Mark Anthony Waters does a great job explaining why he thinks gay fashion is the new straight fashion. The interviews with both his nephew and the professor from Duke provided great insight into the subject. It was obvious from the narration that Waters had done plenty of research. The script was well written, and the music was blended flawlessly. However, I wish there had been more interviews, because I really felt that two interviews didn’t do the story justice. All in all, it was a very well done piece.
Adjectives: Interesting, Fresh, Real
Ayesha Walker has done a great job of going beneath the surface of the issue of gun violence. The interviews with the teens provided a good contrast of inner-city fighting, then and now. The piece made a very interesting point and really got me to think, which is what a good piece should do. I also felt that the music fit well into the piece. My only suggestion would be to have talked to at least one law enforcement official in the piece. Other than, that a great piece that needs to be heard around the nation.
Adjectives: Thoughtful, Real, Serious
Rachel Blatt and Lacy Roberts bring a fresh perspective to public radio. This unconventional piece features several random segments, all of which are pretty good. The music complements the piece very well and the transitions are fairly seamless. However, the piece is excessively long and can lose you rather easily. There were a few other flaws, namely the lack of polish in the script. A stronger script, especially in the first segment, would definitely frame the piece better. This is a strong piece and a good first podcast, only lacking in the refinement that could elevate it higher than its middle of the pack rating.
Adjectives: Unconventional, fresh, offbeat
The School of the Americas, which I had never heard about, was the subject of this rather informational feature piece. Gretel Carlson did a great job gathering interesting interviews and the description of the protest was very vivid. Why only two stars then? Well, although Gretel’s interviewees were interesting, it was a little difficult to keep track of them all. The piece also was rather long, and it didn’t hold my attention very well. A shorter piece might have kept it more interesting. My most nagging complaint however, was the music. It was obtrusive and kept me from being able to listen to the piece clearly. I had to keep a window of the transcript open just so I could understand what was being said as the music interrupted. In the end, it was a good topic, hampered by only a few fatal flaws.
Adjectives: informational, emotional
The recent violence between Israel and Palestine has long been a hot topic of discussion. Miles Anderson has done a commendable job with this piece. The stories of the Palestinian refugees were very compelling and brought the situation in a different light. However, a stronger narration might have helped, especially in making the piece more visual. The number of interviewees was slightly confusing and made the piece unnecessarily long. By the end, I was beginning to lose focus on the piece. The piece was well written and though and is one that definitely deserves to be heard.
Adjectives: informational, real
The violent death of young African-American men in our cities is a grave problem. Donny Lumpkins’ report, however, puts a name and a face one the issue. In this case that name is Oscar Grant. The 22 year old was shot and killed by Oakland BART police officers on New Years Day. Mourning the death of Grant, corruption in the police department, and racism in general, Lumpkins’ interviewees put you in a place, providing vivid descriptions of what transpired on Jan. 1. The excellent production by Lumpkins, Malcolm Marshall, Paul Billingsley, and Josue Rojas made the piece seamless, even with overlapping sounds. The raw anger of the citizens of Oakland has been polished into a phenomenal piece that should be heard across the nation. Youth Outlook should be proud.
Adjectives: Sad, emotional, serious
Being separated from our parents isn’t something that most of us will ever have to think about, but for fourteen year old Krystle Monclova, it’s a daily reality. Krystle’s angst and emotion come through very well in the piece, and the vivid descriptions and strong interviews polished and gave depth to the piece. Monclova’s passionate desire to be home with her family juxtapositions with the incisive arguing amongst the family members creates a stark comparison. The piece was well produced, and the overlapping sounds were very smooth. The powerful audio and the importance of the subject make this piece one which everyone should listen to.
Adjectives: Compelling, Thoughtful, Real
Abdel Mutan’s young voice is soft, yet it brings a powerful reality home to listeners. The calmness in his voice brought out the seriousness of poverty. I never thought that hunger was such a big thing in the U.S. I always assumed it to be some third world country problem. Mutan’s story made me thankful for all that I have. His emotions really come through with the piece, making his situation all the more real. The way he thanked his mom at the end was very sweet as well. All in all, a short and sweet yet eye-opening piece that everyone should hear.
“Do you believe in Santa Claus?” That was the question Asha Richardson posed to six youth of various ages. The differences in ages, from young kids to 4th graders, all the way to teenagers, provided a great mix of responses. Richardson’s narration kept the piece moving well, so I couldn’t zone out. One very cool aspect of the piece was that Richardson, as well as the interviewees, alluded to Santa Claus, without saying his name. Overall, the piece was an entertaining and engaging look at what young people think about Santa, and is a good piece for around Christmastime. Younger ears be forewarned though, because this piece does question the existence of jolly old St. Nick.
Text
David Jaramillo’s voice gives you a look at the life of Meyia, a teenage mom. You are sucked into world of Meyia and her infant son, with the sound of the baby crying. This powerful introduction leads into an eye-opening piece with several actualities of Meyia talking about the hardships of being a teen mom. You are brought into a sudden sense of reality as you follow Meyia during a typical day. The facts about teen pregnancy let you realize just how big a deal it really is. Solid pacing, and unobtrusive music, make this a somber piece that grabs hold of you and never lets go. This piece illustrates the hardships faced by teen mothers and should be aired around the nation.
Kayla Sargent’s professionalism in this piece almost makes it sound like a regular NPR news magazine. But her young voice, and the voices of the young international students, makes this piece sound much more interesting. The timing and length of the piece is perfect, keeping me interested, but not bored. A more vivid description of what the students were actually doing would’ve probably helped the piece. However, all in all, listening to the youth talk about their plans for their home country, makes this piece inspirational and a breath of fresh air, perfect for Earth Day, or any day when you want to leave listeners with a bit of uplifting news.
Reviewer
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Text
The criminalization of youth has long been an issue that has been thrown under the rug for a long time. However, Jonathan Guzman attacks the issue with a voice that both authentic and assertive. The narration is clear and the role playing of the encounter with police is unique. It goes beyond the dimensions of radio and gives you a sense of being at the scene of the confrontation. An interview of his friend’s reaction might have added a second perspective, but otherwise a fantastic piece. Jonathan’s frustration towards police officers who criminalize youth spews raw emotion. His pointed commentary forces you to take a side, not allowing for fence-sitting. His words form a finger poking you in the chest, pushing you back, and making this a piece that every public radio station should air, especially after a story about a youth who has been arrested for a crime.
Comments by Hrishikesh Deshpande
Comment for "Gay Fashion is the New Straight Fashion"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on February 20, 2009 at 07:43 PM | Permalink
Review of “Gay Fashion is the New Straight Fashion”
Mark Anthony Waters does a great job explaining why he thinks gay fashion is the new straight fashion. The interviews with both his nephew and the professor from Duke provided great insight into the subject. It was obvious from the narration that Waters had done plenty of research. The script was well written, and the music was blended flawlessly. However, I wish there had been more interviews, because I really felt that two interviews didn’t do the story justice. All in all, it was a very well done piece.
Adjectives: Interesting, Fresh, Real
Comment for "Killing is the New Fighting"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on February 20, 2009 at 07:21 PM | Permalink
Review of “Killing is the New Fighting”
Ayesha Walker has done a great job of going beneath the surface of the issue of gun violence. The interviews with the teens provided a good contrast of inner-city fighting, then and now. The piece made a very interesting point and really got me to think, which is what a good piece should do. I also felt that the music fit well into the piece. My only suggestion would be to have talked to at least one law enforcement official in the piece. Other than, that a great piece that needs to be heard around the nation.
Adjectives: Thoughtful, Real, Serious
Comment for "Archived"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on February 17, 2009 at 08:21 PM | Permalink
Review of “Archived”
Rachel Blatt and Lacy Roberts bring a fresh perspective to public radio. This unconventional piece features several random segments, all of which are pretty good. The music complements the piece very well and the transitions are fairly seamless. However, the piece is excessively long and can lose you rather easily. There were a few other flaws, namely the lack of polish in the script. A stronger script, especially in the first segment, would definitely frame the piece better. This is a strong piece and a good first podcast, only lacking in the refinement that could elevate it higher than its middle of the pack rating.
Adjectives: Unconventional, fresh, offbeat
Comment for "Protesting the School of the Americas"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on February 08, 2009 at 08:22 PM | Permalink
Review of “Protesting the School of the Americas”
The School of the Americas, which I had never heard about, was the subject of this rather informational feature piece. Gretel Carlson did a great job gathering interesting interviews and the description of the protest was very vivid. Why only two stars then? Well, although Gretel’s interviewees were interesting, it was a little difficult to keep track of them all. The piece also was rather long, and it didn’t hold my attention very well. A shorter piece might have kept it more interesting. My most nagging complaint however, was the music. It was obtrusive and kept me from being able to listen to the piece clearly. I had to keep a window of the transcript open just so I could understand what was being said as the music interrupted. In the end, it was a good topic, hampered by only a few fatal flaws.
Adjectives: informational, emotional
Comment for "Stop the War in Gaza: Pro-Palestine Protest Montage"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on January 25, 2009 at 11:03 AM | Permalink
Review of "Stop the War in Gaza: Pro-Palestine Protest Montage"
The recent violence between Israel and Palestine has long been a hot topic of discussion. Miles Anderson has done a commendable job with this piece. The stories of the Palestinian refugees were very compelling and brought the situation in a different light. However, a stronger narration might have helped, especially in making the piece more visual. The number of interviewees was slightly confusing and made the piece unnecessarily long. By the end, I was beginning to lose focus on the piece. The piece was well written and though and is one that definitely deserves to be heard.
Adjectives: informational, real
Comment for "BART Slaying Gives Oakland Rocky Start in '09"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on January 17, 2009 at 07:05 PM | Permalink
Review of “BART Slaying Gives Oakland Rocky Start in '09”
The violent death of young African-American men in our cities is a grave problem. Donny Lumpkins’ report, however, puts a name and a face one the issue. In this case that name is Oscar Grant. The 22 year old was shot and killed by Oakland BART police officers on New Years Day. Mourning the death of Grant, corruption in the police department, and racism in general, Lumpkins’ interviewees put you in a place, providing vivid descriptions of what transpired on Jan. 1. The excellent production by Lumpkins, Malcolm Marshall, Paul Billingsley, and Josue Rojas made the piece seamless, even with overlapping sounds. The raw anger of the citizens of Oakland has been polished into a phenomenal piece that should be heard across the nation. Youth Outlook should be proud.
Adjectives: Sad, emotional, serious
Comment for "My Not So Sweet Home"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on January 10, 2009 at 04:28 PM | Permalink
Review of “My Not So Sweet Home”
Being separated from our parents isn’t something that most of us will ever have to think about, but for fourteen year old Krystle Monclova, it’s a daily reality. Krystle’s angst and emotion come through very well in the piece, and the vivid descriptions and strong interviews polished and gave depth to the piece. Monclova’s passionate desire to be home with her family juxtapositions with the incisive arguing amongst the family members creates a stark comparison. The piece was well produced, and the overlapping sounds were very smooth. The powerful audio and the importance of the subject make this piece one which everyone should listen to.
Adjectives: Compelling, Thoughtful, Real
Comment for "My Plate Full, Yours Empty"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on January 04, 2009 at 05:53 PM | Permalink
Review of "My Plate Full, Your's Empty"
Abdel Mutan’s young voice is soft, yet it brings a powerful reality home to listeners. The calmness in his voice brought out the seriousness of poverty. I never thought that hunger was such a big thing in the U.S. I always assumed it to be some third world country problem. Mutan’s story made me thankful for all that I have. His emotions really come through with the piece, making his situation all the more real. The way he thanked his mom at the end was very sweet as well. All in all, a short and sweet yet eye-opening piece that everyone should hear.
Adjectives: Eye-Opening, Real
Comment for "Believing in Santa Claus"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on December 21, 2008 at 01:06 PM | Permalink
Review of Believing in the Hairy Guy
“Do you believe in Santa Claus?” That was the question Asha Richardson posed to six youth of various ages. The differences in ages, from young kids to 4th graders, all the way to teenagers, provided a great mix of responses. Richardson’s narration kept the piece moving well, so I couldn’t zone out. One very cool aspect of the piece was that Richardson, as well as the interviewees, alluded to Santa Claus, without saying his name. Overall, the piece was an entertaining and engaging look at what young people think about Santa, and is a good piece for around Christmastime. Younger ears be forewarned though, because this piece does question the existence of jolly old St. Nick.
Adjectives: Entertaining, funny
Comment for "Teen Mother's"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on December 14, 2008 at 04:43 PM | Permalink
Review of Teen Mother’s
Text
David Jaramillo’s voice gives you a look at the life of Meyia, a teenage mom. You are sucked into world of Meyia and her infant son, with the sound of the baby crying. This powerful introduction leads into an eye-opening piece with several actualities of Meyia talking about the hardships of being a teen mom. You are brought into a sudden sense of reality as you follow Meyia during a typical day. The facts about teen pregnancy let you realize just how big a deal it really is. Solid pacing, and unobtrusive music, make this a somber piece that grabs hold of you and never lets go. This piece illustrates the hardships faced by teen mothers and should be aired around the nation.
Adjectives: serious, thought-provoking, real
Comment for "International Volunteers Preserve the Earth Here and Abroad"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on December 09, 2008 at 07:19 PM | Permalink
Review of International Volunteers Preserve the Earth Here and Abroad
Kayla Sargent’s professionalism in this piece almost makes it sound like a regular NPR news magazine. But her young voice, and the voices of the young international students, makes this piece sound much more interesting. The timing and length of the piece is perfect, keeping me interested, but not bored. A more vivid description of what the students were actually doing would’ve probably helped the piece. However, all in all, listening to the youth talk about their plans for their home country, makes this piece inspirational and a breath of fresh air, perfect for Earth Day, or any day when you want to leave listeners with a bit of uplifting news.
Adjectives: fresh, inspirational, informational
Comment for "NFCB 1st Amendment Piece..Criminalizing Youth"
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Posted on December 01, 2008 at 05:57 PM | Permalink
Review of NFCB 1st Amendment Piece...Criminalizing Youth
Reviewer
Hrishikesh Deshpande
Text
The criminalization of youth has long been an issue that has been thrown under the rug for a long time. However, Jonathan Guzman attacks the issue with a voice that both authentic and assertive. The narration is clear and the role playing of the encounter with police is unique. It goes beyond the dimensions of radio and gives you a sense of being at the scene of the confrontation. An interview of his friend’s reaction might have added a second perspective, but otherwise a fantastic piece. Jonathan’s frustration towards police officers who criminalize youth spews raw emotion. His pointed commentary forces you to take a side, not allowing for fence-sitting. His words form a finger poking you in the chest, pushing you back, and making this a piece that every public radio station should air, especially after a story about a youth who has been arrested for a crime.
Adjectives: Thought-provoking, assertive, forceful