discourse and public participation.

Think Out Loud airs on the stations of OPB radio live weekdays at 9am with a repeat broadcast at 9pm. It's always online at opb.org/thinkoutloud.

Thus far, the "Primary Conversations" schedule includes:

Wednesday, April 23 -- The Oregon Attorney General Race (Democrats)
John Kroger and Greg Macpherson

Monday, April 28 -- Portland Mayor's Race
Sam Adams and Sho Dozono

Thursday, May 1 -- Oregon Secretary of State (Democrats)
Kate Brown, Rick Metsger and Vicki Walker

Wednesday, May 7 -- Oregon U.S. Senate (Democrats)
Jeff Merkley, Candy Neville and Steve Novick

Thursday, May 15 -- Oregon Representative in Congress 5th District (Democrats)
Steve Marks and Kurt Schrader

Think Out Loud is awaiting confirmation on a date for the Oregon Representatives in Congress 5th District (Republicans) between Mike Erickson and Kevin Mannix.

Go to opb.org/thinkoutloud for an updated schedule, and to participate online.

Oregon Public Broadcasting on AM Radio In Eugene

Last modified on February 20, 2008 11:59 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) is pleased to announce that it will go on the air on AM 1600 KOPB in Eugene on Wednesday, February 20 at approximately 3pm. OPB recently acquired KOPT AM 1600 from Churchill Media in order to expand its award-winning radio service to the Eugene area where it already has a strong television service and donor base.

"Our supporters in the Eugene/Springfield area have long asked for OPB radio to be available," said Steve Bass, OPB president and CEO. "We are particularly excited that listeners in this area can tune in and take part in programs like Think Out Loud, our new daily, locally produced show that engages people in a conversation about the issues of interest in our region."

Think Out Loud can be heard weekday mornings at 9 and rebroadcasts weekday nights at 9 and online at opb.org/thinkoutloud at anytime.

KLCC FM, a public radio station licensed to Lane Community College in Eugene, endorsed OPB's entry into Eugene when the purchase was announced in October 2007. KLCC already partners with OPB to maintain a Salem news bureau. "I welcome OPB to the Eugene/Springfield radio market," said Steve Barton, general manager of KLCC, adding that OPB will provide a great opportunity to increase the depth and breadth of local radio programming.

Lynne Clendenin, OPB's vice president of Radio Programming, said OPB's news and information programming mix should complement KLCC's. "We are offering many programs not currently available on KLCC FM such as Talk of the Nation, Marketplace and BBC World Service" said Clendenin.

This expansion also provides OPB the opportunity to work with Lane Community College to offer increased public service for the citizens in Eugene and Springfield.

Mary Splide, president of Lane Community College, also endorsed OPB's entry into the Eugene market saying that, "Increasing the community's access to public radio news and programming supports the college mission of education, lifelong learning and workforce training."

This represents another milestone in OPB's quest to build stronger, more personal connections with communities and audiences throughout Oregon.

Oregon Public Broadcasting to Purchase AM Radio Station in Eugene

Last modified on November 27, 2007 02:59 PM

OPB's entry into the market is supported by KLCC FM public radio

Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) announced today that it has reached an agreement to purchase KOPT AM 1600 in Eugene from Churchill Media. The acquisition of KOPT allows OPB to expand its award-winning radio service to the Eugene area where it already has a strong television service and donor base.

"OPB's over 7,500 contributors in the Eugene/Springfield area have long asked for OPB radio to be available," said Steve Bass, OPB president and CEO. "So, when OPB heard that a station in Eugene was available for sale, we immediately jumped on the opportunity and contacted Churchill Media," he said. "OPB is the voice for thinking Oregonians everywhere, and we look forward to developing a stronger local connection with the people of Eugene, one of Oregon's most vibrant communities."

KLCC FM, a public radio station licensed to Lane Community College in Eugene, has endorsed OPB's purchase of KOPT. KLCC already partners with OPB to maintain a Salem news bureau. "I welcome OPB to the Eugene/Springfield radio market," said Steve Barton, general manager of KLCC. "OPB's acquisition of KOPT provides a great opportunity to increase the depth and breadth of local radio programming. I look forward to collaborating with OPB to make this an excellent partnership of both organizations' talent and resources."

"OPB's news and information programming mix should complement KLCC's," said Lynne Clendenin, OPB's vice president of Radio Programming. "OPB and KLCC will work together to make sure Eugene residents have the greatest selection possible of quality public radio news and information. We plan to offer many programs not currently available on KLCC FM such as Talk of the Nation, Marketplace and BBC World Service, said Clendenin.

This expansion also provides OPB the opportunity to work with Lane Community College to offer increased public service for the citizens in Eugene and Springfield.

"Increasing the community's access to public radio news and programming supports the college's mission of education, lifelong learning and workforce training," said Mary Splide, president of Lane Community College. "The better informed people are, the more successful they are as students and workers, employers and citizens. We look forward to collaborating with OPB to develop, over time, a new service with a deep connection to the community, combining the best of KLCC and OPB."

With the addition of KOPT and a number of recently launched initiatives as well as future program plans, OPB is well on its way to building stronger, more personal connections with communities and audiences throughout Oregon.

OPB Makes Changes to Radio Program Schedule; Expands Local News Coverage

Last modified on November 19, 2007 09:36 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting is making some notable changes in our radio program schedule that will provide our listeners with more local and regional news throughout the day.

"As Oregon's most-trusted source for news and information, OPB is continually trying to find new and better ways to serve our audience," said Morgan Holm, vice president of News & Public Affairs. "More people are seeking news throughout the day and are using their radios as well as their computers for listening and podcasting. Our aim is to provide our audience with news all day long and as it happens."

Local and regional news can now be heard at the top of every weekday hour. We'll also expand our local and regional news coverage during Morning Edition and All Things Considered. In addition, beginning Monday, December 3, All Things Considered will move to 4pm weekdays to provide the first comprehensive coverage of the day's events. Marketplace will move to 6:30pm, capping off coverage of business news and how it affects you. After more than 17 years, Oregon Considered will leave our schedule. Oregon Considered Host Allison Frost will continue to lead the reporting staff in her new role as assignment editor. This new configuration provides our news staff greater flexibility to cover more stories across our region in greater depth.

"These, and other changes to come including a new local program – Think Out Loud, with broadcast and online components – are the result of nearly two years of research, audience surveys and strategic planning," said Holm. "The additional flexibility we've gained in our News Department will help us give voice to more people in our community than ever before."

OPB to launch "Think Out Loud" In January

Last modified on December 19, 2007 01:13 PM

Oregonian Emily Harris to host dynamic online and daily radio program

Oregon Public Broadcasting announced today that it will launch Think Out Loud, a new and engaging local online and daily radio broadcast in mid-January. Emily Harris, who most recently served as the NPR foreign correspondent in Berlin, and David Miller, a veteran radio producer, will host the daily program at 9am weekdays starting in January.

"Think Out Loud is designed to be the spark that starts discussions and the flame that keeps them burning. It builds on recent initiatives including our opbnews.org, an online news site that is gaining in popularity, our newly established Central Oregon news bureau and the OPB Public Insight Network, which is harnessing the experience and expertise of average citizens in the news gathering process," said OPB President Steve Bass.

Think Out Loud will strive to engage individuals in a participatory program that explores the issues, ideas and culture that make our region a unique and vibrant place.

Think Out Loud will celebrate the fact that in the Pacific Northwest we are independent thinkers, who have a unique outlook, with a strong sense of place and of community. We are a place that values civil discourse, where people with different and strongly independent views talk - and listen - to each other.

"These discussions and the search for solutions will be the centerpiece of Think Out Loud," said Morgan Holm, OPB's vice president of news & information.

Emily Harris, who grew up in Oregon, will return home to host the on-air program, after a distinguished reporting career that has taken her to Iraq, Russia, and most recently to Berlin as a European correspondent for NPR. For her work in Iraq, she shared in NPR’s 2004 George Foster Peabody Award for coverage of the war. Harris grew up in Portland, attended Chapman Elementary School, Harriet Tubman Middle School and Lincoln High School. She received her undergraduate degree from Yale University, in Russian and East European studies, and speaks Russian and German. Her grasp of global issues and her strong ties to the Pacific Northwest make her the ideal on-air host of Think Out Loud.

"I have seen, all over the globe, how people react to the world through the lens of their local experience, and how much humans want to learn and talk about how events, happening anywhere, affect them," Harris said. "After all my travels, my favorite places remain in Oregon, and my inner belief remains that what happens here matters."

A unique feature of Think Out Loud will be the key role of the online host, who will lead discussions online and on air. David Miller, who has worked on everything from long-form radio documentaries to the recent daily radio show "Open Source," is a leader at the intersection of radio and online conversation. As Think Out Loud's online host, he will travel regularly to different communities in the region, seeking new voices and fresh perspectives. Miller graduated from Harvard University with a degree in English.

"I'm so excited to be a part of this new show because of both my own mandate to foster a more perfect union of Internet and radio, as well as the larger mission of creating a raucous and civil, vibrant and engaging regional conversation," Miller said.

Eve Epstein, who will serve as executive producer of Think Out Loud, was the senior editor for the public radio business show "Marketplace" before coming to OPB as the senior producer for the 13-part radio series Unfinished Journey: The Lewis and Clark Expedition. She is a graduate of Princeton University, and has a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University.

Rounding out the Think Out Loud team is senior producer Sarah Rothenfluch, former producer of the daily call-in show "These Days" on KPBS/San Diego. Originally from Canada, Sarah worked for the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. (CBC) as a radio producer for numerous shows including the daily radio program "This Morning." Sarah is a graduate of Victoria College, University of Toronto, with a degree in English, and received a bachelor of applied arts in journalism from Ryerson Polytechnic University, in Toronto, Canada.

Jim Russell, who assisted OPB in the talent search for Think Out Loud, is a creative advisor to the program.

Scott Silver, OPB's Public Insight Network (PIN) analyst, will be working closely with Think Out Loud to expand the list of sources from around the state who can contribute their experiences and firsthand knowledge to deepen conversations. Since its launch on September 5, more than 1,000 people have signed up to join OPB's Public Insight Network.

Support for Think Out Loud comes from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting which awarded OPB a $325,000 grant to create a prototype program that marries the potential of online media to expand reach and engagement with the power and intimacy of radio conversation. As part of the CPB grant, OPB will work with four West Coast stations (KUOW in Seattle, KQED in San Francisco, KPBS in San Diego and Northwest Public Radio in Pullman, Wash.) to explore how public radio can better serve its audience using new technologies to expand discussions and engage communities. The grant from CPB underwrites the cost of program development and on-air operations for the first few months of the program. Additional funds will be sought from individuals, corporations and foundations to provide long-term support for Think Out Loud.

Think Out Loud is the latest addition to OPB's local news department, under the direction of Morgan Holm. Holm oversees OPB's local news operation and produces local radio and television news/public affairs programming, as well as local news content for opbnews.org.

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! Comes to Portland on June 28

Last modified on June 28, 2007 10:52 AM

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!, the irreverent and oddly informative radio news quiz program from NPR, will bring its comedic take on the week's headlines to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall in Portland on Thursday, June 28 at 7:30pm. Oregon Public Broadcasting is presenting the already sold-out live stage show, and will air the program on Saturday, June 30 at 11:00am.

Gert Boyle, chairman of the board of Columbia Sportswear Company, will join in on the act as the show's "Not My Job" contestant. Boyle will answer questions outside her area of expertise to try to win a prize for a listener, joining a growing roster of esteemed "Not My Job" players, such as Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer, Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, actor Tom Hanks and former Secretary of State Madeline Albright.

"We're pleased to welcome Wait Wait... back to Portland," said Lynne Clendenin, vice president of Radio Programming at OPB. "Oregonian listeners love this show, a fact well illustrated by the fact the tickets sold out quickly when they were released. And Gert Boyle, a national as well as an Oregon icon, is a perfect local addition to the mix."

Now in its 10th year, Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! offers a contemporary and sometimes raucous twist on the old-time radio quiz show, mining NPR news stories for its quiz questions. The program is hosted by Peter Sagal, an award-winning playwright, and features legendary NPR newscaster Carl Kasell as official judge and scorekeeper. Panelists participating in the two-hour live show will be humorist, screenwriter and author Roy Blount, Jr.; Amy Dickinson, an author and syndicated newspaper advice columnist; and Adam Felber, a New York-based writer and performer.

The live show will include Wait Wait's take on the week's news that's the trademark of the weekly radio show. Panelists and callers will answer questions about the news, "fill in the blank" at lightning speed, sniff out fake news items, decipher limericks and banter about the week's weirdest events. Callers compete for the most coveted prize in public radio: a home answering machine greeting custom-recorded by Kasell. Listeners can get in on the action by calling 888-WAIT-WAIT.

Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! is broadcast on OPB on Saturdays at 11am. The show from the Arlene Schnizter Concert Hall will be broadcast nationwide the weekend of June 30.

Oregon Public Broadcasting Receives Honors at the Oregon Associated Press Broadcast Awards

Last modified on April 16, 2007 08:55 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting was honored with six awards at the annual Oregon Associated Press Broadcast Awards held Saturday.

Colin Fogarty took first place in the Best Feature Story category for his report on the Sandy River changing course after a major storm. Kristian Foden-Vencil took second place in the category for his story on local volunteer groups taking over management of historic venues like Pittock Mansion in Portland.

Rob Manning received the first place award in the Best Investigative category for a story about Measure 39 that raised questions concerning one of the property owners used in a pro-Measure 39 commercial. As a result of the story, the campaign pulled that commercial and distanced itself from the property owner.

OPB's news Web site took second place for radio news sites in Oregon.

OPB's 9-11 anniversary special on Oregon's experience with civil rights cases in the aftermath of the terrorist attack took third place in the Best Treatment of a Single Subject category. Allison Frost and Eve Epstein produced the show. Steven Vaughn Kray was the audio engineer.

And Colin Fogarty took third place in the Best Breaking News category for his report on the Supreme Court's decision upholding Oregon's assisted suicide law.

OPB Announces Changes in Music Programming

Last modified on April 2, 2007 08:45 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting said it will continue to make changes in its OPB Radio (91.5 FM) music programming beginning with the April 1 discontinuation of Beats & Pieces.

Special music programming will begin April 6 and continue through mid-May when OPB will launch new programs featuring local and regional music and artists.

"We believe our listeners will be very pleased with this new programming, especially when it features the music of this region and some of our own most talented musicians," said OPB President Steve Bass. He said more details will be announced closer to the mid-May launch date.

He also thanked Steven Cantor, host of Beats & Pieces, for his many years of service as the program's host. Cantor was offered a different position with OPB but declined to accept it.

Bass said OPB constantly reviews its programming via member surveys, calls and emails, audience ratings and focus group research. Similar research guided OPB’s earlier decision to offer the Performance Today program to All-Classical 89.9 FM and its current decision to end Beats & Pieces, which had a loyal but very small following.

"We are listening to our members when we make these decisions and what they are telling us is that they want change and expect top-quality music programs such as those we'll be adding to OPB Radio," he said.

After Beats & Pieces ends, the following programs will air between April 2 and mid-May.

Fridays 9 -11pm
UNDERCURRENTS
A mix of rock, folk, blues, reggae, world music and roots, plus a selection of contemporary Native artists. Hosted by Gregg McVicar.
Playlists and more at http://www.undercurrentsradio.net/

Saturdays 9-11pm
THE BLUES – 13 part series
A comprehensive chronicle of the blues, from its origins to its most contemporary sounds and styles. Uses new and archival interviews, recordings and remotes from where blues history occurred as well as where the music thrives today. Locations such as the Delta Blues Museum, the Chess Studios in Chicago and Beale Street in Memphis will be visited to emphasize the music's contemporary connections.

Saturdays 11pm-Midnight
AFROPOP WORLDWIDE
A rebroadcast except on first and last Saturdays when 11pm broadcast is the only broadcast due to Live Wire! at 8pm

Saturdays Midnight-5am New!
BBC WORLD SERVICE
Starts at Midnight - new time. This will NOT change in May.

Sundays 9-10pm
EVERY VOICE AND SING! – 5-part series
Michele Norris, award-winning journalist and host of National Public Radio’s All Things Considered, hosts and narrates the series on black choral music. Explores the importance of Black choirs in the survival and growth of Black colleges from before the Civil War through the post-Reconstruction eras. With unique stories, interviews and performances, the series traces the development of this music, from the early Spirituals and Work Songs, evolving into Blues, Jazz and Gospel. The programs also trace how Hollywood and Broadway influenced wide public acceptance of the music, and details the evolution of the music.

Sundays 10pm-Midnight
UNDERCURRENTS
See above for description.

This schedule will change as the short series conclude.

Oregon Public Broadcasting Wins Another Gracie Award

Last modified on February 28, 2007 02:37 PM

Oregon Public Broadcasting's Oregon Territory has won a prestigious Gracie Allen Award (also known as a Gracie). The weekly radio show, hosted by Christy George, took top honors in the Public Affairs category. For the winning show, George featured Oregon State University Marine Biologist Jane Lubchenco exploring the tidepools off Yachats, Oregon and discussing recent changes in the ocean that scientists believe are likely a result of climate change.

The Gracie Allen Awards recognize exemplary programming created for women, by women and about women in all facets of electronic media and is presented annually by the American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT). Each year, the Gracies attract the best and the brightest in radio, television, cable and Web-based media. The Gracie winners will be presented their awards in June in New York City.

OPB also received a Gracie last year for "Outstanding Documentary – Mid-Length Format – Radio" for its audio-documentary The Undiscovered Explorer: Imagining York.

Hear the award-winning Oregon Territory broadcast

Writer's Almanac Airs Weekdays On OPB Radio

Last modified on January 19, 2007 12:50 PM

OPB is pleased to announce that beginning Monday, January 22, "The Writer's Almanac" will return to OPB Radio.

Listeners can hear "The Writer's Almanac" weekdays on OPB Radio during our broadcast of "Day to Day" at 1:30pm. Listeners can also subscribe to "The Writer's Almanac" podcast at opb.org/radio.

OPB Expands Its News Lineup With Two New Radio Programs

Last modified on January 10, 2007 09:35 AM

OPB Radio is expanding its news lineup with the addition of two shows to its morning lineup: Here and Now from 9 to 10am and World Have Your Say from 10 to 11am beginning Monday, January 15.

Here and Now, hosted by veteran award-winning broadcaster Robin Young, is a daily hour-long program that combines the best in news journalism with intelligent, broad-ranging conversation to form a fast-paced program that updates the news from the morning and adds important conversations on public policy and foreign affairs, science and technology and the arts.

World, Have Your Say is a groundbreaking, live global interactive program on OPB Radio weekdays from 10 to 11am and online 24/7. It invites listeners and online users to share their views and questions on key issues with a worldwide audience. The program features leading global figures, experts and correspondents who are also invited to take questions and comments from the audience.

"These programs are a superb addition to our news lineup," said OPB President and CEO Steve Bass. "I'm confident that these two hours of stimulating discussion will become must-hears for our very discerning audience."

OPB Radio's Classical Music Program Performance Today Moves to All Classical 89.9FM in January

Last modified on January 17, 2007 10:42 PM

All Classical 89.9FM will begin airing Performance Today January 15, 2007 immediately following the departure of the program from Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB Radio) on January 12.

Spokespersons for both OPB and All Classical 89.9FM say that they believe the move will be a good one for a variety of reasons.

"All Classical 89.9FM has significantly strengthened its signal, providing non-commercial classical music programming 24 hours a day," said Steve Bass, OPB president. "They've done a remarkable job of building a fine classical music station and have become the preferred station for those who want classical music during most of their listening day."

"We warmly welcome Performance Today and Portland native, Fred Child to our airwaves," said Sarah Shelly, executive director of All Classical 89.9FM KBPS. "And equally important, we're encouraged by the spirit of cooperation and collaboration shown by the management team at KOPB. I predict great things ahead for both stations and for all public radio listeners," added Shelley. KBPS will broadcast Performance Today from 5-6pm weekdays.

According to Bass, the transition of Performance Today to KBPS also allows OPB Radio (91.5FM in Portland) the opportunity to strengthen its weekday core news and information service with high-caliber programs such as Here and Now and World, Have Your Say.

Here and Now, a news magazine featuring fast-breaking news, arts, entertainment and human-interest stories, will begin airing weekdays beginning January 15 at 9 a.m.

Directly following Here and Now, OPB will offer World, Have Your Say, a "ground-breaking, live, global-talk program from the British Broadcasting Company (BBC)," Bass noted. Together, the programs will complete the entire 9-11 a.m. broadcast slot previously filled by Performance Today.

Performance Today will be found not only on All Classical 89.9FM in Portland but also on KQHR 90.1FM in Hood River.

Starting January 15, The Writer's Almanac will be available via OPB.org.

Please refer to the directory below to find a classical music station nearest you.

Portland: KBPS 89.9FM (KBPS)
Salem: KBPS 89.9FM, KWAX 91.1FM
Corvallis/Albany: KWAX 91.1FM
Eugene: KWAX 91.1FM
Bend/Redmond: KWRX 88.5FM (KWAX)
Hood River/The Dalles: KQHR 90.1FM
Pendleton (LaGrande): KFAE 89.1FM
Florence (Yachats-Reedsport): KWVZ 91.5FM (KWAX), KWAX 91.1FM
Newport: KWAX 91.1FM
Lakeview: KLMF 88.5FM (JPR)

Performance Today Moves to All Classical 89.9 FM in January

Last modified on December 1, 2006 11:49 AM

On January 12, 2007, Performance Today will leave OPB Radio, the same day production of Performance Today shifts from NPR to American Public Media. Starting January 15, 2007, Performance Today will be broadcast on All Classical 89.9 FM in Portland and KQHR 90.1 FM in Hood River.

The move of Performance Today to KBPS provides OPB with the opportunity to further strengthen its core news and information service. Beginning January 15, OPB will introduce Here and Now, a news magazine featuring fast breaking news, arts and entertainment, and human interest stories.

Directly following Here and Now, OPB will air World, Have Your Say, a ground-breaking, live global talk program from the BBC.

Also starting January 15, the Writers Almanac will be available via OPB.org.

Please refer to the directory below to find a classical music station nearest you.

Portland: KBPS 89.9FM (KBPS)
Salem: KBPS 89.9FM, KWAX 91.1FM
Corvallis/Albany: KWAX 91.1FM
Eugene: KWAX 91.1FM
Bend/Redmond: KWRX 88.5FM (KWAX)
Hood River/The Dalles: KQHR 90.1FM
Pendleton (LaGrande): KFAE 89.1FM
Florence (Yachats-Reedsport): KWVZ 91.5FM (KWAX), KWAX 91.1FM
Newport: KWAX 91.1FM
Lakeview: KLMF 88.5FM (JPR)

Oregon Public Broadcasting Gubernatorial Debate: Oregon's Children, Everyone's Future

Last modified on September 21, 2006 10:46 AM

The two major candidates for Governor of Oregon will debate public policy issues specifically related to children and families in a live broadcast on the stations of Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio on Thursday, September 28 at 1pm. The debate, sponsored by OPB, Stand for Children, Children First for Oregon and the Children's Institute, will also air live on KLCC in Eugene and Jefferson Public Radio in Southern Oregon, thus assuring statewide coverage. OPB TV will broadcast the debate on Thursday, September 28 at 9pm and Sunday, October 1 at 1pm.

OPB's Christy George will moderate the exchange between Governor Ted Kulongoski, the Democratic nominee, and Ron Saxton, the Republican nominee. Subjects discussed will likely include child health and welfare, early childhood education as well as K-12 education, and state budget priorities for children and families.

After the program, people can watch the debate, find out how the minor party candidates answer the questions posed to Saxton and Kulongoski and discuss the issues online at the OPB Web site. There will also be links to background information specifically tailored to the debate subjects by the partner organizations.

OPB Radio Documentary Wins a Gracie Award

Last modified on March 7, 2006 10:24 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio has won a prestigious Gracie Allen Award (also known as a Gracie) for "Outstanding Documentary - Mid-Length Format - Radio" for its audio-documentary The Undiscovered Explorer: Imagining York.

The Gracie Allen Awards recognize exemplary programming created for women, by women and about women in all facets of electronic media and is presented annually by the American Women in Radio and Television (AWRT). Each year, the Gracies attract the best and the brightest in radio, television, cable and Web-based media. The Gracie winners will be presented their awards at a dinner in June in New York City.

The Undiscovered Explorer: Imagining York aired on OPB Radio and on public radio stations nationally in February. Through a rich weave of music, interviews, performance and dramatic readings, this hour-long audio documentary, narrated by Danny Glover, tells the story of York, William Clark's slave and the only African American member of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Claire Schoen produced and directed the documentary. For the past 25 years she has created award-winning documentaries in radio, film and video. Her works address a wide range of subjects including: environmental education, physical disability, communications technology, genetic engineering, nuclear proliferation and Jewish culture.

Claire's recent series, "Heart-to-Heart: Caring for the Dying" was broadcast on over 150 public radio stations. The series was honored by both the Gracie and the Clarion awards for Best Documentary Series.

Claire's previous producer/director credits include: "Mad River," an hour-long PBS documentary film about logging the Pacific Northwest Redwoods; "Voices in Exile," a four-part radio series about undocumented Salvadoran refugees, winner of the NFCB Golden Reel; "Is Our Fate in our Genes?", an hour-long radio documentary on genetic engineering, which was part of the series, "The DNA Files," winner of both Peabody and Dupont-Columbia awards.

Morgan Holm, director of News and Public Affairs at OPB, was the executive producer of The Undiscovered Explorer: Imagining York.

Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio Adds Speaking of Faith to its Sunday Schedule in February

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio will add Speaking of Faith with Krista Tippett - public radio's premiere national program about religion, meaning, ethics and ideas - to its Sunday broadcasting schedule starting February 12 at 7pm.

Speaking of Faith does not always have "religion" itself as a subject. Week after week, it grapples with themes of American life - asking how perspectives of faith might distinctively inform and illuminate our public conversation.

As host of Speaking of Faith, Tippett has been credited with creating a new way to discuss religion in America, first by probing her guests on the experience behind their own personal beliefs, then asking them to articulate the important ideas and relevant perspectives that faith can add to private and public life. The result illuminates how perspectives of theology, spirituality and ethics can enrich our common deliberation on topics in the news and in our lives.

Tippett is a journalist and former diplomat with a master's of divinity degree from Yale University. She is a graduate of Brown University, and a former Fulbright Scholar. Before creating Speaking of Faith, she consulted with a number of organizations, including the internationally renowned Institute for Ecumenical and Cultural Research at Saint John's Abbey and University. Earlier in her career, she wrote and reported for a number of international news organizations, including the New York Times, Newsweek, the International Herald Tribune, ABC and the BBC. She is currently at work on her first book.

Speaking of Faith is produced and distributed by American Public Media.

Travel With Rick Steves Coming to OPB Radio

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Starting Sunday, January 8 at 2pm, Rick Steves, advocate of smart independent travel, will offer his advice to OPB Radio listeners. This fun, hour-long talk show, filled with practical information, will feature expert guests and call-ins from listeners with comments and questions.

"On the program we talk about our favorite travels in Europe, as well as travel anywhere in the U.S. and the rest of the world," said Rick. "We feature profiles of destinations and discuss general topics, as far flung as keeping healthy on vacation, bicycling trips, senior travel, finding chocolates, fear of flying, fear of going home and more."

After each weekly broadcast, listeners can visit Rick's Web site discussion boards and add to the conversation about the world. Rick calls it a place to "explore our world smartly, smoothly and thoughtfully."

Rick Steves has been an OPB TV favorite for a number of years. As host, writer and producer of the popular public television series Rick Steves' Europe and best-selling author of 30 European travel books, he encourages Americans to delve deep into Europe and become "temporary locals." His readers and viewers - and now listeners - not only discover major cities, but also cozy villages away from tourist-trampled routes. He helps American travelers connect much more intimately and authentically with Europe - and Europeans - for a fraction of what mainstream tourists pay.

Rick lives with his wife Anne, and two children, Andy and Jackie, in his hometown of Edmonds, Washington.

Carlos Kalmar and Symphony Launch Classical Season on OPB Radio With Brahms' Symphony No. 1

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio opens its second season of Oregon Symphony concert broadcasts on Friday, January 6 from 9-11pm with the powerful music of Brahms' Symphony No. 1 in C minor. The concert showcases the musicians of the Oregon Symphony led by Music Director Carlos Kalmar. The broadcast kicks off a series of classical Oregon Symphony concerts that will be aired on OPB Radio the first Friday in each month for the next nine months.

"OPB is pleased to again partner with the Oregon Symphony to make it possible for people in Oregon and Southern Washington to hear these performances," said Jack Galmiche, executive vice president and COO of Oregon Public Broadcasting. "This is a great opportunity for OPB and the Oregon Symphony to expand the reach of cultural programming to everyone in our listening area."

For the Symphony's 110th season and Kalmar's third as music director, Kalmar has promised a musical adventure featuring new interpretations of well-known masterpieces blended with the Symphony debut of many established symphonic works. "We are trying to create even more of an adventure in the programming this season," Kalmar explains. "I think adventure is very, very important for all of us, especially for the audience."

Kalmar and the orchestra begin the evening with Rossini's well-known Overture to "William Tell," whose many recognizable tunes include the cavalry gallop made famous as the theme to the television show "The Lone Ranger." The concert continues with a Symphony premiere of Argentinean composer Alberto Ginastera's "Variaciones concertantes."

The second half of the concert is devoted to Brahms' much-anticipated first symphony, written over a period of 20 years. Dubbed "Beethoven's 10th" by critics of the time, this symphony pays homage to Beethoven's symphonic legacy in the final movement, whose theme closely resembles the "Ode to Joy" melody of Beethoven's ninth symphony (though without choir). The work also established Brahms as an undisputed master of large orchestral forms, from its powerful brooding opening to its joyous finale.

In addition to concerts, OPB and KPBS are collaborating to bring listeners interviews with musicians and conductors during the performance intermission, further enlightening the concert experience. The opening interview features Carlos Kalmar talking to KBPS's Shaun Yu about the music on the first program (Rossini, Ginastera and Brahms).

StoryCorps Comes to Portland

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

OPB invites you to be a part of America's largest oral history project ever -- StoryCorps. StoryCorps is a national project with the goal of inspiring Americans to record one another's stories in sound.

Over the next 10 years, StoryCorps plans to travel around the country to record over 250,000 interviews that document the everyday history and unique stories of grassroots America. These interviews will reside at the Library of Congress and may be broadcast on OPB and public radio programs like Morning Edition and All Things Considered.

The national StoryCorps tour is sponsored by National Public Radio, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Saturn. Local sponsors of StoryCorps are Burgerville and Anthro Corporation.

More Information...

OPB Radio is Now on 91.1FM in Tillamook

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

OPB Radio can now be heard on 91.1FM in the Tillamook area.

Television viewers receiving KOIN TV, channel 6, using an over-the-air antenna (not satellite or cable), who experience new interference with their reception should contact OPB Audience Services at 503-293-1982 or toll-free at 888-293-1982.

OPB reception in the Manzanita, Nehalem & Wheeler areas on 106.1FM, and on 93.5FM in the Pacific City area, will continue.

OPB Radio Frequency to Change in Manzanita Area

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio has received permission from the FCC to change channels of its translator in Manzanita to 106.1 FM.

Oregon Public Broadcasting Radio has received permission from the FCC to change channels of its translator in Manzanita to 106.1 FM. This should improve OPB Radio coverage in Manzanita, Nehalem, Wheeler, Nedonna and Manhattan Beach, as well as mobile coverage on Highway 101. The change is scheduled to take place the week of May 2, at which time listeners should tune to 106.1 FM on their radio to receive the OPB Radio signal.

Last year, there was an issue in Manzanita and the surrounding area with interference by OPB's 105.7 FM radio translator on Neahkahnie to an adjacent frequency radio station in Garibaldi. OPB Radio was off the air for a period of time until the radio antenna was modified to reduce the problem. This new frequency will eliminate that problem and allow for improved coverage.

Getting To Know: April Baer

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Can you guess who on the OPB Radio staff would like to don a gold lame dress and sing torch songs in smoky bars?

Name: April Baer

Position at OPB: OPB Morning Edition host

Date and Place of Birth: 1973 Marysville, Ohio

Education: BA, Ohio State University

Career Highs: Hosting my own call-in show in Cleveland. Doing features for NPR was also fun.

Secret Ambition: To at long last don that gold lamé dress and sing torch songs in smoky bars.

Weirdest Job: Definitely my two-year stint at a public access cable channel. An exercise in democracy - warts and all.

Favorite Books/Authors Recently Read: "Little Dorrit" Charles Dickens; "Life of Pi" Yann Martell; "If On a Winter's Night a Traveller "Italo Calvino; "The Tin Drum" Gunter Grass

Favorite Films: "The Philadelphia Story," Dead Man, "Wings of Desire," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Barton Fink," "O Brother Where Art Thou?" or almost anything else by the Cohen Brothers

Earliest Political Memory: My mother taking me to a 'choice' rally in Columbus. I couldn't have been more than 7 or 8. Then-governor Dick Celeste and his then-wife Dagmar spoke. They were an amazing husband-and-wife team, not unlike the Clintons - although their meltdown was much less spectacular and sordid.

Best Interview: Two come to mind:

1. A guy who was organizing Cleveland's Guerilla Queer Bar movement. He and about 50 GLB friends would "invade" strategically chosen straight bars on Friday afternoons. They weren't making noisy statements or anything - just hanging out and having a good time. This was waaaaaaay before the gay marriage issue became hot. I thought it was a brave and inventive stab at integration and understanding. Also, it was clear he was putting fun first. Politics really should be more fun.

2. Pete Cary was Cleveland's first black TV reporter. He was not the most obvious man on the front line of civil rights, but hearing this guy talk about the things he had to put up with in a non-integrated newsroom was incredibly moving. And the way he faced the challenges could teach anyone a lesson in patience, dignity and class.

Most Interesting Interview: Hands down - Robert McNamara when he was doing the book tour for "Argument Without End" which he wrote about going back to Vietnam and meeting with his former adversaries. He's come into a remarkable and intense state in the last act of his life. Actually you can skip my interview and go see Errol Morris' excellent documentary, "The Fog of War," to get the full effect.

Most Challenging Interviewee: The author Susan Sontag. She eats nice little reporter girls for breakfast. But I still love her books.

Most Fun Interviewee: The Reverend Ivan Stang of the Church of the Subgenius. Praise Bob! Stang is the co-founder of a freewheeling fake religion that worships a square-jawed, fictional icon names J.R. Bob Dobbs. Stang's manner is one part Jimmy Swaggart, one part George Carlin. Hilarious.

Story You Wished You Had Covered: The 2002 race riots in Cincinnati. There is very little to prevent other American cities from boiling over the way Cincinnati did that spring. Looking at the lives of the disenfranchised - especially African-Americans in Ohio - I am still mystified about why it hasn't happened more often.

Favorite Music: I'm all over the road. I like some pomo rock, a lot of country and roots music. Working in Cleveland gave me an appreciation for jazz. But the stuff that's closest to my heart is I'd call salon music - Blossom Dearie, Paolo Conte, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits, Gillian Welsh, Billie Holiday … music that reads like a good book. I'm also very, very hot for the Kronos Quartet and their interpretations of Phillip Glass. The one area where I'm running a deficit is club music. I have no idea what people are dancing to right now. I guess it's something to do with my sleep schedule.

Least Favorite Music: Whatever sells.

Favorite Recording: Probably Stevie Wonder's "Fulfillingness First Finale." It's got everything! Love, religion, politics and some great beats.

Favorite Musicians/Groups: Morphine, Johnny Cash, Laurie Anderson, MeShell NdegeOcello, Jimmy Scott, David Byrne, Screamin' Jay Hawkins.

Favorite Music as a Child/Young Adult: Country!!! I've got a photo you will never see of me at age four, wearing Mickey Mouse ears, underwear and little else, singing "I Walk the Line."

Hobbies: Cooking, knitting, drinking, oops I mean reading. Moderate hiking and biking. I love movies, too.

Four Fantasy Dinner Guests: Edna St Vincent Millay, my friend Larry Collins, Tallulah Bankhead, and Mark Sandman, the late great lead singer of Morphine. Make sure he sits next to me.

Most Significant Event in Your Lifetime: Newswise? Probably 9-11. Personally, I think it was the death of my grandmother.

Hot Topic You Could Care Less About: Reality TV.

Most Unusual Job: Soda Jerk (three years in college)

Most Unforgettable Person You've Ever Met: He knows who he is.

Number One Pet Peeve: People who don't notice that the way they live affects others.

Worst Radio Blunder: Long story: This has to do with a live interview with a correspondent in Havana around the time of the Elian Gonzales flap. Sometimes you just have to know when to stop.

Favorite Radio Personality: Brooke Gladstone, the co-host of ON THE MEDIA. Her show is super-concentrated formula NPR... so smooth and brainy. I love Scott Simon, who taught me that radio journalists don't have to be alcoholic, ill-dressed, and bitter (not as though that's stopped some of us... ) And of course Ira Glass. The man revitalized a generation of radio people. Also NPR reporter John Burnett. I wish I could write like him.

Best Thing About Your Job: Meeting all those people! Also, it's nice always being on the leading edge of the day.

First Job: Pool girl at my grandparents' condo.

Best Vacation: The Lost Weekend in New Orleans! I'd love to tell you about it but I'd have to kill you.

One Thing Most People Would be Surprised to Know About You: I am not - repeat, NOT - a morning person.

The Oregon Symphony on OPB

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

You can now enjoy the Oregon Symphony's 2004-2005 Season — conducted by Music Director Carlos Kalmar — the first Friday of every month on OPB radio from 9-11p.m. starting January 7 with Stravinsky's Rite of Spring and Beethoven's "Pastoral" Symphony No. 6.

Learn more about the Oregon Synphony

Getting To Know: Pete Springer

Last modified on January 31, 2006 09:31 AM

Which OPB staffer has the secret ambition of photographing
the Oregon National Guard troops in Iraq?

Name: Pete Springer

Position at OPB:  radio/television producer; OREGON TERRITORY producer

Place of Birth: Portland, Oregon

Education: Bachelor's degree in biology

Career Highs: Photographing Oregon National Guard soldiers during the first rain in six years outside Sharm el Sheik, Egypt

Secret Ambition: To photograph Oregon National Guard soldiers in Iraq

Weirdest Job: Planting trees for Louisiana-Pacific in the redwood clearcuts of northern California. We were paid every week by a guy who carried around a pistol and a briefcase full of cash. He would fire the pistol in the air before paying us to make sure we all knew it was loaded.

Favorite Book(s)/Author(s): Cormac McCarthy, “Suttree”; Jack Kerouac, “On the Road”; Vince Welch, Cort Conley, Brad Dimock, “The Doing of the Thing: The Brilliant Whitewater Career of Buzz Holstrom”

Favorite Film(s): “American Beauty,” “Pulp Fiction” and “The Sopranos”

Earliest Political Memory: Hearing my brothers talk about the bullet-proof shield Gerald Ford used during a speech in Portland

Best Interview: William Sullivan, a popular Oregon guidebook writer

Most Interesting Interview: A female wild-land firefighter who was a smokejumper, hotshot and strike team leader on the B&B fire. She slept on the bare ground instead of using a sleeping pad to keep from going soft.

Most Challenging Interviewee: Any MOS (man on the street) or VOS pops!

Most Fun Interviewee: Getting my dog to bark for a story about pet ownership (hey, that’s an interview of sorts ... )

Favorite Musician(s)/Groups: The Who

Hobbies: Backpacking, canoeing, snowshoeing and gardening

Four Fantasy Dinner Guests: Shirley Manson, Liz Phair, Neko Case, Bill Clinton

Hot Topic You Couldn’t Care Less About: “wardrobe malfunction”

Worst Radio Blunder: Mixing up the names Noah Adams and Neal Conan during a pledge break!

First Job: Delivering the Oregon Journal by bicycle after school

Best Vacation: Hiking 100 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail from Mt. Rainer to the lava fields south of Indian Heaven Wilderness with my black lab

One Thing Most People Would Be Surprised to Know About You: I make recipes from Sunset magazine on a regular basis.