Tag: npr

television

This American Life is now on TV

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The extremely popular NPR radio show This American Life debuted its first-ever television show on Showtime on March 22nd but I don’t get Showtime so I didn’t see it (no, I didn’t grab it from bit torrent and watch it on my computer – believe it or not, I don’t do that, mostly because I just don’t have time).
Chris Ware, one of the most famous contemporary American comic artists and cartoonists, has provided some animation to this first feature, What I Learned from TV which, as Chris put it, “is absolutely hilarious and sad at the same time, much like all of Chris Ware’s work (Acme Novelty Library, Jimmy Corrigan, the Smartest Kid on Earth, his work in the NY Times humor section, etc). He is slated to do other animated shorts as well. I hope to view all of them, if not the show itself.
Via Chris

politics

Help Keep Partisan Spin Off NPR and PBS stations

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I received a MoveOn.org email spurring me to call a local PBS station and tell them that “I’m a big supporter of PBS and this station. CPB chairman Kenneth Tomlinson is demanding more right-wing programming on public broadcasting. Please keep his partisan spin off the air” or something like that. Since I agree and the phone number was there, I thought, “What the hell, I’ll call.”

So I did. I spoke with a nice man in the viewer relations department at Thirteen/WNET New York. He told me how viewer and/or member comments really do make a difference and he urged more phone calls (um, he’s on our side). My phone call and viewpoint has not gone into a blackhole, rather it was recorded, it will be passed on to those that matter and it will hopefully help push back on the recent government interference. He talked about how 7 lines received 500 phone calls yesterday – an unbelievable number – and how he hoped to receive even more phone calls today. What is with those people at PBS and answering phones? Whether its a telethon or in customer service, they just love it!

If you care at all about those phone whores remaining non-partisan, please call or write and let them know that you want the government to stay away from slanting PBS one way or the other. You don’t have to be a member to voice an opinion. You don’t have to give your name, though there is no reason not to. Here’s the info:

WLIW-TV: 516-367-210; viewers_voice@wliw.pbs.org

WNYE-TV: 718-250-5800; wnyemail@wnye.org

Thirteen/WNET New York: 212-560-1313; web@thirteen.org