WHRO presents Call the Midwife Sunday, September 30

A provocative new series from the BBC - Call the Midwife
Sunday nights are being transformed into a destination for drama in
September! On September 30th at 8pm, WHRO will air CALL THE
MIDWIFE, a new series from the BBC. It will precede Masterpiece
Classic’s new season of “Upstairs Downstairs.”
CALL THE MIDWIFE completed its first season in the United
Kingdom in February, attracting 11.4 million viewers for its peak
episode. American fans will be excited to learn that a second season
is already in the works in the UK!
The story is based on the best-selling memoirs of Jennifer Lee Worth,
relating her experiences as a practicing midwife in the povertystricken
East End of London in the 1950s, where the streets teemed
with children, workers and a culture markedly different from the
affluent English countryside where she was raised.
The first episode unfolds as Jenny meets her patients, including
one woman who is on her 25th pregnancy and a young, 15 year-old
Covering local elections
No sooner will the Olympic
flame be extinguished, than
the 2012 presidential election
will blaze across our television
screens. While NPR and PBS
have some terrific programming
in store for you, you may
be wondering how we plan to
cover elections for our HearSay
audience.
We believe you deserve to hear
from any statewide or congressional
general election candidate
Cathy Lewis
who wants to represent you.
That’s why we offer each the the
opportunity to make their case to you. Here’s how we do it:
To be offered an interview slot, a candidate must meet state requirements
to appear on the ballot.
For US Senate races and statewide offices (Governor, Lieutenant
Governor, Attorney General): we devote one hour to each race, giving
each candidate an equal share of the hour. For example, if there are
three candidates on the ballot for Governor of Virginia, all three will
be given a third of the hour.
For US House of Representatives races: We identify the districts that
are represented in our listening area and then devote one hour to each
race, giving each candidate an equal share of the hour.
Should a candidate not accept the opportunity to appear, we divide
that time among the remaining contenders.
Once the field is set:
- We ask candidates to speak strictly to THEIR OWN ideas, not their
opponent’s. Believe it or not, candidates are grateful for this unusual
guideline because it offers them an opportunity to explain their ideas
prostitute, pregnant for the first time. Initially shocked by the health
and living conditions of the East End, Jenny soon learns to admire the
families she works with, along with the sisters and fellow midwives
who witness the daily drama of life in this vibrant community. The
drama also reveals her own growth as she discovers the warm hearts
and bravery of the mothers themselves, as each one becomes a
heroine in Jenny’s eyes.
With witty and emotional
scripts, CALL THE
MIDWIFE not only
captures a unique snapshot
of British history, but
also reflects on universal
themes of childbirth,
nursing and parenthood
that ring true anywhere in
the world.
without having to gird for their opponent’s response.
- We do not identify candidates by party affiliation until the conclusion
of the interview. One thing I have learned in more than 15 years
behind the microphone is that whether we admit it or not, we tend to
make assumptions about candidates based on their team jersey and
this sometimes keeps us from listening to what they have to say.
- We ask some standard questions of each candidate across the board.
But it is far more interesting to see where the conversation goes. You
can learn quite a lot in an engaging conversation that lasts longer than
standard 7-second sound bite.
This year, we will also feature links on our website to the thoughtful
and thorough work produced by our print colleagues at the Daily
Press (www.dailypress.com) and the Virginian-Pilot (www.pilotonline.com)
as well as to our friends at the Virginia Public Action
Project (www.vpap.org) where you can search the candidates of
interest to you and read about how their campaigns are financed.
The way HearSay conducts election coverage is not perfect. But its
distinction is appreciated enough by candidates and listeners that
we continue to test the model. We make the effort because it’s too
important not to.
Each day, we grow more incapable as a nation of discussing complex,
important issues in which we all have a stake. And this should not
surprise us. After all, many of our models for political discourse are
combative, one-dimensional and unsatisfying. When it comes to
elections, we are left with a fine assessment of a candidate’s oratorical
skills, but little assessment of his or her ideas, skills, passion or ability
to reach consensus - important tools for those who would govern
effectively.
It’s not enough to bemoan the state of political discourse. Each of
us has a role to play in changing it. And that’s why we do election
coverage the way we do. We are planting a flag in a troubled
landscape: creating a demilitarized zone where we offer our listeners
the tools of citizenship to build a better republic.
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