Radio and Audio Features and Documentaries

Kay Ryan, US Poet Laureate (2008-2009)

In 2008 and 2009, Kay Ryan served as America’s 16th poet laureate, tapped by the Librarian of Congress to be ambassador for American poetry. She has published nine books of poems. and is cherished for her compact, vivid and accessible verse. She is also widely celebrated in the Lesbian community. This profile is based on […]

The Dalai Lama Interview on Conflict and Mind

In 1995, it was my good fortune to be flown down to Atlanta to interview the Dalai Lama. It was in the middle of a very ambitious and (to me) fascinating multi-million dollar project I was producing at the time on conflict resolution, and the psychology of war, violence, reconciliation and peace. This long form […]

The Kitchen Sisters: Audio Maestre

The Kitchen Sisters are famous in the radio world, and to National Public Radio listeners, for the wonderful way they combine the sounds and sentiments of real people according to themes and make their lives come alive for all of us. In this profile, I talk to them in a cozy San Francisco locale and […]

Jenks vs. Broken Arrow (OK) High School Football

In small town Oklahoma, high school football runs a close second to the Bible in popularity and team spirit. Here is a story I did (as a sidebar to the State Fair I was covering) about one game between two rival small town football teams. For a New Yorker like me, this is almost as […]

Gays in the Military: Don’t Ask Don’t Tell

This is a story I did the weekend of October 10-11 2009 connected with a gay rights march on the Capitol, especially as regards gays in the military. Here’s the intro I used for the piece: Demonstrations are expected this weekend in Washington as groups of active and former service members and their supporters urge […]

Death n’ Stuff at the “New York Times” Obit Desk

After articles about the President and “dog bites man,” the obituaries are among the most popular articles the New York Times features. Part news story, part profile, obits attempt to sum up a person’s life and significance, and no more. Indeed, how many “column inches” a person is expected in the paper to get when […]