Environmental News is a local radio show that airs on WETS 89.5 FM, in Johnson City TN, Sunday evenings, 6:30-7pm. (The show also airs on WMMT in Whitesburg, KY.)
The show is staffed and produced entirely by volunteers; sponsored in part by the Sierra Club, State of Franklin Chapter; and affiliated with Cherokee Forest Voices.
The show focuses on environmental concerns in Southern Appalachia, though it also covers issues of broader national or international interest. It includes reports on policy issues and news events -- information for which is drawn from a variety of media sources -- interspersed with reflective commentary, personal experience, observations on the natural world.
Production meetings and tapings are held on alternate Wednesdays, at 7pm. Students are welcome to attend, and encouraged to get involved in the show!
Production meetings: May 24, June 7, Brown Hall 131. Tapings: May 17 and 31, WETS radio station (on 89 drive, off southwest avenue, across from Buc Ridge and Buc Village).
Your Assignment
Write a 2-4 minute piece for Environmental News. (2-4 minutes -- approx 300-600 words -- is a general guideline.)
You are encouraged, but not required, to make arrangements to read your piece on the show. If you prefer, you can offer it to be read by someone else. Of course, the piece has to be good enough to air. I'll be your editor and serve as liaison between you and the show producer.
Topic Ideas
Sample pieces are included in the course reader. Yet those sample don't nearly exhaust the possibilities. Here are some ideas:
- Focus on a southern appalachian animal or plant species.
- Quote, summarize, paraphrase, rewrite, and/or comment on an especially
good -- and relevant -- passage from the course reading.
- Summarize, quote, paraphrase, supplement, and/or comment on a news
item.
- Write about personal experience, reflections, related to Southern
Appalachia, the outdoors, the environment, etc.