|
|
Story Archives of 'Television'James Whitmore Jr.: 75th Anniversary of the Peterborough PlayersBy Monadnock Summe... on Sunday, August 10, 2008.James Whitmore Jr. graduated from the American Academy in 1968 and soon returned to Los Angeles to become a founding member of the L.A. Actors Theatre in 1974. He's also directed over 180 television shows and movies of the week. Recently he produced and played the dual roles of Judge Littlefield and Caiphus the Elder in The Last Days of Judas Iscariot at the Whitmore-Lindley Theatre Center in LA. Mr. Whitmore and his father have worked together on Sleuth in 1981; and at the Peterborough Players in Inherit the Wind in 2005, the 2006 hit, Tuesdays With Morrie, and last season’s The Man Who Came To Dinner. In honor of the Peterborough Players’ 75th Anniversary Season in 2008, acclaimed actor and director James Whitmore, Jr. will discuss the state of television and the role of the director, his work as an actor and director, and the impact that the Players and the Peterborough area has had on his life and career. listen:
  The State of Reality TVBy Virginia Prescott on Thursday, August 7, 2008.When reality TV first hit it big almost a decade ago, many rolled their eyes, groaned, and wondered if television could get any worse.
Shows like Wife Swap, The Baby Borrowers and I Love Money make some critics long for more innocent days, when watching people eat worms on Survivor was as repulsive as it got. Today on Word of Mouth, we talk with two women who do not apologize for their love of the genre. Eileen Doherty and Laura Murphy give us the low-down on the newest offerings from the producers of reality television. Laura and Eileen co-own Best Company Ever, a production company based in New York and Los Angeles. (Photo by leunix) listen:
Television NewsBy Richard Ager on Friday, July 18, 2008.Many complain TV news has been reduced to entertainment and sensationalism, replacing serious stories on issues that matter with stories of celebrities, courtroom trials, fires and crime stories. But a longtime TV reporter and author of a book on broadcast news says that if you look closer, you may be able to learn something from the newscasts you see on TV. Guests
We'll also hear from
listen:
Which flat-screen TV's are greenest?By EarthTalk on Saturday, July 12, 2008.
Some flat screen TVs draw more power than a large refrigerator. Beginning in November 2008, “Energy Star” labels will begin appearing on televisions to help consumers identify greener choices. (Getty Images) Writers on a New England Stage: Barbara WaltersBy Laura Knoy on Friday, May 23, 2008.She's been called the "first lady of American journalism," known for her talent as a news anchor and for her historic interviews of leading newsmakers. In her new memoir, Audition, Barbara Walters shares her own story, reflecting on her professional and personal lives and sharing both the challenges and successes she's had in a life in the news. She came to The Music Hall in Portsmouth to talk with NHPR's Laura Knoy as part of the Writers on a New England Stage series, but the event was shortened when some audience members in the balcony said they felt the floor shift. You can hear the full, unedited event here. listen:
CNN vs the TabloidsBy Virginia Prescott on Thursday, April 24, 2008.Since we started Word of Mouth two months ago, we've received many topic suggestions from listeners, many of which became on-air segments. One listener has written several times, encouraging us to examine the headlines on CNN.com.
CNN's headlines have been the focus of some humor and chagrin in the blogosphere, and it seems like the network itself is getting into the game - you can now buy official CNN t-shirts printed with its own campy headlines. But kidding aside, if solid journalism from one of America's leading news sources is eroding, that can be a serious matter. Keene State media professor Mark Timney volunteered to perform an unscientific, one-week survey of CNN.com's coverage for us, and he joined Word of Mouth to tell us what he found.
(Photo by Shawn Honnick) listen:
TV Networks Adjust to New CompetitionBy Virginia Prescott on Thursday, March 20, 2008.Network television is in trouble. Viewers are flocking to the Internet and cable channels, and they're skipping over commercials with TiVo and other on-demand services. The recent writers' strike and the dispute over Internet distribution rights showed how vulnerable TV is to competition from other media. Word of Mouth host Virginia Prescott talks with Robert Thompson about the new ways networks are looking to make money and how it will affect programming. Dr. Thompson is the founding director of the Bleier Center for Television and Popular Culture at Syracuse University.
(Photo by Matt Parsons) Here are Laura's favorite guilty-pleasures on TV: listen:
What's Your Guilty Pleasure on TV?By Andrew Walsh on Wednesday, March 19, 2008. Thursday on Word of Mouth, we'll be discussing guilty-pleasure television shows with pop-culture professor Robert Thompson and pop-culture junky Laura Murphy. We'd like to know what your prime-time guilty pleasures are. Do you secretly watch The Biggest Loser every Tuesday? Do you lose sleep if you miss an episode of Gossip Girl? The Ever-Blurring Line Between Television and the InternetBy Andrew Walsh on Sunday, March 16, 2008.YouTube continues to blur the boundary between your television and your computer. TiVo users will soon be able to watch their favorite YouTube videos on their television sets. While other devices have allowed some viewers to bring YouTube to their TVs in recent years, the use of TiVo -- a much more widespread technology -- will undoubtedly help the website make even more headway into people's living rooms. Comic ReliefBy Virginia Prescott on Friday, February 29, 2008.Funny women are revitalizing TV sitcoms. Shows like 30 Rock, The Sarah Silverman Program, and The New Adventures of Old Christine all star women who got their start in comedy - showing that women are not being relegated to the role of best friend or wacky neighbor. Word of Mouth host Virginia Prescott spoke with Bambi Haggins, who teaches television history and popular culture at the University of Michigan, about the migration from comedy and improv stages to television. She wrote about the topic for Ms. Magazine. We also look at how the role of women in the workplace has changed since the 1970s by comparing "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "30 Rock."
Watch a clip from The Mary Tyler Moore Show For the full article by Bambi Haggins, see the Winter 2008 issue of Ms. Magazine listen:
|
Support FromHighlightsNavigationUser login |
But for everyone who hated the new trend, plenty of people clearly loved it – after all, it’s still going strong today. But for those who wondered if it could get any worse, well, now they have their answer: yes. 
One of his emails – with the subject line "Is CNN now the Weekly World News?" – underscores headlines like "Cannibalistic Iguana Chokes On Toy Lizard" and "Six-Legged Kitty Named Hex Needs Surgery." 
Pop-culture junky 