Newsweek has posted a slideshow titled “The Women of NPR,” which highlights the legacy of public radio trailblazers like Nina Totenberg, Cokie Roberts, Linda Wertheimer, and Susan Stamberg as well as some of NPR’s rising stars. A companion article explores “How NPR Became a Hotbed for Female Journalists. The features come on the heels of a report from the Women’s Media Center on the status of women in the media. It is a generally depressing read, but the report does note that “Overall, about half of NPR hosts and reporters are female.” Read more »

I was very pleased to read that This American Life has been honored with a George Polk Award for Radio Reporting. The award is for a feature the program aired last March titled “Very Tough Love.” I still remember vividly listening to the podcast edition of the program on my way home from the Atlanta airport. It was a riveting hour of radio that described a pattern of harsh sentences from Georgia county drug court judge. Ira Glass came under harsh criticism from the judge and her attorney for his reporting. But, as the press release announcing the award notes: [...] Read more »

One of my favorite podcasts is The Moth, which offers “True Stories Told Live.” If you have yet to check out the podcast (and I hope you will), you may have heard The Moth Radio Hour on your favorite public radio station. Last year, The Moth was honored with a Peabody Award, a great honor in broadcasting. This month, another honor has come their way in the form of a MacArthur Award for Creative and Effective Institutions, which grants a cash award of $750,000. The Moth is a great inspiration on the Southern Public Media Group, especially since it took [...] Read more »

The Southern Public Media Group is a diverse group of media professionals working to bring the stories from the American Southeast to a larger audience. Read more »