A fine production with great use of sound. Well thought out and reported yet contains an added plus of personal disclosure by the producers so we know their perspective and background allowing for an insider's insight. Rarely do we hear this depth regarding the Middle East and particularly the women of Iran. American Radio Works is to be commended for taking on documentaries of substance. This program would make a worthy one-hour special for any station. There are many tie-ins to holidays such as Ramadan and Women's History Month. But really this can and should air anytime.

I could listen to pieces with and about Yo-Yo Ma all day. Not only is he a brilliant musician but he's a skilled and expressive communicator. Artists often have a difficult time explaining and their art. Not so with Ma. This is an excellent arts piece with intricately woven music and interview segments. Would work in any magazine show. Highly recommended...

Great production values and creative use of music, archival sound and actualities. Difficult subject to pull off - the story of one song written in the concentration camp era and its impact on the world. But several obstacles here to getting airplay in America. The narrator has a strong accent that I found difficult to follow while listening in the car. Not so hard to follow on the internet but a good majority of people listen in their cars or kitchen radios and that has to be considered. The piece is at an odd length - 38 minutes - and might be a challenge to program. But the material is just not that accessible for American audiences. The significance of this song is just that clear here. I doubt if most people have heard of it. That would be difficult to program and to promote.

From musical opening, you know there's something special coming. Producer Dheera Sujan interweaves her narration with voices from circus performers as they reveal their day to day experiences amid circus music/ambience along with comments by her own young daughter. Not the high-tech cirque du soleil type circus but the real down-to-earth original circus of family performers who have dedicated their lives (and in some cases limbs) to the circus world. I especially appreciated Sujan's query to how animals are treated and trained. A great piece for families to listen to together. Stations could air this during festive, holiday times or during the summer when people might be going to the circus or to carnivals. Captivating from start to finish....Dmae

This is piece a good example of how PRX can be used to not only distibute work but to aid in its creation and betterment. I first heard the 15-minute version of this piece and offered Ms. Dunn some suggestions to edit and remix it into a feature that could be used by most news magazines. She went through two more incarnations of the piece and offers this 5:55. Now the commentary, reportage, interviews and field ambience work together to create a newsy yet off-beat feature. There are still some levels that could be brought up and some of the background ambience doesn't work as well for my tastes but this is a solid piece. The info about China's one-child policy and the effect the porn industry is an unsual take on the challenges of family planning and sex education. Any Pacific Rim radio station would do well to air this piece. Certainly Pacific Time should air this piece...Let's hear hear more from this producer in the future...Dmae

What a concept...contraception from a male perspective. Why hasn't this been done before? Kudos to Radio Netherlands for this insightful and frank documentary - I can't ever remember hearing the phrase 'trusty old rubbers" or "men who've had the snip" on public radio before. It's also interesting to hear the cultural differences of contraception in the Netherlands compared to the U.S. A woman who carries condoms in her purse is considered "intelligent" and "proud of herself" and not a slut. This doc also deals with the fears of vasetecomy - fear that Dutch men have overcome as the Netherlands has the highest rate of male sterilization in the world - and an update on the progress of the male pill. "Man's Choice" has a good mix of interviews, music and solid reporting. Certainly this is a piece that needs to be heard by young straight men for the information and reassurance that they do have options for contraception. Stations could air this half hour anytime and as often as possible...Dmae

An honest piece of self-exploration. Shows you the power of radio to tell an intimate, personal story that rings true. Simple production - one voice but Blunt Youth Radio is to be commended for providing an opportunity to the youth in this juvenile facility the tools to create some meaning and expression from a sad set of circumstances. There are a some technical problems at the end so it would need to be edited or faded out. This would be a good follow-up for any news magazine that might feature a juvenile crime or detention story. Access to these facilities is hard to get and every state has enough to make this a universal experience for any local station....Dmae

Okay, this isn't Firesign Theatre or Duck's Breath as far as production values but this improv from the perspective of modern-day passengers complaining about post-Homeland Security flights is FUNNY. I think listeners would love to hear this as a drop-in during local news magazines. There is so little humor heard on the air that's actually funny, I recommend considering these productions to lighten the day. It's topical and unfortunately probably evergreen considering the state of post 9/11 America.... Let's hear more of these pieces...Dmae

A reminder that taking your time on a trip is just as important as getting there. That the journey starts when you head out the door of your house. Warga meets some great characters on this Road Trip from Seattle to L.A. via train and bus including a cab driver who promotes industrial hemp, a soldier freaked out about going back to battle, a runaway youth. This is an experiment to not drive or fly documented in audio. Warga has a great easygoing style and the piece moves you comfortably arm-char traveling. A bit long for a feature for a news magazine show. But would do well paired up with another long piece to make a great half-hour or a one-hour special with three other similiarly themed pieces about travel or personal journeys. The SOQ out is still in the piece though and would need to be trimmed or faded out for a station to use within local programming. Definitely worth a listen and consideration....Dmae

Great recordings and soundscape. Loved the movement through places and people. Felt like a personal tour of Bologna. Braider has a great voice for radio. Would have liked to have heard his commentary in first person rather than reportage. His voice could lend itself to the more personal approach. Still this piece would be an assett to any magazine program. Good work!