Approaching Africa

How do different groups approach Africa? Stories about media coverage of Africa, a student who taught poetry at a Zambian refugee camp, and how Ghana influenced Martin Luther King Jr.

Host: Micah Cratty
Producers: Micah Cratty and Jonah Willihnganz
Featuring: Chrissie Coxon, Stefanie Garcia, William Loel Von Hoene, Clayborne Carson
Music: Grant Newsome, Kissing Johnny

Release Date: 26 November 2007

Listen to the Full Show:

Story 1: Visual Media and the Dark Continent

The first story is a study of the media’s limited coverage of Africa. Print and television media are primarily visual – how does this simple fact affect the types of stories that make it into the news?

Producers: Chrissie Coxon, Stefanie Garcia

Story 2: A Blonde African American’s Unique Perspective of Africa

William Loel Von Hoene went to a Zambian refugee camp to teach Poetry. When people ask him, “How was your trip?” his answer isn’t always what they expect to hear.

Producer: Micah Cratty
Featuring: William Loel Von Hoene

Story 3: Africa Influences the US

African Independence Movements, especially in Ghana, influenced a young Martin Luther King, Jr. Since Stanford is the home of the Martin Luther King Papers Project, much of the material in this story comes from this source.

Producer: Micah Cratty
Featuring: Clayborne Carson

story 1 image via flickr | story 2 image via flickr | story 3 image via flickr


Animal Kingdom I

Animals play strange roles in our lives. Often, critters captivate those of us in the of the so-called dominant species. Our debut show includes four stories and a poem. Students search for salamanders in Stanford’s Lake Lagunita. A scientist hatches a plan to “Re-wild” North America with endangered predators from Africa. Cats and Dogs inflict drama on couples who try to co-own them. Elephants may or may not have rescued tourists in Thailand, and Fireflies illuminate the soul in a poem by Troy Jollimore. Will animals captivate you this week?

Host: Bonnie Swift
Producers: Bonnie Swift and Jonah Willihnganz
Featuring: Rebecca Jacobs and Kalani Leifer, Kate Youngman and Tom James, Tracy Shepard, Hilton Obenzinger, Troy Jollimore.
Music: Hunt Alcott, Ambika, Cem Durouz
URL’s: Hilton Obenzinger, Troy Jollimore.

Release Date: 5 November 2007

Listen to the Full Show:

Story 1: Amphibians of Love

Stanford’s Lake Lagunita was historically a place for sunbathing, skinny dipping and homecoming bonfires, but now it looks more like a mud flat than a lake. This is a story about a tiny animal who has transformed this Stanford landmark.

Producers: Kalani Leifer and Rebecca Jacobs

Story 2:Rewilding?

The story of one man’s proposal to introduce wild animals from the African Savannah into the great plains of the United States.

Producers: Kate Youngman and Tom James

Story 3: Animal Compatibility

Can cat people get along with dog people?

Producer: Tracy Sheppard

Story 4: Elephant Saviors

A story about the strange and heroic and perhaps mythological behavior of elephants during the Thailand Tsunami of 2004.

Producer: Bonnie Swift

Featuring: Hilton Obenzinger

Story 5: Fireflies

A poem by Troy Jollimore.

story 1 image via gobot – story 2 image via dkeats – story 3 image via earthworm – story 4 image via rockinred1969 – story 5 image via jbmac


Animal Kingdom II

More stories about the ways that animals shape our lives. A tour of Stanford’s Animal Research Facility, and a short story about one father’s strange relationship with the family dog.

Host: Bonnie Swift
Producers: Bonnie Swift and Jonah Willihnganz.
Featuring: Steven Tagle, James Madsen, Eric Puchner, Lee Konstantinou.
Music: Ember

Release Date: 12 November 2007

Story 1: Primates with Orange Juice Ice Cubes

Take a tour of the Stanford Animal Research Facility, and hear how the animals are really treated. They’re treated like animals, right?

Producers: Steven Tagle and James Madson

Story 2: Animals Here Below

Animals can make you laugh — and sometimes and cry — even when they’re dead. Short fiction by Eric Puchner.

URL’s: Eric Puchner’s website, Storytelling Project’s interview with Eric Puchner

story 1 image via amber_10_79 – story 2 image via rivacrekennels