If you've ever been to Hawaii and tried to figure out what those locals were saying -- this is the piece for you!
Fun montage from various Hawaii locals who give you a taste of the language.
It's a language that defines you, for the good and the bad.
What I loved hearing is that for the locals in the piece, there was no resentment at being told that they may be inferior to the "mainlanders." They took it in stride and found pride in speaking the language of the community.
The only constructive criticism that I have is that pacing might be too quick for the non-pidgin-english listeners.
Other than that, this would be a nice segment to run on a weekend or when there's a related story on languages.
Nice essay on finding beauty in the unlikeliest places in your neighborhood.
The writing is good. Love the imagery of seeing the diamonds on the street... but really they're just broken glass.
Reporter's essay takes us on-the-scene as she explores the gardens -- hidden treasures -- in her neighorhood.
But she needed to allow more spacing between the scene changes and between her studio read and her on-the-scene narration. They were edited too tightly.
The show focuses on the word and the phrase "Gangster" and looked at from all angles. It's not just who you are but how you carry yourself and what you symbolize.
Brilliantly done and so engaging.
The show opens with a clip from the Godfather. Little long but set the scene and made its point.
The best comes after with the exchange between the two hosts, 18 and 20 years old. They're offer intelligent and philosophical viewpoints.
A montage by other teens on what "gangster" means to them is equally thoughtful. There's no glamourizing here.
The discussions are real, one of the most honest in a long time.
The presenters have no agenda, they just tell it like it is.
The interview with journalist David Kaplan, who wrote a book on the Japanese gangster, Yakuza, is well done. They asked pointed, thoughtful questions.
One of the best parts of the Kaplan interview is when they ask him if he has any questions of the hosts, who know a thing or two about the rival gang wars in the inner cities.
It was one of those great fly on the wall discussions.
The second half was mainly devoted to interviewing Kalif, a parolee who gives insightful and a frightening look behind the cells.
The hosts take the last five minutes to riff on the word and here's where they offer their most thoughtful views.
Basically, we all have a bit of gangsta in us. Taking control of our lives but perhaps without the violence.
Beware to stations wanting to air in its entirety. The last 10 minutes airs an essay on George W. Bush the gangster. Not that this should be cut out, just let you be aware of it.
I had to listen to this twice before I realized that I actually enjoyed this piece.
At first go around I was skeptical. It may have been that I was taken aback by the "actors" in this conversational sketch. It's not your usual way to present the story.
And that's what made me warm up to this. It isn't the "usual."
And it could certainly tail off an inteview or package on the whole college application nightmare... especially since the topic recently made the cover of Time (or was it Newsweek??) magazine.
I'd smile listening to this while sitting in traffic.
Reporter Conrad Fox spends a night with protesters on the streets of Oaxaco and captures the immediacy of the moment.
It's in first person and Fox doesn't go into detail of what is spurring the conflict (that's in the cue) or who these protesters are. Much of that will have to be set up.
What Fox does give you is one exciting moment when a number (?) of protesters hunker down and prepare for attacks by police.
Appropriate ambience is woven throughout his narration, which at times is read a tad too quickly.
Lauritano-Werner begins a dialogue at her high school that I felt could have gone deeper and longer. That's good -- I wanted more.
Good use of sound -- sound bites were decent quality. Her writing and delivery was crisp and accessible.
I did want to hear more from her friends whom she referenced instead of just one voice. And I would have wanted to know what motivated producer to do this piece. Was it an assignment or purely out of interest?
This producer will go far if given the opportunity.
Decent newsy story that would do well to air on Labor Day.
Elzas gives us three stories of people getting fired for trying to organize. All interviews are phoners and are decent quality.
Pacing is fine... could be cut for time.
Piece opens with first Union organizer. I would have wanted a different open that introduces me to organizer and more sound rich. But otherwise it was fine.
This beautifully produced piece will tug at your heart.
It doesn't matter whether you are a parent, a child who lost a parent, or lost someone special too soon.
Leah Rumack does an excellent job bringing us with her on her journey to find about a mother she never knew.
We eavesdrop on a phone conversation (sounded like it might have been clipped at the top) and sit with her in the living room of her mother's best friend. We cry with them and we feel their pain.
Although I was jolted back to reality when she refers to her mother by her name and not mom.
Perfect piece to air for Mother's Day or to get people to call in.
Good story-telling and writing by Marianne McCune who introduces us to the Mexican village of Yaganiza in the state of Oaxaca and the American christian woman translating the bible into the indigenous language.
Piece flows beautifully with sound always flowing just beneath the surface. Actualities are clear. Pacing is good.
Only criticism I found is with the two silent breaks to change direction of the piece. Alarming in that I thought the piece was done so perhaps some ambience to bridge.
Producers looking for a good international story that will resonate with American audiences, particularly in border states and christian populated areas.
Applause for this impressive work by four college freshmen.
Elizabeth Finn, Siamrut Patanavanich, Allison St. Vincent and Rodrigo Zeledon traveled to Valdivia, Chile to report on stories of survival from the 1960 devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Finn and St. Vincent are first up to report on an endangered wetland. Their story is followed by Patanavanich who gives a heartfelt look at the lost culture of the Mapuche people. The third story by Zeledon introduces you to survivors of the disaster.
This is an ambitious documentary by students of an MIT programme. It is sound-rich and very engaging.
That said, I offer some constructive criticism if this report is to be taken on another level -- professionally.
The narration by the students were at times quick and difficult to understand. The ends of sentences were sometimes swallowed. An example is the handoff from the endangered wetland story to the Mapuche. It was a bit difficult to understand what was happening.
I would have preferred to have the students identify themselves at the beginning of their journeys. It would have flowed nicely. Zeledon was the only one to introduce himself and the story and that was more effective for a listener.
These are criticisms that can be worked on. Overall, highly impressive!
I admit I was a bit skeptical to hear a piece in a delivery room but I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet and engaging this was.
Megan Sloat, the young woman in training to become a doula, narrates this 6.30 min. essay that moves along smoothly.
There are sounds of the mother in pain but it doesn't go on long. Appropriate ambient sounds bring you right there in the room... but not too evasive... just right.
The musical interludes are subtle.
I would have wanted to hear more from Megan regarding her decision to become a doula and what is needed. Also, more background on Megan that could have been done quickly without taking away from the delivery.
Who would have thought that a story about harvesting wild rice would be so interesting?
I had read previous stories about the Ojibwa tribes harvesting the rice by hand... the old fashioned way. But this piece brought the story alive.
Often times radio pieces include gratutious ambient sound and you just accept it as part of the formula. It's there and then it's gone.
But the producers of this audio postcard wove through the sounds so beautifully that it never once distracted from the story or made me wonder, "what was that?"
This is what storytelling.. for any medium... is all about.
Comment for
"Twinkie, Twinkie, Little Bar" (deleted)
Light, fun, and filled with delicious, sweet contents to make you smile.
Not talking about the actual snack.
This essay includes nostalgic jingles and humorous stories to remind folks why this simple dessert is a "near-worshipped icon."
Under the heading of: unusual uses and creative interpretations of twinkies, you've got visions of the Shroud of Turin in the cream and Twinkies positioned in "the Last Snack."
But this is long and it felt long. Could have told the story and achieved its goal in half the time but this essay needed to fill a 20-min. school assignment. Too bad -- some parts dragged esp. of consumerism and commodity and religion.
Phoner quality actualities are not great -- rather hissy and distorted against the studio-read narration.
Nice effort by Kady Bulnes to tell the story of Wally and Esther which eventually led her to think about her abuelita.
Writing is crisp and clean.
Stories are sweet and poignant. Loved the story by Kady about her and abuelita in church.
However, there were some confusing points that often detracted from the story.
Needed an introduction. Who is Wally and why a story about him?
Confused by the male moderator in the middle of the piece, who turned out to be Wally. I wasn't sure who this person was when I first heard him tell the story of Kady and abuelita. That needed to be made clearer at the beginning of his narration instead of at the end of piece when he talks about the death of Esther.
Would have been better if Kady told her own story instead of having Wally read it.
What was more effective was hearing Wally tell us how Kady's story made him reflect on Esther's death.
And to have Kady herself tell us how Esther made her think of her grandmother.
Provocative writing and good tempo with the music. Sage's read is pleasant and personal.
At times a little cluttered, mainly at the top with the names... some of them swallowed and hard to follow. But she gets her point across and making that link with guns and barbies.
Some censoring required if aired over mainstream stations. Or at least, offer warning.
This essay has a right audience in Pacifica and college radio stations versus the more mainstream, middle-of-the-road stations. But they shouldn't dismiss it outright. It at least deserves a listen.
Comment for
"OLD AUDIO My Spanish Harlem" (deleted)
Beautifully written essay by Jason Gonzales as he opens his world of Spanish Harlem.
He paints a color portrait of his "hood" complete with mean cats, junk and treasure, pj's hanging from public housing, "no Taco Bells here."
You hear the congas and inhale the "pleasant smells of sunday dinners wafting in the air."
The most powerful section is on Gentrification -- "the new enemy."
This is where Jason's poetry comes to life, helped by sound effects and his "rap-style" reading.
Welcome to Harlem -- Jason's wonderfully "alive" neighborhood.
My ony concern is that this piece may be too "insiderish" for non-Latino, city-dwelling audiences.
But if you're looking to broaden your listeners minds then introduce them to "My Spanish Harlem."
DeLuna does a fine job bringing home the personal story of Vietnamese immigrant Xinh Dwelley.
Sound quality is clear. Actualities of Dwelley, although bearing a heavy accent, is understandable and listener-friendly. Music transitions are effective in bringing you to the scene. Ambient transitions are equally well done.
This is a wonderful international-local immigrant story that will play well against the recent anti-immigration coverage.
If you're looking for that different angle... give "Acceptance" a try.
Comments by Traci Tong
Comment for "Hawaiian Pidgin English"
Traci Tong
Posted on October 05, 2006 at 06:35 PM | Permalink
Review of Hawaiian Pidgin English
If you've ever been to Hawaii and tried to figure out what those locals were saying -- this is the piece for you!
Fun montage from various Hawaii locals who give you a taste of the language.
It's a language that defines you, for the good and the bad.
What I loved hearing is that for the locals in the piece, there was no resentment at being told that they may be inferior to the "mainlanders." They took it in stride and found pride in speaking the language of the community.
The only constructive criticism that I have is that pacing might be too quick for the non-pidgin-english listeners.
Other than that, this would be a nice segment to run on a weekend or when there's a related story on languages.
Comment for "Garden Renaissance in Brooklyn"
Traci Tong
Posted on October 05, 2006 at 06:23 PM | Permalink
Review of Garden Renaissance in Brooklyn
Nice essay on finding beauty in the unlikeliest places in your neighborhood.
The writing is good. Love the imagery of seeing the diamonds on the street... but really they're just broken glass.
Reporter's essay takes us on-the-scene as she explores the gardens -- hidden treasures -- in her neighorhood.
But she needed to allow more spacing between the scene changes and between her studio read and her on-the-scene narration. They were edited too tightly.
The story needed to breathe a bit more.
All in all, pleasant listening.
Comment for "Gangster"
Traci Tong
Posted on October 05, 2006 at 06:05 PM | Permalink
Review of Gangster
Best hour I've heard in a long time.
The show focuses on the word and the phrase "Gangster" and looked at from all angles. It's not just who you are but how you carry yourself and what you symbolize.
Brilliantly done and so engaging.
The show opens with a clip from the Godfather. Little long but set the scene and made its point.
The best comes after with the exchange between the two hosts, 18 and 20 years old. They're offer intelligent and philosophical viewpoints.
A montage by other teens on what "gangster" means to them is equally thoughtful. There's no glamourizing here.
The discussions are real, one of the most honest in a long time.
The presenters have no agenda, they just tell it like it is.
The interview with journalist David Kaplan, who wrote a book on the Japanese gangster, Yakuza, is well done. They asked pointed, thoughtful questions.
One of the best parts of the Kaplan interview is when they ask him if he has any questions of the hosts, who know a thing or two about the rival gang wars in the inner cities.
It was one of those great fly on the wall discussions.
The second half was mainly devoted to interviewing Kalif, a parolee who gives insightful and a frightening look behind the cells.
The hosts take the last five minutes to riff on the word and here's where they offer their most thoughtful views.
Basically, we all have a bit of gangsta in us. Taking control of our lives but perhaps without the violence.
Beware to stations wanting to air in its entirety. The last 10 minutes airs an essay on George W. Bush the gangster. Not that this should be cut out, just let you be aware of it.
Comment for "11 Central Ave. #1"
Traci Tong
Posted on September 15, 2006 at 06:59 PM | Permalink
Review of 11 Central Ave. #1
I had to listen to this twice before I realized that I actually enjoyed this piece.
At first go around I was skeptical. It may have been that I was taken aback by the "actors" in this conversational sketch. It's not your usual way to present the story.
And that's what made me warm up to this. It isn't the "usual."
And it could certainly tail off an inteview or package on the whole college application nightmare... especially since the topic recently made the cover of Time (or was it Newsweek??) magazine.
I'd smile listening to this while sitting in traffic.
Comment for "Night on the Barricades" (deleted)
Traci Tong
Posted on September 15, 2006 at 06:33 PM
Review of Night on the Barricades (deleted)
Exicting, audio-rich sound postcard.
Reporter Conrad Fox spends a night with protesters on the streets of Oaxaco and captures the immediacy of the moment.
It's in first person and Fox doesn't go into detail of what is spurring the conflict (that's in the cue) or who these protesters are. Much of that will have to be set up.
What Fox does give you is one exciting moment when a number (?) of protesters hunker down and prepare for attacks by police.
Appropriate ambience is woven throughout his narration, which at times is read a tad too quickly.
All in all, fairly solid.
Comment for "Katrina, Race, and High School"
Traci Tong
Posted on September 13, 2006 at 03:25 PM | Permalink
Review of Katrina, Race, and High School
Impressive work from Blunt Youth Radio producer.
Lauritano-Werner begins a dialogue at her high school that I felt could have gone deeper and longer. That's good -- I wanted more.
Good use of sound -- sound bites were decent quality. Her writing and delivery was crisp and accessible.
I did want to hear more from her friends whom she referenced instead of just one voice. And I would have wanted to know what motivated producer to do this piece. Was it an assignment or purely out of interest?
This producer will go far if given the opportunity.
Comment for "Political Prisoner Solidarity"
Traci Tong
Posted on July 18, 2006 at 08:49 PM | Permalink
Review of Political Prisoner Solidarity
Interesting and edgy with a strong dose of activism.
Perhaps more suited to a Pacifica programme rather than the mainstream stations.
This 6 1/2 min. piece could have been shortened considerably. Actualities and ambiences go on too long.
Clips need to be tightened.
Many of the sources were off-mic so difficult to stay with them. But I understand how Sean wanted to give them their due.
Comment for "The Right to Organize" (deleted)
Traci Tong
Posted on July 18, 2006 at 08:16 PM
Review of The Right to Organize (deleted)
Decent newsy story that would do well to air on Labor Day.
Elzas gives us three stories of people getting fired for trying to organize. All interviews are phoners and are decent quality.
Pacing is fine... could be cut for time.
Piece opens with first Union organizer. I would have wanted a different open that introduces me to organizer and more sound rich. But otherwise it was fine.
Comment for "She's Just Like Me"
Traci Tong
Posted on July 18, 2006 at 07:57 PM | Permalink
Review of She's Just Like Me
This beautifully produced piece will tug at your heart.
It doesn't matter whether you are a parent, a child who lost a parent, or lost someone special too soon.
Leah Rumack does an excellent job bringing us with her on her journey to find about a mother she never knew.
We eavesdrop on a phone conversation (sounded like it might have been clipped at the top) and sit with her in the living room of her mother's best friend. We cry with them and we feel their pain.
Although I was jolted back to reality when she refers to her mother by her name and not mom.
Perfect piece to air for Mother's Day or to get people to call in.
Comment for "The Zapotec Bible"
Traci Tong
Posted on July 18, 2006 at 07:32 PM | Permalink
Review of The Zapotec Bible
Lovely and engaging piece.
Good story-telling and writing by Marianne McCune who introduces us to the Mexican village of Yaganiza in the state of Oaxaca and the American christian woman translating the bible into the indigenous language.
Piece flows beautifully with sound always flowing just beneath the surface. Actualities are clear. Pacing is good.
Only criticism I found is with the two silent breaks to change direction of the piece. Alarming in that I thought the piece was done so perhaps some ambience to bridge.
Producers looking for a good international story that will resonate with American audiences, particularly in border states and christian populated areas.
Comment for "The American Spirit: The History, Voice, and Stand of the Declaration of Independence"
Traci Tong
Posted on July 18, 2006 at 06:44 PM | Permalink
Review of The American Spirit: The History, Voice, and Stand of the Declaration of Independence
History term paper folded into a commentary.
Josh Wehe reads us the story of the Second Continental Congress and the "other story" behind the Declaration of Independence.
It's too long of a commentary but the story itself is interesting. The challenge is sticking with it as a listener.
Wehe is young and you can hear it in his read. But he does a good job of emphasizing the right points and giving the right emotion. He has potential.
Technically this need work. Read is echoey and lots of microphone pops.
Comment for "Valdivia: Stories of Survival"
Traci Tong
Posted on July 18, 2006 at 06:20 PM | Permalink
Review of Valdivia: Stories of Survival
Applause for this impressive work by four college freshmen.
Elizabeth Finn, Siamrut Patanavanich, Allison St. Vincent and Rodrigo Zeledon traveled to Valdivia, Chile to report on stories of survival from the 1960 devastating earthquake and tsunami.
Finn and St. Vincent are first up to report on an endangered wetland. Their story is followed by Patanavanich who gives a heartfelt look at the lost culture of the Mapuche people. The third story by Zeledon introduces you to survivors of the disaster.
This is an ambitious documentary by students of an MIT programme. It is sound-rich and very engaging.
That said, I offer some constructive criticism if this report is to be taken on another level -- professionally.
The narration by the students were at times quick and difficult to understand. The ends of sentences were sometimes swallowed. An example is the handoff from the endangered wetland story to the Mapuche. It was a bit difficult to understand what was happening.
I would have preferred to have the students identify themselves at the beginning of their journeys. It would have flowed nicely. Zeledon was the only one to introduce himself and the story and that was more effective for a listener.
These are criticisms that can be worked on. Overall, highly impressive!
Comment for "Birth Night"
Traci Tong
Posted on June 01, 2006 at 08:28 AM | Permalink
Review of Birth Night
Good listening.
I admit I was a bit skeptical to hear a piece in a delivery room but I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet and engaging this was.
Megan Sloat, the young woman in training to become a doula, narrates this 6.30 min. essay that moves along smoothly.
There are sounds of the mother in pain but it doesn't go on long. Appropriate ambient sounds bring you right there in the room... but not too evasive... just right.
The musical interludes are subtle.
I would have wanted to hear more from Megan regarding her decision to become a doula and what is needed. Also, more background on Megan that could have been done quickly without taking away from the delivery.
Comment for "Harvest on Big Rice Lake"
Traci Tong
Posted on May 30, 2006 at 07:59 PM | Permalink
Review of Harvest on Big Rice Lake
Visually appealing! Pricks all five senses.
Who would have thought that a story about harvesting wild rice would be so interesting?
I had read previous stories about the Ojibwa tribes harvesting the rice by hand... the old fashioned way. But this piece brought the story alive.
Often times radio pieces include gratutious ambient sound and you just accept it as part of the formula. It's there and then it's gone.
But the producers of this audio postcard wove through the sounds so beautifully that it never once distracted from the story or made me wonder, "what was that?"
This is what storytelling.. for any medium... is all about.
Comment for "Twinkie, Twinkie, Little Bar" (deleted)
Traci Tong
Posted on May 12, 2006 at 04:36 PM
Review of Twinkie, Twinkie, Little Bar (deleted)
Light, fun, and filled with delicious, sweet contents to make you smile.
Not talking about the actual snack.
This essay includes nostalgic jingles and humorous stories to remind folks why this simple dessert is a "near-worshipped icon."
Under the heading of: unusual uses and creative interpretations of twinkies, you've got visions of the Shroud of Turin in the cream and Twinkies positioned in "the Last Snack."
But this is long and it felt long. Could have told the story and achieved its goal in half the time but this essay needed to fill a 20-min. school assignment. Too bad -- some parts dragged esp. of consumerism and commodity and religion.
Phoner quality actualities are not great -- rather hissy and distorted against the studio-read narration.
Overall, it's a "un, yes fun" intepretation.
Comment for "Esther and Abuelita"
Traci Tong
Posted on May 12, 2006 at 09:29 AM | Permalink
Review of Esther and Abuelita
Nice effort by Kady Bulnes to tell the story of Wally and Esther which eventually led her to think about her abuelita.
Writing is crisp and clean.
Stories are sweet and poignant. Loved the story by Kady about her and abuelita in church.
However, there were some confusing points that often detracted from the story.
Needed an introduction. Who is Wally and why a story about him?
Confused by the male moderator in the middle of the piece, who turned out to be Wally. I wasn't sure who this person was when I first heard him tell the story of Kady and abuelita. That needed to be made clearer at the beginning of his narration instead of at the end of piece when he talks about the death of Esther.
Would have been better if Kady told her own story instead of having Wally read it.
What was more effective was hearing Wally tell us how Kady's story made him reflect on Esther's death.
And to have Kady herself tell us how Esther made her think of her grandmother.
All in all, nice piece.
Comment for "Where Were You Fifth Period?"
Traci Tong
Posted on April 17, 2006 at 10:45 AM | Permalink
Review of Where Were You Fifth Period?
Great effort by the students at the Curie Youth Radio.
Needed a set up at the beginning that it was the teacher.
But the answers from the students were great!
Classic:
"Her pants got wet."
"I got engaged on my lunch period."
Answers were layered, vox popped with music woven through -- very humorous.
Would love to hear more from them. They obviously had fun and picked a subject that would be sure to generate great responses.
Comment for "Guns and Barbies" (deleted)
Traci Tong
Posted on April 17, 2006 at 08:31 AM
Review of Guns and Barbies (deleted)
Enjoyed this essay.
Provocative writing and good tempo with the music. Sage's read is pleasant and personal.
At times a little cluttered, mainly at the top with the names... some of them swallowed and hard to follow. But she gets her point across and making that link with guns and barbies.
Some censoring required if aired over mainstream stations. Or at least, offer warning.
This essay has a right audience in Pacifica and college radio stations versus the more mainstream, middle-of-the-road stations. But they shouldn't dismiss it outright. It at least deserves a listen.
Comment for "OLD AUDIO My Spanish Harlem" (deleted)
Traci Tong
Posted on April 17, 2006 at 08:12 AM
Review of My Spanish Harlem (deleted)
Poetic.
Beautifully written essay by Jason Gonzales as he opens his world of Spanish Harlem.
He paints a color portrait of his "hood" complete with mean cats, junk and treasure, pj's hanging from public housing, "no Taco Bells here."
You hear the congas and inhale the "pleasant smells of sunday dinners wafting in the air."
The most powerful section is on Gentrification -- "the new enemy."
This is where Jason's poetry comes to life, helped by sound effects and his "rap-style" reading.
Welcome to Harlem -- Jason's wonderfully "alive" neighborhood.
My ony concern is that this piece may be too "insiderish" for non-Latino, city-dwelling audiences.
But if you're looking to broaden your listeners minds then introduce them to "My Spanish Harlem."
Comment for "Episode 5: Acceptance"
Traci Tong
Posted on April 14, 2006 at 09:09 PM | Permalink
Review of Episode 5: Acceptance
Delicious and crisp.
DeLuna does a fine job bringing home the personal story of Vietnamese immigrant Xinh Dwelley.
Sound quality is clear. Actualities of Dwelley, although bearing a heavy accent, is understandable and listener-friendly. Music transitions are effective in bringing you to the scene. Ambient transitions are equally well done.
This is a wonderful international-local immigrant story that will play well against the recent anti-immigration coverage.
If you're looking for that different angle... give "Acceptance" a try.