September 2, 2008
NEW SHOW: Fake City, Real Dreams

Zak Rosen is a radio producer. Neil Greenberg is a map-maker. They're both from Detroit, but their hearts are in a different city, a city they think is possible--at least in the imagination and maybe in reality.

The radio piece they made together treats this place as if it were real. It is a creative exercise that hints at a plausible future. Fake City, Real Dreams is unlike any "arts feature" you've heard before. Check it out:

Drop over any time,

Jay Allison
Atlantic Public Media
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

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In the end, I hope the piece kindly reminds Detroiters (or anyone living in a place they love) to continue their work towards re-visioning the city they know can exist (and does in certain areas). As Neil says at the end of the piece, he knows this project isn’t going to be the exact script that will bring Detroit into a new era, he just hopes it will convey the message that it is possible to talk about the future, in a realistic and meaningful way, without getting frustrated with our present.

- Zak Rosen at www.transom.org

August 11, 2008
NEW TOOL: HHb FlashMic DRM85

Continuing in Transom's tradition of reviewing the new digital field gear for radio reporting, our Tools Editor Jeff Towne has just finished testing the HHb Flashmics, in both cardioid and omni versions. He posits, "What if you could have a good interview mic, and not worry about cables, or phantom power, or whether the mic is compatible with your recorder? What if you could hold it and operate it with one hand? Well, you can."

This is a unique field recorder, albeit expensive and with a few other downsides--but, depending on your requirements, certainly a tool you should check out.

http://transom.org/home.php/?p=93

Drop over any time,

Jay Allison
Atlantic Public Media
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

=====================
"One of the persistent problems we've encountered with the new flash-memory recorders is finding an external microphone that matches well. Most of the small units have decent quality built-in mics, but none of them are the equal of a good interview mic. It’s also often uncomfortable to position these self-contained recorders such that the mics are in an optimal position, especially if one wants to be able to keep an eye on the input meters. So especially for interviews, the better answer is to use a good external mic, designed for that task. But some of the flash recorders don't sound especially good with external mics, delivering low levels and hiss. Some distort when using high-output condenser mics. Most of the small recorders use minijack inputs, which are not as robust as XLR, and cannot send phantom power to condenser mics. The FlashMic's integrated design gets around all of these problems, making for an easy, good-sounding package."

- Jeff Towne (more at Transom.org)

July 25, 2008
NEW REVIEW: Jesse Hardman "Lifeline Radio"

Producing in a war zone, editing in a foreign language, circumventing censorship, collaborating with Buddhist, Muslim, Hindu, and Catholic staff, making radio far away from here... Jesse Hardman and his team from Sri Lanka have been on Transom for the last month or so. They've left wonderful comments about their work, full of an intensity about the importance of radio journalism. Come be re-invigorated about what we do and its possibilities, however difficult to realize, around the world. Our downloadable issue of The Transom Review is ready.

http://transom.org/home.php/?p=63

Drop over any time,

Jay Allison
Atlantic Public Media
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

=================

"Here people are sensitive. For example, we are afraid for criticism. It hurts. Editing is difficult because we take it personally. I worked with many editors, and many journalists, many people hurt me. I think this is a new life for me. Earlier I was never talking with people. I'm very shy. Now I can do a little bit. I can go forward." -- Sri Lanka reporter Arthy

"Hello. I work as a senior field journalist for Mr. Jesse at Lifeline. Sometimes with different cultures, we have problem to understand. We are not always thinking the same thing. One time at a Vavuniya military checkpoint, the police people asked me many questions about the foreigner, why the foreigner is acting free and happy (playing with a soccer ball) in a serious place like a checkpoint. The police got angry with me. They don't understand the foreigners; the foreigners don't understand the serious part of a checkpoint." -- Mr. Upal of Lifeline

"In Sri Lanka we may have to give the news in indirect ways (not taping with politicians or about war issues). But if we expand the thinking using different angles, it is possible to survive." --Vyasa, Senior Reporter

"No hope at all for a change in this country. I have to stay in the field for my survival in this country. I have been working as journalist since 1998 and it is impossible to find another job in a different field, so like it or not I have to stick with this job." --Producer/Reporter Ramanan

"When we ask about the bigger issues, like the war, being displaced, military restrictions on movement, etc.., people are often reluctant to talk. We don't use names sometimes, to be careful, or photos in our paper of certain people. But I would say more than half of the time people are not afraid to speak and say what is on their mind. Part of it is: what do they have to lose anymore, how could life get any worse?" --Jesse Hardman

July 11, 2008
NEW CALL-OUT - "Stories of Self"

Transom, in association with Art Outlet and the FLIK International Movie Festival, is seeking multi-media self-portraits to be featured at the festival and on the site. We'll offer honoraria to those we put on Transom. All stories must be non-fiction, under five minutes, and include both audio and visual components. The visual can literally reflect the story, or complement it - your choice. Along with your soundtrack, you can use photo slideshows, cut up old films and videos, animation, footage of locations or related imagery, or even a series of hand drawings. Whatever works for the story. (By the way, Transom is pleased to be working on this project with our original Web Director, Josh Barlow).

Visit this page to get all the details and see a sample. We'll hope to hear from you.

http://transom.org/home.php/?p=84

Drop over any time,

Jay Allison
Atlantic Public Media
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

June 26, 2008
NEW SHOW - How Are You Who You Are?

The Nadeaus were, to most eyes, an ideal family--enlightened, brilliant, prosperous. But then things turned upside down. In a remarkable series of events, Doug and Lynn Nadeau were forced to re-define their identities and confirm the foundation of their love.

Growing up in Marblehead, Massachusetts, Eric Winick knew and admired the Nadeaus, and this portrait of their relationship is his first piece for radio, made with skills he acquired at Transom.

http://transom.org/home.php/?p=65

Drop over any time,

Jay Allison
Atlantic Public Media
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

=============

"Doug Nadeau was running on the beach when he stopped breathing and collapsed. At the hospital, when doctors removed his clothes, they found women’s underwear, and a series of foam pads, fastened to Doug’s hips and chest. How those pads got there, and why Doug died on that beach, is the story of two people: a man who made a choice to be happy, even if that meant isolating himself from family and friends; and a woman who made the choice to be a wife, even as her traditional notions of marriage faded."

--Eric Winick, from "How Are You Who You Are?"

June 9, 2008
NEW GUEST: Jesse Hardman "Lifeline Radio" & NEW REVIEW: Elizabeth Arnold "On Interviewing"

* NEW GUEST - Jesse Hardman "Lifeline Radio"

Jesse Hardman has been to Transom before, premiering his delicate piece about his father's Parkinson's Disease. Lately he's been traveling, setting up radio programs in the developing world. Right now, he's in Sri Lanka, doing... well, this is his short answer: "I drive around in a white Toyota van with four or five Sri Lankan reporters along the perimeter of the war zone here. I am in charge of both training these reporters and helping them produce a weekly newspaper and radio show. In the van we have one Sinhalese Buddhist, one Muslim, one Tamil Hindu, and one Tamil Catholic." Jesse has prepared a remarkable description of what he's doing, how, and why. He has included photos and audio and he's prepared to talk with all of you about making radio under these conditions. Highly recommended.

http://www.transom.org/guests/review/200805_jesse_hardman/


* NEW REVIEW - Elizabeth Arnold "On Interviewing *

Now you can download Elizabeth's frank and useful Manifesto "On Interviewing," along with her dialog with Transom users. Elizabeth talks about interview situations from Alaska to Sri Lanka to Mongolia to Capital Hill. "I don't think being dispassionate necessarily translates into fairness or even objectivity. Often it translates into a boring story where you can actually feel the distance between the reporter and the subject and even more troubling to me, the reporter or host can often sound downright condescending. I hate that!"

http://www.transom.org/guests/review/200804_elizabeth_arnold/


Drop over any time,

Jay Allison
Atlantic Public Media
Woods Hole, Massachusetts

=================

"I am sitting in a climate-controlled boardroom on the 36th floor of Colombo's 'World Trade Towers,' looking out the window at the Indian Ocean. The only boat at sea is a Navy cruiser, patrolling the harbor for rebel attacks, reminding me that there's a war going on. The programming director of an FM Tamil language radio station, is telling me that all of the content produced by my staff of journalists, every last word, must be proofread by him before it goes on the air. It is clear he's a government stooge as he does not even speak the Tamil language, only Sinhala, the dialect of the Buddhist majority. He explains that no politically controversial stories will be allowed on the air, period. The problem is politically controversial in Sri Lanka can be as simple as explaining a food shortage or the usefulness of having a birth certificate. My colleague and I are then told by a radio representative that, 'We can't tell the truth in Sri Lanka.' Welcome to journalism in the developing world."

"I want to invite any questions people might have about media development work. How do you edit in a language you don't speak? How do you work within the limits of government censorship? How do you protect journalists whose lives are at risk? How do you change a culture of media that has lost its way? Those are a few I'm happy to elaborate on, but feel free to ask your own. Fire Away!

-Jesse Hardman more at www.transom.org