Sandra Sleight-Brennan is a talented veteran producer of public interest radio pieces. Hers is not advocacy journalism a la Pacifica, but emotionally rich radio that digs far deeper than the soundbite and the first impression.
The Ohio Valley Coal Company is conducting longwall mining under Dysart Woods that's producing some irreparable damage to pieces of Ohio's natural and architectural history. That mining is also producing the electricity to run the computers and radios that make this story possible.
"Electricity: Paying the Price" opens like life, right into unexcused dialog. And throughout the piece, Sleight-Brennan leaves just light-footed tracks, she stays out of the way as a narrative presence, instead committing the silent hard work of editing and producing that brings us – the word isn't actualities, which drips a bit of posturing – she brings us real people's real words, and the thoughts behind them.
Sleight-Brennan is present as in interviewer, though, and I like that. Her gentle company in the story – "Uh-huh." "Mmm." "How scary was that?" – take "Paying the Price" out of the rectangular box of radio and into the worn seat of breakfast nook conversation.
Ultimately, the listener is not served a neatly-packaged moral, but instead is invited to listen and think. And likely talk about his piece when it's over.
Perhaps because we're immersed, the wrap comes surprisingly quick, and some prepared back-announce to outro with would help frame "Paying the Price" most advantageously.
Review of Electricity: Paying the Price
Geo Beach
Posted on January 31, 2005 at 12:36 PM
Sandra Sleight-Brennan is a talented veteran producer of public interest radio pieces. Hers is not advocacy journalism a la Pacifica, but emotionally rich radio that digs far deeper than the soundbite and the first impression.
The Ohio Valley Coal Company is conducting longwall mining under Dysart Woods that's producing some irreparable damage to pieces of Ohio's natural and architectural history. That mining is also producing the electricity to run the computers and radios that make this story possible.
"Electricity: Paying the Price" opens like life, right into unexcused dialog. And throughout the piece, Sleight-Brennan leaves just light-footed tracks, she stays out of the way as a narrative presence, instead committing the silent hard work of editing and producing that brings us – the word isn't actualities, which drips a bit of posturing – she brings us real people's real words, and the thoughts behind them.
Sleight-Brennan is present as in interviewer, though, and I like that. Her gentle company in the story – "Uh-huh." "Mmm." "How scary was that?" – take "Paying the Price" out of the rectangular box of radio and into the worn seat of breakfast nook conversation.
Ultimately, the listener is not served a neatly-packaged moral, but instead is invited to listen and think. And likely talk about his piece when it's over.
Perhaps because we're immersed, the wrap comes surprisingly quick, and some prepared back-announce to outro with would help frame "Paying the Price" most advantageously.