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Volume 6, Issue 1

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An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

A Word about From Print to Air Lesson: The news media has the Individuals and U.S. media concerns are currently caught responsibility to provide citizens up with the latest means of communication — iPods, with information. The articles podcasts, MySpace and Facebook. Activities in this guide and activities in this guide assist focus on an early means of media communication — radio. students in answering the following Streaming, podcasting and satellite technology have kept questions. In what ways does radio a viable medium in contemporary society. providing news through print, broadcast and the Internet help The news peg for this guide is the establishment of citizens to be self-governing, better WTWP radio station by The Washington Post Company informed and engaged in the issues and Bonneville International. We include a wide array and events of their communities? of other stations and media that are engaged in utilizing In what ways is radio an important First Amendment guarantees of a free press. Radio is also means of conveying information to an important means of conveying information to citizens individuals in countries around the in widespread areas of the world. In the pages of The world? Washington Post we learn of the latest developments in technology, media personalities and the significance of radio Level: Mid to high in transmitting information and serving different audiences. Subjects: Media Studies, Journalism, “To participate in a global society, we continue to extend English our ways of communicating. … Teachers and students need to expand their appreciation of the power of print Related Activity: Mathematics, and nonprint texts. Teachers should guide students in American Culture, Ethics, Careers constructing meaning through creating and viewing nonprint texts,” states The National Council of Teachers of English. In “On Viewing and Visually Representing as Forms of Literacy,” the NCTE resolved in 1996 that its “publications, conferences, and affiliates support professional development and promote public awareness of the role that viewing and visually representing our world have as forms of literacy.” Listening and responding to radio extend this statement. In addition, developing a daily reading habit during the NIE Online Guide school year should be encouraged. Each section of The Post Editor: Carol Lange offers material that can be used in the classroom and in Layout: Bill Webster family reading and discussion time. NIE Teacher Advisory Team Members The online guides provided by The Washington Post NIE contributing to this guide: Linda White, Parkland Magnet Middle School for program suggest activities to use with Post articles and Aerospace Technology, Rockville, Md. the reproducibles that we have created for you. Select the ones that are appropriate for the age of your students, time Send comments about this guide to available and curriculum fit. Margaret Kaplow, Educational Services Manager, [email protected].

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

From Print to Air Teaching about Radio

Post Launches a Radio Station (podcasts, streaming), why the FCC Radio Curriculum At 5:30 a.m. on March 30, regulates radio and TV companies, highschooljournalism.org/broadcast 2006, The Washington Post and and how newspapers and radio are A four-course radio curriculum, lessons Bonneville International, owner expressions of First Amendment begin with the basics and build to advanced of WTOP, launched a new radio guarantees. Teachers may wish to radio skills. Includes journalism, English station. “Because there’s always take a business approach — what Language arts, technical skills and sound more to the story,” WTWP began financial benefits and risks come engineering, law and ethics, and history of service, airing a different take on from a newspaper company owning radio. Student activity sheets, vocabulary radio news. Washington Post Radio a radio station, how is a target and Web resources accompany lessons. provides the usual mix of weather, audience determined and how traffic and news updates. Its a station knows it is a success Radio Pioneers & Core Technologies features and discussions with Post (Arbitron, listener interaction/e- www.fcc.gov/omd/history/radio/ reporters at home and abroad add mails, and community events). The Federal Communications Commission depth and define the station. provides a succinct history of radio Distribute “What’s On Air?” to Use a Format Clock personalities and technology: “The Ideas students. The first section (1-5) is a Regulations that affect that Made Radio Possible,” “The Power that survey of students’ listening habits. broadcasters are contained in Title Made Radio Realistic” and “The Quality Compiling the responses and 47 of the U.S. Code. Licensees that Made Radio Popular.” creating bar graphs to organize data (stations) must keep accurate is the first of several mathematics records in program logs. This Museum of Broadcast Communications applications embedded in the includes the time each station www.museum.tv/ suggested activities of this guide. identification announcement (call “The MBC examines popular culture and Form five to six groups to tally letters and location) is made and contemporary American history through the the information and to create bar an entry briefly describing each sights and sounds of television and radio.” graphs to present their findings to program broadcast, such as “music,” Check out the archives and the Radio Hall the class. Use Question #6 to get “drama,” “speech,” with its title, of Fame. each student’s evaluation of the the sponsor’s name, and when the compiled data. program began and ended. Museum of Television and Radio Distribute copies of “TWP In addition to maintaining logs, www.mtr.org/ Launches WTWP.” This article stations keep track of programming The MT&R collects and preserves television introduces the intended audience with a format clock. Distribute and radio programs and makes these and purpose of the new Washington “Format Clock.” Explain that the programs available to the public. Their Post Company venture. Visit www. circle graph is used to present programs include distance learning classes washingtonpost.com and select information for the host, station for teachers. WTWP schedule. Have students manager and others. This is called read the chart. What program is a format clock by radio stations. Library of American Broadcasting broadcast during your class? Do Discuss the kind of information that www.lib.umd.edu/UMCP/LAB/ students see any programs that is provided, for example: The library is located on the campus of might interest them? If possible, • Kind of programming (news, the University of Maryland, College Park. listen to a segment of the current music, listener comments), Explore the site for online exhibits and broadcast. • Specific content (songs and resources. This article can serve as a performers), springboard for several approaches. • Required information (promos, Teachers may wish to keep the time of broadcast, and station ID in focus on media — why a newspaper the U.S.). company would want to own a radio station, how an older technology (radio) is using current technology to keep and reach new audiences continued on page

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page other than or in addition to English. In the Know In the early 1980s there were two radio stations that broadcast in Actuality: In print, a quotation; in Apply Mathematics Skills Spanish, now there are nearly a Review the key to “An Hour of dozen in the Washington area, for television, a sound bite or SOT. In Radio.” Ask students to answer the example. Distribute “Reporting in radio, the recorded voice of a speaker; following questions: Familiar Languages” to students. recording on tape of an interview for • How many minutes in the hour This is not an all-inclusive listing, later use. are spent on music? On station so teachers may wish to add to it or promotion? have students add media that they • A consultant who helped are aware of from their homes or Ambience: Sound occurring naturally design the broadcast formula said neighborhoods. The purpose of this in a location. This sound captured on “in a typical hour, 16A minutes activity is to acquaint students with tape brings realism to a report or story; of programming is devoted to the ethnic media in the D.C. area. news.” Is the example format clock In addition to making students listeners feel as if they are on site. representative of a typical hour? In aware of alternative media, this can what portion of the hour is most be used as a research assignment. Anchor: The person who delivers the news broadcast? Do your student journalists and news on air from a studio. • For what percent of the hour other students know how to locate are Persian songs heard? Western information about businesses? The songs? What percent is given phone book and the Web are natural Call Letters: The radio call signs that to listener comments? To U.S. starting points. At cdrtv.com am identify a station. The FCC compares headlines? stations (www.dcrtv.org/mediawa. them to “license plates that identify Have students create a html) teachers will find some format clock either for WTWP background information on the AM communication traffic on the radio programming or that of a station of stations. highways.” There are exceptions, but their choice. The circle graph could After research is completed, most that begin with the letter W are relate one hour of programming, students should share their findings a portion of a day or a 24-hour in written and oral presentation located east of the Mississippi River and period. Each task will offer a forms. Students who are proficient those that begin with K are west of the challenge in visually presenting in a second language may discover Mississippi River. and accurately determining the that they may submit pieces for segments of the circle to represent airing or publication. ID: The identification of a radio station, the total number of hours and Teachers who wish to explore minutes. the business side of radio should its call letters and location. “This is download “Spanish-Language K’MON, country radio from Great Falls, Radio Informs Radio’s Big Voice: Stations Act Montana, coming your way.” Teachers may wish to introduce as Community Center and Tutor students to the Voice of America to Bridge the Gaps Between and Radio Free Europe before they Homeland, United States.” This Promo: An on-air promotion of a station distribute, read and discuss “U.S. July 3, 2006, Washington Business or programming — spoken or pre- Station Seeks Ear of Iran’s Youths.” section article by Krissah Williams produced An activity sheet with questions, and Paul Farhi introduces readers “Radio Farda,” is also provided in to Alejandro Carrasco, host of this guide. WACA AM. This article would Top of the Hour: At the beginning of an be an interesting comparison- hour of scheduled programming Radio Reaches a Diverse Population contrast piece to “A Quiet Storm of Within the Washington region, Wrap: News read by a host/reporter with many radio stations, television programs and newspapers reach an actuality. It follows the order of news- residents who speak languages continued on page actuality-news.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page and intertwining interviews, and Classroom Radio broadcast sports announcing and Applause” which is included in this local color analysis style. Students One teacher shares some of the many ways guide. who love sports will enjoy meeting radio may be included in classroom projects. one of the greats while learning Radio as a Career and as an Impact these other lessons. English on Lives There is also a lesson in ethics. In a decades project, students research President Reagan, Vin Scully In the biographic summary, one people and culture of WWII and the 1940s. and Cathy L. Hughes all have one paragraph reads: “Never uses ‘we’ Students have the option of researching thing in common — radio has been when referring to the Dodgers.” “real” people as well as Mickey Mouse, an important part of their lives. This important insight into his Superman and characters featured on radio. The following articles could all be professionalism may be lost. Musicians and performers who were heard used in an exploration of radio as a Although his salary is paid by the by families gathered around the radio are career choice. Other possibilities for Dodgers, he is there to report the included. use follow. game to listeners, to relate what both teams are doing, and to be Social Studies • President Ronald Reagan informative. Print and broadcast When teaching primary sources, examples Do your students remember journalism students should discuss include surviving recordings of FDR’s President Ronald Reagan? Perhaps this important point: Are they fans Fireside chats. they lived in the Metro area and or reporters when covering sports witnessed the procession of the events for their schools? National History Day horse-drawn caisson bearing his Include projects related to communication in body at his state funeral on June • Cathy L. Hughes history. 9, 2004. Discuss what they know Readers are initially set in the about him. Distribute and read midst of the glamour of the “silver- Reading “Former President Had a Passion anniversary shindig” by reporter When students have to read biographies, for Sports; He Played Football, Paul Farhi. The real focus of “A they might include Marconi and others who Announced Baseball,” an article Quiet Storm of Applause” is the had a role in developing radio. appearing in the Sports section at “compelling rags-to-riches” story his death. Students will learn about of Radio One founder Cathy — Linda White, Parkland Magnet Middle School for early sports announcing over the Hughes and her son. Students Aerospace Technology, Rockville, Md. radio and glimpse the role of sports gain insight into the steps Hughes in the personal, early professional took from working at Howard Editor’s Suggestion and official lives of a former University’s WHUR-FM to building D.C. Renaissance (April 27, 2004, NIE President as revealed by himself and a broadcasting empire. online guide) found at www.washpost. others. com/nie features radio, Art Deco and Listen the musicians, writers and artists who • Vin Scully During this school year, “Special were significant contributors to the D.C. The math: Baseball was first Assignment” will emphasize a Renaissance. Suggested resources include broadcast over the radio in 1921. different skill in each guide and will a trip to the Radio-Television Museum in Vin Scully began calling the games present two approaches, one for Bowie, Md. in 1950. What percent of baseball’s younger students and one for older entire over-the-air lifespan has students. Scully announced games? Radio requires active listening. Read and discuss “A Legendary “Special Assignment: Listen” for Career That Speaks for Itself.” younger students explains radio Students are introduced to the station call letters as the “license respected voice of the Dodgers, plates of the airwaves.” Vin Scully. Teachers can use the article to teach the elements of a profile, the inclusion of details continued on page

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page Strong and Growing “Special Assignment: Listen” for older students ” provides three devices that Spanish-language radio’s nationwide audience share has grown. may be used to develop better listening Its audience has passed that of many English-language formats. skills: use of a station’s posted daily schedule, promo and top of the hour. 18% Audience share compared with other formats (Winter ’06)

Teachers who wish to spend more 15 time on the content of the top-of- 12 the-hour format should visit www. highschooljournalism/org and select 9 Broadcast. At this Radio and Television News Directors Foundation section 6 on the ASNE site, select lesson 1.38.0 “And Top of the Hour to You.” For 3 more information and a lesson on writing promos, go to the same Web 0 News/ Adult Spanish Contemp. Urban Country Rock site and select 2.13.0 “Write and Talk Contemp. Language Hits Produce an On-Air Promo.” There are SouRCe: Arbitron several handouts, including “On-Air THE WASHINGTON POST Promo Vocabulary” for use with this lesson.

It’s the Law The balance between community standards and Freedom of Speech now comes with a larger price tag as the radio3 maximum penalty for broadcasting indecent material on radio and PROOF television increased. Many Post articles desk:Business reported passage of the Broadcast Run date: 7/ Decency Enforcement Act in 2006. Size: 9.1 inches x 2.72 inches “Six-Figure Fines For Four-Letter Artist: david murray Words Worry Broadcasters,” a Business article, reports on the responses to the legislation. CCI–SLUG: radio3.WBU

Keep Listening and Watching In addition to the articles in this guide, teachers should look in the following sections of The Post for more recent reporting on radio, ethnic media in the area and WTWP: In the daily paper — News, Metro, Style, Washington Business, Business — and in Sunday’s Post — articles in Style, Sunday Source, Arts and “The Listener” column in the Arts section. Name ______Date ______

What’s On Air?

Survey your listening habits, learn about a new radio station and suggest changes to improve radio programming.

1. Do you listen to the radio? 6. What do our responses tell us about the radio listening _____ Never habits of our class? Write your answer on your own paper. _____ Occasionally _____ Often 7. WTWP is a new radio station. Have you heard of or listened to WTWP? _____ No 2. If you do listen to the radio, how often? _____ Yes _____ Less than an hour weekly _____ Heard of it, but never listened to it. _____ 1-3 hours weekly _____ 4-6 hours weekly, Read “WTWP Radio Debuts.” _____ An hour a day _____ 2-3 hours daily 8. An area high school has a radio station. If you could _____ 4 or more hours daily produce a program for grades 3-6 students to air on that station, what would you suggest? _____ DJ and music interviews 3. For what purpose do you listen to the radio? (To _____ Homework help indicate the main purpose write “1” on the line before _____ Local history the choice, the next usual purpose “2” and the third with _____ News “3.” If you occasionally, listen to radio for one of the other _____ Reading of books and author interviews, choices, put a checkmark on the line. _____ Topics that relate to science, history and language _____ News arts testing _____ Music _____ Other: _____ Podcasts _____ Sports 9. Many Washington Post reporters appear on WTWP. If _____ Traffic report, you were program manager of WTWP, what new program _____ Weather report would you recommend to attract teen listeners and which _____ Other: ______Post reporters would you want to appear on the show?

4. When do you most often listen to the radio? A. _____ In the morning _____ In the afternoon _____ At night 10. Based on the survey results, what time of day would be best for such programming to be added? B. _____ Getting ready for school _____ Commuting to/from school, _____ Doing homework _____ Exercising _____ Before I fall asleep

5. To which station do you most often listen? ______Volume 6, Issue 1

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program TWP Launches WTWP By Marc Fisher news bulletins from washingtonpost. The station also will feature Washington Post Staff Writer com, morning and afternoon drive-time journalists from Slate and Newsweek, programs featuring Post reporters and both owned by The Washington Post In the 1920s, when many of the columnists discussing the news of the Company. But because most print first radio stations were owned by day, and midday talk shows focusing on journalists lack radio experience, the newspapers, the news consisted of business, sports, health, family and the station’s anchors will be professional editors sitting in front of a microphone arts. broadcasters, among them Mike Moss, to read the morning paper to listeners. The station will include the voices the morning man on WTOP; Bob Kur, The goal was to boast newspaper sales. of Post movie critic Stephen Hunter, a longtime NBC News correspondent; The Washington Post and Bonneville Reliable Source reporters Roxanne Sam Litzinger, a veteran of CBS and International, owner of all-news Roberts and Amy Argetsinger, business public radio; and Hillary Howard, a WTOP, are launching a radio station, writer Jerry Knight, baseball columnist local TV weathercaster turned WTOP Washington Post Radio, on which Thomas Boswell, media writer Howard news anchor. no one will read stories from the Kurtz and hundreds of other writers and The anchors will work out of studios newspaper. Instead, the station, WTWP, editors, from foreign correspondents at Bonneville’s local headquarters in the will try to appeal to listeners who might describing the scene in Baghdad or McLean Gardens section of Northwest find all-news radio too superficial Bali to suburban reporters delivering Washington, while most of The yet think of public radio as too dull. the latest from crime scenes or Post’s participants will join programs The idea is to make better use of the neighborhood disputes. from a new studio constructed in the newspaper’s wide-ranging expertise, “This is local, accessible, hometown, newspaper’s downtown (fourth floor) develop Post personalities and give conversational radio,” says Tina newsroom. Washingtonian’s a new reason to Gulland, The Post’s director of TV and stick with broadcast radio. And boost radio projects and an architect of the * A partial reprint of Fisher’s March newspaper sales. new station. “In eight years here, I’ve 19, 2006, column. When Washington Post Radio debuts been seduced by how funny and witty March 30 on 1500 AM and 107.7 FM and knowledgeable the people in this * For daily schedule, visit www. — dial positions that had been home newsroom are — and what fabulous washingtonpost.com and click on to WTOP’s 24-hour headline service storytellers they are.” WTWP. — listeners will hear twice-hourly

An Hour of Radio Following is an example of an hour News and comment of Radio Farda programming Persian song in Iran. The broadcast Western song occurred on May 3 9:6– 10:00 9:–9:6 from 9 to 10 p.m. “Golpari” “Henna” by by Sattar Khaled and Cameron 9:00–9:1 Carito Newscast from WESTERN SON GS Washington 9:9–9: Radio F PERSIAN SON “I’m Gonna Getcha GS arda prom NEW Good” by Shania Twain S AN D C OM 10:00 9:00 M E 9::9 o N Iranian cultural news T

9:–9: “I Want You” by Sheila 9: 9:1 9:1–9:0 “Wound” by Meera 9:–9: More listener comments 9:0–9: Listener comments 9:–9: 9:0 on marriage to “Disgraced rda promo person of different by Love” Fa nationality by Shakila Radio arda promo 9:–9:6 9:–9:7 “I Swear by You” Radio F “Hung Up” 9:6–9:7 by Black Cats by Madonna 9:–9: Iranian and “Ripping Apart 9:0-9: 9:7–9:0 U.S. cultural My Heart” Headlines “La Dona” news by Arash from by Gipsy Washington Kings

BY SETH HAMBLIN AND LAURA STANTON — THE WASHINGTON POST

The typical listener is probably a male (but might be a and that the Iranian government doesn’t want anyone to hear female), most likely under 30 (but might be over), and what a U.S.-funded radio service has to say. is almost certainly listening in a house (but might be in How, then, does Radio Farda — which receives about $7 a car). When it comes to knowing its audience, the U.S.- million in federal funding and is hoping for substantially funded Radio Farda knows only two things for sure: that the more as the United States expands its push for democracy in audience is surreptitiously listening somewhere inside Iran, Iran — decide on what to broadcast to such an audience? Volume 6, Issue 1

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program U.S. Station Seeks Ear of Iran’s Youths

David Finkel “A little bit of entertainment” is how Bert She listens to every one of the recorded answers Washington Post Staff Writer Kleinman, a consultant to Radio Farda, describes to “What Do You Think?” — giving her the odd the broadcast formula he helped design. “The sensation of hearing cars honking and children • Original Date of Publication: June 5, 2006 core of the mission is news and information” — in hollering and other background sounds of a country The typical listener is probably a male (but a typical hour, 16A minutes of programming is she lived in for 20 years. might be a female), most likely under 30 (but devoted to news — but “we were tasked to reach She enters the song lists, the chosen answers, might be over), and is almost certainly listening in out to the younger generation there. And quite the health tips and promos into a computer a house (but might be in a car). When it comes to frankly, you just can’t do it with news.” program, and one click later everything is arranged knowing its audience, the U.S.-funded Radio Farda So in addition to a 10-member news staff in into minute-by-minute programming for an entire knows only two things for sure: that the audience is Washington and a 28-member news staff in Prague, day. surreptitiously listening somewhere inside Iran, and there is Valinejad, whose duties as the person in “It’s easy,” she says, but in one way it isn’t: In that the Iranian government doesn’t want anyone to charge of the non-news include sifting through the taking the job, she realized she would be giving hear what a U.S.-funded radio service has to say. 300 or so phone messages a day left by listeners up any chance of seeing Iran again anytime soon. How, then, does Radio Farda — which receives who call in their responses to the interactive “Because the organization is part of the U.S. about $7 million in federal funding and is hoping feature “What Do You Think?” government and Iranian officials don’t like that,” for substantially more as the United States expands “We try in the American tradition to have she explains. “Maybe I could go back, I’m not sure, respectful dialogue,” Kleinman says of this feature, its push for democracy in Iran — decide on what to but the fear is there, always. They can put you in which airs twice an hour. An acceptable topic, broadcast to such an audience? trouble for anything there. Anything.” he says, is, “What should be done to improve the The answer can be found in an anonymous office What makes it worth it, Valinejad says, is the relationship between Iran and the United States?” building off Interstate 95 in Northern Virginia. idea of sending music into such a place. One thing An unacceptable topic would be, “Should the There, past the guard, past the magnetometer, she remembers from her time in Iran is that love mullahs be overthrown?” through the controlled-access doors and at the songs weren’t allowed, unless they were songs There are also station promotions that air very far desk in a quiet room, Sara Valinejad is about love of God or Islam. So into Iran goes a several times an hour, along with features about about to click a computer mouse and determine Celine Dion ballad and eight or so other songs health issues (acceptable: “why Vitamin E is good what any Iranian with an AM or shortwave radio, every hour on a route from Northern Virginia for you,” says Kleinman; unacceptable: “boil your or an Internet connection, will be able to hear the to Munich, then to a transmitting facility in water so you don’t get bubonic plague”). following day. Dubai, and then into a country where the Iranian More than anything else, though, there is music. The guiding philosophy: “In Iran, they don’t government tries to jam the signal and there’s no “Happy music,” Kleinman says. allow you to be happy,” says Valinejad, 30, who way to tell who’s listening at any given moment. No hip-hop. No alternative. No rap. emigrated from Iran 10 years ago. Radio Farda, she There have been attempts to find out. One “Adult contemporary,” Kleinman says. Music says, is intended to do the opposite. “It puts you in survey — done by calling Iranian phone numbers with “a happy beat to it.” a good mood when you listen to this radio station.” “Madonna. Michael Jackson. The Gipsy Kings. and asking the person on the other end whether Click. Bob Marley,” Valinejad says, looking over her he listens to Radio Farda — put the number of And so it is that in Iran they’ll soon be hearing playlist. “Abba. Enrique Iglesias. Phil Collins. adult listeners per week at 13.6 percent of the adult “Hung Up” by Madonna. Celine Dion.” population. It is only an estimate, though, because It is not frivolous, this decision of how Those are the English singers, but there are how many Iranians will speak honestly with a best to portray U.S. values and ideals via radio Persian singers, too, including Googoosh, Dariush, complete stranger who has telephoned them out of transmission. From surveys of Iranian ex-pats to Siavash Ghomayshi, Mansour, Hayedeh and Ebi. the blue? market tests in Dubai, Radio Farda has been a work “I know every single Persian singer,” Valinejad Nonetheless, Valinejad is sure they are out there in progress since its debut in late 2002. The one says, largely from watching the satellite feed of in droves, waiting to hear what song America is constant, for which it has been both lauded and several Los Angeles-based TV stations that beam sending their way next because if she were in Iran criticized, is that unlike Cold War-era transmissions programming into the homes of Iran’s elites. The that’s what she would be doing, too. “It gives you by the Voice of America and Radio Free Europe elites get TV and the masses get Farda, and for energy,” she says of the music. “It gives you hope. that relied primarily on news programming, Farda them Valinejad creates another day’s programming. It gives you something to look forward to.” blends news and music as a way to reach a country She sorts the songs into categories such as West And it gives you what’s up next for the people where two-thirds of the population is said to be Gold (Eagles, Elton John, Michael Bolton) and of Iran: Shania Twain, singing, “I’m Gonna Getcha under 30. Persian Gold (2 Fun, Andy, Sandy, Aref). Good!”

Post reporter David Finkel takes readers to a nondescript office building in Northern Virginia. Beyond secured access is the office of Radio Farda, the voice of American values and news transmitted by radio to listeners in Iran.

After reading the article, answer the following questions on your own paper.

1. By what means do Iranians hear Radio Farda?

2. On a map trace the transmission route from Northern Virginia to Iran.

3. Why is $7 million in federal funds given to support Radio Farda?

4. What does it mean to “jam” a signal? Why would the Iranian government do this?

5. In what ways does Radio Farda “portray U.S. values and ideals via radio transmission”?

6. How and why does Radio Farda differ from Voice of America?

7. Why do you think hip-hop, alternative and rap will not be heard on Radio Farda?

8. Radio depends on audio to communicate its entire message. Word choice is very important in conveying information and attitude toward one’s audience. Give and explain examples from the article.

9. Through producer Sara Valenjad the personal side of the story is told. What do readers learn about her job, its impact on her personal life and why she has chosen to work for Radio Farda?

10. What other questions about Radio Farda would you ask if you were the reporter?

11. Post reporter David Finkel states, “It is not frivolous, this decision of how best to portray U.S. values and ideals via radio transmission.” If you were producer of Radio Farda, what would you add to present U.S. values and ideals? Why do you think this addition would attract younger listeners and what would be communicated about the American people and culture? Name ______Date ______

Special Assignment: Listen Students around the world listen to radio. They listen to sing with their favorite vocalists or sway to the beat. They listen to hear the latest news at home or faraway. In emergency situations they turn to the radio to get instructions to find shelter or to stay where they are. Why do you listen to the radio?

Think of radio stations to which you listen. With what letter do most of them begin? Most likely they begin with W as in WTOP since most radio stations east of the Mississippi River and U.S. territories and possessions are assigned W as the first letter. If you lived west of the Mississippi River, your station call sign would most likely begin with K. Locate the Mississippi River. In what states do most of the stations have call signs beginning with K?

WASH. N.H. ME. MONT. N.D. MINN. VT. ORE. MASS. IDAHO S.D. WIS. N.Y. WYO. MICH. R.I. IOWA PA. CONN. NEV. NEB. OHIO UTAH ILL. IND. N.J. COLO. W.VA. VA. KAN. MO. CALIF. KY. DEL. N.C. TENN. MD. OKLA. ARIZ. N.M. ARK. S.C. D.C. MISS. ALA. GA. TEXAS LA.

ALASKA FLA. HAWAII

Why do stations need a call sign? The Federal Communications Communication on their Web site states, “Radio call signs, in effect, are the ‘license plates’ that identify communication traffic on the radio highways. … [There are] “85 different kinds of radio services providing land, sea, air and space communication services.”

When do you hear the call signs of a station? Title 47 of the U.S. Code requires stations to “make station identification announcement (call letters and location), at the beginning and ending of each time of operation and during the operation on the hour.”

Listen to the radio beginning two minutes before the hour and for three minutes after the hour. This is called the “Top of the Hour.”

1. When do you hear the call sign or call letters?

2. What is the station’s call sign?

3. What other information is given at this time?

Listen again at another Top of the Hour. Is the same kind of information given? What does this tell you about the kind of information to expect at the Top of the Hour? Name ______Date ______Special Assignment: Listen When looking for news, finding entertainment options or getting a quotation, you can read and re-read a page or section of a newspaper. The Washington Post even provides reader aids that guide you to the best section of the newspaper to find what you are seeking.

Radio requires listeners to pay attention to get the information when it is presented on-air. If you don’t listen actively, you may have to wait a half hour or hour before the same news or an update is given. If there is no podcast or transcript service, you may not be able to get information presented by a radio show’s guest.

Let’s use WTWP, a new radio station, to illustrate the ways you can be prepared to be a better listener.

Review the Published Daily Schedule Radio and TV stations make use of Web sites to communicate with their listeners and viewers. Visit WashingtonPostRadio. com or washingtonpost.com and select “Washington Post Radio: Today’s Schedule.” Review the listing. • What type of programming is found on this radio station? • Do any of them interest you? • Would you listen to one of the shows if a particular Washington Post writer or local guest is scheduled? For example, if Michael Wilbon were scheduled to talk about sports in D.C., would you make time to listen to him?

When you are prepared to hear a certain kind of information or particular speaker, you can be a more involved listener.

Listen for Promos Stations promote upcoming regular shows and special guests and programs that will be aired in the near future. A radio promo is usually 29 seconds. These programming advertisements are written in a lively style that is meant to capture a listener’s attention. The information may be accompanied with music, actualities (the radio term for quotations) and sound effects to engage listeners and interest them in the future program.

Be Alert at the Top of the Hour At the beginning of a radio or TV news program, the host or anchor provides a quick summary of upcoming stories to be covered. This is known as the “Top of the Hour.” The pace is fast, sometimes glitzy, and contains several stories to interest a variety of listeners and viewers.

Listen one minute before and three minutes after the hour to hear the transition from one show to another, the station ID and top of the hour information. • How many items are presented? • Are they presented with just enough information that you are teased to stay tuned to hear the whole story? • Was it the topic, a phrase of the host, a quotation, music or sound effect that caught your attention? Name ______Date ______Reporting in Familiar Languages

News in the D.C. area is heard in many languages You are to research one of the companies listed or one that through varied media. As Post reporters William Branigin your teacher assigns you. Skim the News, Metro, Business and Phuong Ly in April 2003 reported, ethnic television and Style sections of The Post to see if your company programs, radio stations and newspapers reach to the area’s or something about that media is in today’s newspaper. expanding immigrant population. The new media are a Information that you should find includes: reflection of demographic changes that have transformed the • Date established, distribution and/or area reached, Washington region. ownership, and office and Web addresses. Listed below are the ethnic newspaper, television and • In which language(s) is the content presented? radio stations in the Washington region that were mentioned • What is the range of the content? News from the in the article and some new ones. How many of them still homeland? Local issues affecting immigrant business owners exist, reaching their target audiences? Why have additional and workers? Education? Other? companies emerged since 2003? If they no longer exist, why • What is the mission of the media company? did they close?

NEWSPAPER TELEVISION RADIO Al-Nashra (The Report) Al Jazeera WBZS/WBPS, Mega Clasica, 92.7 FM/94.3 FM Chosun Daily Korean Broadcasting Network (KBN) WCTN, Spanish Talk/Music, 950 AM Doi Nay (Our Times) Telefutura, WMKDO-CA 47 WDCT, Koran Music/Talk, 1310 AM El Tiempo Latino LLC Telemundo, WZDC-LP 64 WILC, Viva 900, 900 AM El Pregonero (The Town Crier) Univision WKDV, Radio Universal, 1460 AM Epoch Times Vietnamese Television WLZL, El Zol, 99.1 FM Express India WLXE, Ethnic Mix, 1600 AM India This Week WMMJ, 102.3 FM Korea Daily WPWC, Radio Fiesta, 1480 AM Korean Weekly WYSK, Union Radio-La Positiva, 1350 La Nación USA AM

Los Tiempos

Mach Song (Life Line)

The Korea Times

Thu Do Thoi Bao

Washington Chinese News Volume 6, Issue 1

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Former President Had a Passion for Sports which more often than not in the 1930s description of the action available to He Played Football, meant recreating events from telegraph him from the dots and dashes sent from reports. That required some flourish, the ballpark by a telegraph operator to Announced Baseball and Reagan had honed that ability from the telegraph operator sitting across his acting roles — encouraged by his from him. Reagan essentially became By William Gildea mother — in high school and college. “the voice of the Chicago Cubs,” at Washington Post Staff Writer With radio becoming an integral least on WHO. part of American life in 1932, Reagan He recreated the 1932 World Series • Published: June 6, 2004, Sports, E1 auditioned for a sports announcer’s game in which Babe Ruth supposedly Sports were in Ronald Reagan’s blood. job at WOC, Davenport, Iowa. He had pointed to the Wrigley Field outfield Reagan once said that as a young to stand in front of a microphone in and delivered his “called shot” home man he loved acting, politics and sports a studio and make up a game. With run off Charlie Root. Reagan sounded — and was not sure in which order. extraordinary detail and excitement a bit melancholy in later years when Growing up in small-town Illinois, in his voice, he recounted much of mentioning Root, for Reagan had he made the most of his opportunities the fourth quarter of a game in which become a Cubs fan while behind the to do the things he liked. He played he played for Eureka — only in his mike. When recalling stories about the football at Dixon High School, fictitious version, Eureka won a game it Cubs, he sometimes referred to players graduating in 1928. A natural swimmer, actually lost. as “our” players. he worked summers from 1927 through “When the red light went on,” he told As inevitably happened in those days, 1932 as a lifeguard — and by his count, Mark Shields in a 1981 interview for Reagan suffered the agony of having the he pulled 77 people from the water Inside Sports magazine, “I said, ‘We’re telegraph connection go dead on him. to safety. At Eureka (Ill.) College, just going into the fourth quarter now. It happened to him as he recounted near Peoria, he played football as an It’s late afternoon, the long blue shadow in Where’s the Rest of Me? with the undersized but overachieving lineman is settling over the field, the chill wind Cubs’ Augie Galan at bat. In his game known for his determination despite blowing in through the end of the description, Reagan already had the being matched against much larger stadium. . . .’” pitch on the way when his in-house opponents. He also ran track and was WOC hired him to broadcast football. telegraph operator, Curly, slipped him captain of the swim team. “How do you do, ladies and a note saying he had lost contact with Eventually, he became an excellent gentlemen. We are speaking to you the ballpark. horseback rider, his interest in riding from high atop the Memorial Stadium “So I had Augie foul this pitch sparked from his earliest days when of the University of Iowa. . . .” he down the left-field foul line. I looked he enjoyed cowboy movies in Dixon’s recalled in an early autobiography, expectantly at Curly. He just shrugged only theater. Tom Mix was one of his Where’s the Rest of Me? He was paid helplessly, so I had Augie foul another favorites. Reagan would swim and ride $35 total to do four Iowa games. one, and still another; then he fouled horses well into his later years. Then came a four-year stint at a one back into the box seats. I described Although Babe Ruth was in his prime major station, WHO, in Des Moines. in detail the red-headed kid who had when Reagan was in high school, he He broadcast college football from scrambled and gotten the souvenir was unable to take up baseball because dozens of Midwest sites and recreated ball. He fouled one into the upper he was nearsighted. The condition was from telegraph reports more than 600 deck that just missed being a home detected in his early teenage years and big-league baseball games. Behind the run. He fouled for six minutes and prevented him from seeing pitches or WHO microphone at the events, he 45 seconds until I lost count. I began balls hit toward him until they were looked debonair and confident; he wore to be frightened that maybe I was only a few feet away. tailored suits, neckties, often sweaters, establishing a new world record for a Graduating from Eureka in 1932, with his black hair combed back and fellow staying at bat hitting fouls, and Reagan knew he had no future as parted in the middle. More often, this could betray me. Yet I was into it an athlete. But he hit upon a way to though, he was tucked away in the combine two of his loves, acting and studio, recreating the games, using his sports: He could be a sports announcer, imagination to flesh out the minimal continued on page 16

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 15 so far I didn’t dare reveal that the wire had gone dead. My voice was rising in pitch and threatening to crack — and then, bless him, Curly started typing. I clutched at the slip. It said: ‘Galan popped out on the first ball pitched.’ Not in my game he didn’t — he popped out after practically making a career of foul balls.” In 1937, Reagan used vacation time at WHO to join the Cubs at their California spring training site on Catalina Island. That trip enabled him to visit Hollywood, get a screen test and a new and bigger career. Tall and broad-shouldered, Reagan was athletic-looking. And, indeed, he was athletic. But his identification with sports is not so much because he played the games, but because of his football and baseball broadcasts and, later, his ASSOCIATED PRESS portrayal of athletes on the screen. He Des Moines radio broadcaster Ronald Reagan is ready at the microphone at “WHO” was halfback George Gipp in the 1940 in 1937. That was the year Wheaties had a contest for the best baseball broadcaster film Knute Rockne All American. As of the Midwest area. Reagan won. His prize was a trip to Hollywood. president, Reagan was often referred to as “The Gipper.” Though a remarkable And his upbeat attitude rubbed off. demanded to speak with the president. athlete, Gipp is remembered largely At that event, the often withdrawn Joe The gunman kept several people because of Reagan’s acting, in particular DiMaggio was exuberant. “Nobody’s hostage in the pro shop for about two the deathbed scene in which the ever seen him like this,” then- hours before surrendering, as Reagan, doomed hero looks to Rockne, played commissioner Bowie Kuhn remarked. in the interim, was rushed from the by Pat O’Brien, and says: “ . . . Some “He’s used up 10 years of words in the course in his armored limousine. days when things are tough, maybe you last hour. He’s talking to everybody.” Reagan liked football best of all can ask the boys to go in there and win Reagan enjoyed ceremonial occasions sports. In January 1985, he flipped just one for the Gipper.” that brought him back in touch with a coin to begin Super Bowl XIX in In 1952, Reagan was pitcher Grover sports. After the Redskins won the Palo Alto, Calif. — the coin toss in Cleveland Alexander in a film called Super Bowl in January 1983, he happily Washington was beamed by satellite The Winning Team. met the team at Dulles International to the game site and shown live on During his political life, Reagan Airport; Coach Joe Gibbs quoted him ABC-TV. Reagan once said that playing enjoyed meeting athletes and conversed as saying, “Congratulations, you really football gave him “inner confidence easily with them. Typically, he was in brought the city together.” In October because you’ve met your fellow man in high spirits hosting 32 baseball Hall of that year, he attended a World Series that kind of physical combat.” of Famers at a White House luncheon game between the Philadelphia Phillies One of the remarkable things in 1981. “I can’t tell you how thrilled I and Orioles in Baltimore. in Reagan’s life was how much he am to have you here . . . to look at your Less than two weeks after attending accomplished after claiming to have faces, you span the years for me,” he that game, he was expecting to have achieved his goal as a sports announcer. told them. “The nostalgia is bubbling another enjoyable time, playing golf at “If I had stopped there,” he wrote in in me. They may have to drag me out Augusta National. But while he was his 1990 autobiography, An American of here.” on the 16th hole, a gunman crashed a Life, “I believe I would have been happy pickup truck through a club gate and the rest of my life.”

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

BY JOHN SOOHOO — Los angeles dodgers Former baseball commissioner Bud Selig says hearing Vin Scully’s voice during a baseball game “just makes me feel better.” A Legendary Career That Speaks for Itself

By Dave Sheinin accessible to more people than ever today. He is a baseball treasure, which Washington Post Staff Writer before. As some baseball fans have means he is also a national treasure. known for 56 years and others are just You cannot watch Babe Ruth play the • Originally published July 5, 2005 learning, heaven on earth is a good car game anymore, but thanks to marvels of His might not be the Voice of God and an open road, or a soft chair and technology, anyone can hear Vin Scully — not deep enough, someone might a cold beer, and Vin Scully calling the call one. quibble, not scary enough — but surely action, painting word-pictures, soothing “He’s the perfect voice,” said author it is the Voice of Heaven. Surely, Vin souls. Curt Smith, who ranked Scully No. 1 Scully’s is the voice you hear, elegant “I don’t know how to say it, really (with a perfect 100 out of 100 score) in and neighborly, as you lower yourself … but hearing Vin’s voice,” says his book, Voices of Summer: Baseball’s into the Great Easy Chair in the Sky and Commissioner of Baseball Bud Selig, an Greatest Announcers. “Conservatively, reach for the dial. “Hi, everybody,” the unabashed Scully fan, “just makes me I probably spoke to five dozen voice would say, “and a very pleasant feel better.” broadcasters around the country [for the good afternoon to you wherever you Yes, Scully, now 77, is in his sixth book], and not one quarrels with Scully might be. It’s a beautiful day here in decade as the voice of the Dodgers [being ranked] number one. It was a fait heaven …” — first in Brooklyn, then, for the past accompli. … And you know, I hear him Here on earth, we have it nearly as 48 seasons, in Los Angeles. There is good. The Voice of Heaven is still as perhaps no more universally beloved alive as a triple in the gap, and more and respected figure in the game continued on page 18

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 17 artistry is now available nationwide. On does three innings per night on radio MLB.com’s “Gameday Audio” package — always solo. Those three innings now, and if he’s lost anything, I can’t tell (subscription required), listeners can are simulcast on radio and TV, and it.” tune in live over the Internet, and beginning with the fourth, he is only Baseball was first broadcast over even go back and listen to archived on TV — and it is a poor substitute, as the radio in 1921, which means Scully, broadcasts — an endless trove of Scully. even Scully admits. whose tenure with the Dodgers began in Pick a date (let’s say, April 10), move “With radio — and I’ve almost made 1950, has been calling games for nearly the media player’s seek button until this a cliche — you come into the booth, two-thirds of baseball’s entire over-the- you find the top of the broadcast, and and there’s an empty canvas,” Scully air lifespan. prepare to be delighted: says, describing the difference between Kids who grew up listening to “Hi, everybody, and a very pleasant the media outlets. “And you get all your Scully on transistor radios at their good afternoon to you wherever you paint and brushes, and you mix your bedsides have grown into ballplayers may be.” Scully always starts with that paints. And then you have a broad swath or broadcasters themselves — or line. here and fine line there. And at the end sometimes both — and had kids of their Fast forward to a random spot: of three hours, you say, ‘Well, that’s the own, or even grandkids, who still listen “Dodgers leading 1-0,” Scully says as best I can do today.’ On television, you to Scully. he comes back from commercial break, walk in and the picture’s already there. “I listened to him every night, fell which he obviously had spent gazing So what you’re doing is shading, subtle asleep to that voice,” said Hall of Fame into the stands. “A little boy sitting in things.” pitcher Jim Palmer, who spent much of his dad’s lap. Another youngster, maybe In a typical three-hour baseball game, his youth in Beverly Hills, Calif., and six years old with a glove. And another the ball is only in play for perhaps who is now a television analyst for the one, a restless two-and-a-half to three, a six minutes, and Scully is a master at Baltimore Orioles. “There was nobody little tow-head. [Chuckle.] So you look interspersing biographical material and better, and there still isn’t.” around the stands and you see kids of all anecdotes about the batter or the pitcher “There’s Vin Scully, then there’s the ages, sizes and shapes. And we’re ready between pitches — information he keeps rest of them,” said former Dodgers to go for another baseball afternoon, and on notebook pages in front of him. second baseman and current San Diego pizza and other things go right along Here is what his page on Vincent Padres coach Davey Lopes. “I once with it.” Edward Scully might include: heard him say that the responsibility of Additionally, XM Satellite Radio Born in the Bronx on Nov. 29, 1927, an announcer on the radio is to paint this season began carrying the home to Irish immigrant parents. Played a picture, so the listener has a sense of team’s broadcast of every big league baseball at Fordham University. Served a what it all looks like. And he does that game, nationwide, meaning there are 81 year in the Navy. better than anyone else.” opportunities per season to carve out Began his professional radio career Until recently, for those not fortunate your own little slice of baseball heaven. in 1949 at WTOP-AM in Washington. enough to have grown up within signal “One of the things we hear from our Was hesitant to apply to such a large range of a Dodgers radio affiliate, Scully listeners is how much they love being station, but figured he had nothing to was only available on special occasions, able to hear Vin Scully,” said David lose except another three cents for the and even then primarily on television — Butler, director of corporate affairs for stamp. where his poetry is muted in deference XM Radio. “Many of them are people Lives in Los Angeles with his wife, to the power of the visual image. He was who may have seen him on TV or who Sandra. a mainstay on NBC’s Game of the Week are baseball fans who have heard about Attributes the “musical” quality of his in the 1980s and a regular presence on the legend of Vin Scully but had never voice to the fact he is a prolific singer — postseason games. had the luxury to hear him call a game but only in private. Only public singing Otherwise, to hear Scully, one had to on the radio.” appearance: “Take Me Out to the Ball be exceedingly creative. But listen early and listen soon. Game” at Wrigley Field. “To this day,” Selig says, “whenever I Although he insists he has no timetable Never smokes. Drinks only an call the Dodgers, I ask to be put on hold. for retirement, Scully has made occasional glass of wine at dinner. And when they ask why, I say, ‘Because concessions to age in recent years. His Avoids air conditioning at all cost. I want to hear Scully for a few minutes.’” contract (always year-to-year, never Thanks to the Internet and the long term) stipulates he is not required advent of satellite radio, Scully’s daily to travel east of Denver, and he only continued on page 19

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program continued from page 18

Never uses “we” when referring to the Dodgers. It says everything about Scully that he has no world-famous calls, no well-worn catch phrases (except perhaps for his introduction). His trademark style, if you can call it that, is one of understatement. In 1955, five years after being hired by the legendary Red Barber to be the number three man on Barber’s Dodgers you just compare calls, Jack’s might hundred and sixty-five, he made the broadcast team, Scully was at the mic on have been the better of the two. toughest walk of his career, I’m sure, television when Brooklyn won its only It might have raised more goose because through eight innings he has World Series title. bumps. But Vin’s entire call — Gibson pitched a perfect game.” “As the fates would have it, I was limping out of the dugout, the crowd’s “I’ve heard other announcers with the one who got to say, ‘The Brooklyn reaction, the drama of the situation, great, great calls of home runs, great Dodgers are the champions of the world,’” the mounting tension — that’s where calls of exciting plays,” Costas says, Scully says. The silence that followed Vin excels. And he has a way of “but what Vin is really great at is all that call, as he allowed the crowd noise summing things up afterwards that is the moments of anticipation leading to tell the story, would become a Scully just beautiful.” up to the big moment. It isn’t just the trademark. “People would say all winter, To wit, here is what Scully said after last pitch of the Koufax game. It’s that ‘How could you be so calm?’ But it wasn’t the final out of Fernando Valenzuela’s whole inning, and how he perfectly that I was so calm. It was that I couldn’t 1990 no-hitter: “Fernando Valenzuela captures the scene and the passion.” say another word without breaking down has pitched a no- hitter! If you have a Ten years ago, Costas was and crying.” sombrero, throw it to the sky!” introduced to the late musician Ray Scully has witnessed and called “And then,” Costas says, “don’t Charles, and the two struck up a many of baseball’s greatest moments, forget Koufax’s perfect game.” conversation about baseball. from Don Larsen’s World Series Ah, yes. “And Ray says, ‘You know who I’d perfect game to Hank Aaron’s 715th To hear Scully call the ninth inning really like to meet?’” Costas says. “I homer, but his calls are typically not of Sandy Koufax’s Sept. 9, 1965, perfect said, ‘Who?’ And he said, ‘Vin Scully.’ the most famous ones. On Aaron’s game (http://www.doubledogmusic. I was a little surprised, and Ray said, historic homer, for instance, that is com/baseball/ Scully_Koufax_Perfect. ‘Because to me, the picture doesn’t mean Milo Hamilton’s familiar call on all mp3) — or to read a transcript of it anything. It’s all about the sound. And the old clips, saying, “There’s a new (http://www.baseball-almanac.com/ his broadcast is almost musical. Would home run champion of all time, and it’s quotes/vin_scully_quotes.shtml) — is you introduce me to Vin?’ Henry Aaron!” to make a baseball writer contemplate a “So I took him to Dodger Stadium. Similarly, when Dodgers pinch career as a roofer. Vin was gracious and clearly hitter Kirk Gibson famously limped Off the top of his head, without the appreciated who Ray Charles was. But to the plate and hit the game-winning benefit of a delete button or an editor, Ray was so excited to meet Vin Scully. homer in Game 1 of the 1988 World Scully composed one of the most You could tell it was the highlight of Series, Jack Buck’s radio call was the gorgeous pieces of baseball literature his year. He was just beaming.” one immortalized: “I don’t believe you will ever encounter, expertly Somewhere in heaven, then, Charles what I just saw.” (On television, capturing the drama and tension is nestled in the easy chair, and the Scully said simply, “She is gooonne!!” without overcooking it. home team is winning again, on its then remained silent until Gibson Scully’s call begins thusly: “Three way to another 162-0 season. had crossed the plate, and said, “In a times in his sensational career has Down here, meantime, we boot up year that has been so improbable, the Sandy Koufax walked out to the the computer, or tune the radio dial, impossible has happened.”) mound to pitch a fateful ninth where searching, until we find it, and we “Vin had a very good call,” NBC he turned in a no-hitter. But tonight, feel better: the Voice of Heaven on broadcaster Bob Costas says. “But if September the ninth, nineteen earth.

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program A Quiet Storm of Applause

Homegrown Radio One Gets a Starry She then bought a small AM radio station things that Hughes wore a strapless, floorlength, Salute On Its 25th Anniversary (WOL) for just under $1 million and set about multicolored chiffon evening gown, and that her building a broadcasting empire from a run-down jewelry consisted of multicolored pearls with a By Paul Farhi trailer in Northeast Washington. When she diamond-heart accent. Suffice to say, the whole Washington Post Staff Writer couldn’t afford to hire a morning DJ, Hughes getup looked mighty pretty. herself took to the airwaves, broadcasting Liggins said Radio One couldn’t take credit • Originally published August 18, 2006 community news and talk, and sometimes for the proliferation of hip-hop, “but I think we You stay in business, particularly the radio scathing political and social commentary. were part of it. I think we helped.” Sometimes business, for 25 years, and you make quite a The company subsequently bought small, the help was pretty direct. He told a brief story few friends. Radio One, the homegrown D.C. threadbare stations elsewhere, under the about a young man named Christopher Bridges, broadcast giant, has done that — and about a leadership of Liggins, who took over as CEO whom Radio One hired as a night DJ at one thousand of its friends showed up last night to from his mom in 1989. (Hughes has remained of its stations in Atlanta. Bridges went on to mark the occasion. chairwoman and a formidable force throughout become a recording star, going by the hip-hop This was not your usual silver-anniversary the company’s history.) handle of Ludacris. shindig, however. Radio One’s friends included Today, Radio One is the only publicly traded Liggins thinks the next big thing is a really enough boldface names — from music, politics, company headed by an African American old thing — gospel music. The company has business and (naturally) the radio industry — to woman, with some 71 stations around the taken the unusual step of spreading the gospel draw sweating packs of paparazzi to the J.W. country, including its Washington flagship, on FM radio, switching stations in Houston, Marriott Hotel downtown. And during dog-days WMMJ (102.3 FM). It also has ventures in cable Atlanta, Richmond, Columbus, Charlotte and August, too, when this glam crowd is usually in TV (the TV One channel) and other media. other cities to the format. the Hamptons, or Biarritz, or wherever the more Radio One wasn’t the first or only broadcaster Guests and presenters were overflowing with fortunately famous go when the humidity can to put hip-hop and other genres of urban a different kind of praise last night — for the steam the starch out of your music on the airwaves, but it work of Hughes and Liggins. Among others, tux. was, and is, one of the most the Radio One honchos were saluted by Tom Janet Jackson, looking For more information formidable forces in the country Joyner and Russ Parr, two of the pillars of black bench-press buff in a strapless about Radio One, visit in introducing, promoting and morning radio, and both affiliated with the www.radio-one.com. black dress, showed up. So did sustaining black musical artists. company. Joyner joked that Radio One, which Sean (insert latest nickname Radio One and urban music have bought a majority stake in Joyner’s company last here) Combs, Jay-Z and Russell been good for each other. Hip- year, must be headed by smart businesspeople Simmons. So did Ruben Studdard, Danny Glover, hop and R&B helped revive the stations Radio “because they’ve left us on our own to make go-go music pioneer Chuck Brown, roughly half One acquired. The company now owns one of money for them.” the record industry and just about every major every five U.S. stations with a black-oriented Several people took note of Hughes’s up- African American political figure, elected or musical format and reaches about 14.5 million by-her-bootstraps personal story. Michael trying to be. listeners a week, according to Liggins’s estimate. Steele, the Maryland lieutenant governor and The entertainment was provided by Natalie Hughes, who spent a good part of the evening Republican Senate candidate, said Hughes’s Cole. And Aretha Franklin. And Beyonce. shepherding her famous guests to their seats, achievements reflected the kind of “ownership The real stars of the evening, of course, were said she owes a debt of gratitude to God and society” Republicans are trying to promote. He the hosts, Radio One founder Cathy L. Hughes the Washington area (in that order) for Radio got an unwitting amen on this from Michael and her son, Alfred C. Liggins III. Hughes and One’s success. “I didn’t get here by myself,” she Eric Dyson, the intellectual and Radio One talk Liggins are such compelling rags-to-riches stories said during a brief respite. “The Washington, host, who noted that Hughes (and later Liggins) that they’re approaching the legend category. D.C., community wanted Radio One to succeed. succeeded without the benefit of affirmative The short version: A young single mother — a They built us. They’re the most sophisticated action programs. black woman in a decidedly male-dominated community in the country, but no one had taken Dick Gregory, the comedian and health food field — Hughes helped develop the now widely them very seriously until we came along. … I aficionado, put this theme in its most colorful syndicated “Quiet Storm” musical format (slow, think they appreciated the respect, because they terms: “Twenty-five years ago,” he told the sensuous R&B, heavy on the Luther Vandross) paid us back.” packed ballroom, “Cathy Hughes was a black while she ran Howard University’s station, Since we don’t do fashion reporting, we had woman who decided she wanted to do something WHUR-FM, in the mid-1970s. to be told by someone who knows about these other than someone else’s laundry. And she did.”

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program Six-Figure Fines For Four-Letter Words Worry Broadcasters Bush signed it into law, raising the ceiling on It’s a tough job, Barrett said, because the FCC By Frank Ahrens indecency fines from $32,500. provides no clear guide to what can and cannot be Washington Post Staff Writer Under the law, cable channels such as MTV said. The agency says such rules would amount to and HBO and satellite radio companies such as unconstitutional prior restraint of free speech. • Originally published July 11, 2006 Sirius and XM remain unpoliced by the federal Emmis created a computer-based training Last month’s tenfold increase in broadcast government. program on indecency — similar to sexual- indecency fines has sent radio and television Advocates of the higher penalties said small harassment training tutorials common in stations and media giants scurrying to protect fines had not deterred big broadcast companies, workplaces that are meant to indemnify themselves, as the cost of uttering a dirty word such as CBS and Fox, from airing indecent employers — that all relevant radio employees over the air has turned a minor annoyance into a material. In addition to raising the ceiling for a must complete. And the company recently sent a major business expense. single instance of indecency, the law allows the notice to all of its stations, reminding them that The new law is a boon for companies that make FCC to fine a broadcaster as much as $3 million the indecency fines just went up to $325,000, or time-delay machines for broadcasters, which are a day for multiple violations. as Barrett puts it, “a lot of money, even for a big designed to catch offensive language before it hits “This is like a blessing for us,” said Prime broadcast company.” the airwaves, and a potentially powerful reason for Image chief executive Peter J. Jegou. The PBS has been attempting to interpret the FCC’s performers, directors and producers to take their company’s devices, which provide a time delay indecency guidelines for its member stations for talent to cable and satellite outlets, where federal and a “dump button” to zap offensive language more than a year, said Lee Sloan, a spokeswoman. decency standards do not apply. and images, cost $9,000 for standard-definition “But it’s a moving target,” she said. Since President Bush signed a law in June television and $12,000 for a high-definition On March 15, California public television upping the maximum Federal Communications version. “People are saying, ‘Oh, for $12,000, station KCSM was fined $15,000 for airing Commission indecency fine to $325,000, business we can avoid a $325,000 fine?’ You don’t have a profanity-laced documentary on bluesmen, to be a rocket scientist to figure that out.” produced by Scorsese. KCSM is appealing the has spiked at California-based Prime Image Inc., The same is true at Symetrix Inc., which proposed fine, and PBS is taking the unusual which makes an electronic box that lets television makes a $2,399 device that allows radio step of filing an additional brief with the FCC stations edit out offensive language. Orders for the stations to delay their broadcasts to catch arguing that documentaries should have special device have jumped to nearly three dozen from an objectionable material. “We’d been wondering status under indecency guidelines, especially average of less than one per day, and the company what was going on,” said Dan Gallagher, now that fines are higher. In KCSM’s filing, has increased production to keep up. executive vice president of global sales and Scorsese expressed “deep concern over the Other repercussions from the escalating marketing for the Mountlake Terrace, Wash., adverse impact that the FCC’s actions will have crackdown on broadcast indecency: On-air company. “Sales have been skyrocketing.” … on the ability and willingness of filmmakers personalities at one radio giant are contractually Broadcast companies are taking further to produce authentic documentaries and other obligated to pay indecency fines if they say measures protect themselves by training valuable programming for presentation on anything that causes their stations to be their talent and cutting them loose at the broadcast television.” penalized. Lawyers at another radio company first sign of trouble. Radio giants such as Even before Congress increased the are advising superstar deejays on what material Clear Channel Communications Inc. have indecency fines, performers, producers and to avoid on air. Public television, still puzzling adopted “zero-tolerance” policies for on-air directors saw signs that they interpreted as the over a March fine for a Martin Scorsese-produced personalities, meaning that they can be fired long- feared “chilling effect” on free speech and documentary, is sending periodic legal advice to for offensive language even before an FCC artistic expression. Last summer, it seemed its member stations. fine is levied. likely that Congress would raise the indecency One stand-up comedian took out an indecency- Further, Clear Channel — the industry’s fine to $500,000, and broadcasters and liability policy on himself. Another said he was largest radio chain with more than 1,200 performers were bracing for it. forced to sign a waiver before he went on the stations — has reworked its talent contracts Comedian Ralphie May, whose act often air at a radio station, promising to pay any to include “indemnification language,” said includes sexually oriented material and indecency fine that might result from his Andy Levin, executive vice president for profanity, took out indecency insurance. appearance. government affairs. Translation: If a Clear Though the FCC has never fined an individual Parent groups pressured Congress to do Channel host says anything that prompts an for on-air indecency, profanity or obscenity, it something after the brief exposure of singer FCC fine, that host — not Clear Channel — is may have the legal right to do so, say those who Janet Jackson’s right breast during the 2004 responsible for paying. have studied the governing statutes. Super Bowl halftime show. Members of Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications May’s insurance company performed a risk Congress quickly drafted bills to raise the Corp. worked to contain further damage after analysis on him in late 2004 — “to see where amount the FCC could fine radio and television it paid $300,000 in 2004 to settle its radio fines, I was deficient,” he said. As a result, May stations for broadcasting indecent material. prompted largely by the morning-drive star of its increased his coverage, which also included But bills in both houses stalled in 2004 Chicago station, Erich “Mancow” Muller. slander and lawsuit protection, to include and 2005. This May, Majority Leader Bill Emmis corporate counsel David O. Barrett has indemnity against possible indecency fines. He Frist (R-Tenn.) picked up one version of the become known as the indecency czar, traveling to pays $22,000 a year for the $1 million policy. legislation and sped it through the Senate. The the company’s 25 U.S. radio stations and briefing “Basically,” May said at the time, “I’m buying House passed it soon after, and on June 15, general managers, program directors and talent. a big shield.”

An Integrated Curriculum For The Washington Post Newspaper In Education Program

Academic Content Standards

This lesson addresses academic content standards of Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia.

Maryland Virginia Washington, D.C.

Reading/ELA: Students will English: The student will listen, draw English Language Arts, Media: demonstrate effective listening conclusions, and share responses Compare and contrast how to learn, process, and analyze in subject-related group learning media genres (nightly news, information. (Standard 6.0 Listening) activities. (Oral Language, Grade 5, newsmagazines, documentaries, 5.1) Internet) cover the same event. Reading/ELA: Analyze important (9.M.1) ideas and messages in informational English: The student will read and text. (Standard 2 Comprehension of understand information from varied English Language Arts, Media: Informational Text, Indicator 4) sources. Distinguish fact from Analyze the effect on the reader’s opinion in newspapers, magazines, or viewer’s emotions of text and English Language Arts: Students will and other print media. (Reading/ image in print journalism, and read, comprehend, interpret, analyze, Literature, Grade 7, 7.6) images, sound, and text in electronic and evaluate literary texts. (Standard journalism, distinguishing techniques 3.0 Comprehension of Literary Text) Mathematics: The student, given used in each to achieve these effects. a problem situation, will collect, (10.M.2) Mathematics: Students will analyze, display, and interpret data algebraically represent, model, in a variety of graphical methods, English Language Arts, Media: analyze, or solve mathematical including a) line, bar, and circle Analyze the impact of media on the or real-world problems involving graphs; b) stem-and-leaf plots; and c) state, nation, and democratic process patterns or functional relationships. box-and-whisker plots. (Probability (influence on elections, creating (Standard 1.0, Knowledge of Algebra, and Statistics, Grade 6, 6.18) images of leaders, shaping attitudes). Patterns, and Functions) (11.M.1) Journalism: Students will be afforded an opportunity to develop an English Language Arts, Media: understanding of the importance of Evaluate the aural, visual, and journalism in a democratic society written images and other special (Journalism 1) effects used in television, radio, film productions, and the Internet for their ability to inform, persuade, and entertain (e.g., anecdote, expert witness, vivid detail, tearful testimony, humor). (12.M.1)

Standards of Learning currently in effect The Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum for Virginia Public Schools can be found Learning Standards for DCPS are found Content Standards can be found online at online at www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/ online at www.k12.dc.us/dcps/Standards/ http://mdk12.org/mspp/vsc/index.html. Superintendent/Sols/home.shtml. standardsHome.htm.