This week, intern extraordinaire Rebecca Stein brings us a story from our own backyard. She digs through the University archives and sits down with professors from all over campus to talk about a media scandal around a purported claim by the head of the newly founded department of radiology that he could use x-rays to lighten the skin of African-Americans. It’s an episode not to be missed!

Music

“Velvet Elvis (RAC remix)” by Alex Winston (0:00)

“Al Abama” by Chapelier Fou (motif)

This week, producer Christopher Rogers from Penn’s Graduate School of Education brings us a story about the history and future of Black radio.

Radio has a rich role in the Black community as being an institution that binds the community together, as highlighted by Dr. Martin Luther King. Once heralded as one of the cornerstones of Black Philadelphia, “urban” Philadelphia radio now faces pressures from new media outlets that allow for individuals to create their own playlists and community activists that recognize radio’s role in promoting content that causes community division. Can radio in the Black community reconcile with its historic legacy? Or is the format destined to become history?

Music

0:00 Robert Glasper feat. Yasiin Bey–Black Radio http://youtu.be/pumWJ4N7rNc1:19 Prodigy-Stuck 2 You (prod. by Alchemist) (Instrumental) http://youtu.be/avECjkoj3QQ
5:10 Black Milk- Play The Keys http://youtu.be/msKTfGVOPyM
9:42 Ronnie Foster- Mystic Brew http://youtu.be/-B-PsA5I4wY
11:56 Tiron- 60901 (prod. by Oddisee) (Instrumental) http://youtu.be/tALPbMzrt0Q
12:57 Freeway- Stimulus Outro (prod. by Jake One) (Instrumental) http://youtu.be/9vp3jOtPfxQ
18:31 Madlib-WhutKanIDo http://youtu.be/igJAGGNk6n8

Archival Footage

0:00, 5:10 Martin Luther King Speaks to NATRA http://youtu.be/_wxBCl1RDwA
8:02 Georgie Woods @ WDAS (January 1, 1984) http://youtu.be/iuxgeQQDQ5E
9:45 Charlie Brown speaks on Georgie Woods http://youtu.be/_GcFoUsHPyo
10:56 “Do The Right Thing” excerpt feat. Samuel L. Jackson http://youtu.be/wCL3OtOzYuQ

Locations

Top-Notch Barbershop, 509 Avenue of the States, Chester, PA 19013
Mood Cafe, 4618 Baltimore Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19143 http://www.moodcafephilly.com/

Links To Check Out

WDAS & The Civil RIghts Movement http://www.wdashistory.org/
FAAN Mail: Fostering Activism and Alternatives Now! http://faanmail.wordpress.com/
Dr Martin Luther King; The Power of Soul Music & the Importance of Black Radio    https://hiphopandpolitics.wordpress.com/2013/01/19/dr-martin-luther-king-the-power-of-soul-music-the-importance-of-black-radio/ (where I discovered this MLK speech)

This week, producer Emily LaDue brings us the story of the lawsuit against the founder of Bikram Yoga. It’s an exploration of yoga’s polysemic role in many people’s lives. It’s an episode that gets finds and renders lots of tensions, putting one big hot mess on display.

You can find a copy of Sarah Baughn’s civil complaint against Bikram here (PDF).

Music

Lay Your Cards Out by Poliça

A New Beginning by Dead Prez
Zodiac Shit by Flying Lotus

In this week’s episode, Deb Lui wanders the halls of Annenberg looking for the ways that our pasts are present. She asks, “Why do we come to the field of communication? And who were we before?” She finds that the diversity in our backgrounds is an essential condition for the diversity of the field.

Music

“Audience of One” by Cold War Kids (0:00)

Soundtrack to the movie Blow-Up:

“The Thief”, “Jane’s Theme”, “Thomas Studies Photos”, and “The Naked Camera.”

Producer Holli Seitz is on a mission to become a better teacher.  This week, she talks to faculty and students about creating effective assignments for communication courses.

Music:

“Two Way Street” by Kimbra (0:00)
“Preparation” by The Album Leaf (0:46)
“Results” by The Album Leaf (12:14)

Turns out it’s really a lot of work to come up with 10-20 minutes of polished, original content each week. We plowed our way through our official spring break, but now we need a breather before the home stretch of the semester.

We’re back next week!

Not all communication works out flawlessly. And not all communication needs to. This week, producer Kate Zambon brings us some tales from the obstacles course that can sometimes be intercultural communication.

Music

“Pull Me Down (Ryan Hemsworth Remix)” by Mikky Ekko (0:00)

Tremor “Viajante” (2:02 and 4:30)

El Remolón “Cumbia Bichera” (7:22)

Juan Son “Las Hadas” (11:36)

Lido Pimienta “Vida” (12:37)

Café Tacuba “Chilanga Banda” (13:37)

We are so lucky to have brilliant, creative, fun interns with us this semester. And Jason Fernandes, who produced this week’s episode, is one of them. Jason brings us some work on Penn’s campus on the science of sleep – and also some reasons why getting sleep isn’t exactly a science.

Music

0:00 – “Sleep Tonight” by Stars
0:48 – “Shiller” by Ratatat

2:26 – “Thriller” by Imogen Heap

3:33 – “Why am I the One?” by Fun.

5:29 – “Teen Need (CREEP Remix)” by New Look

8:49 – “Valley” by Wrightwood

14:35 – “Skinny Love” by Birdy

15:10 – “Thin Line (feat. Buffalo Madonna)” by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

15:50 – “Clouds in the Shape of Clouds” by Ross Baker

16:35 – “Coriolis” by Penguin Cafe

This week, producer Aaron Shapiro brings us a story about all the things you think you fear: drugs, anarchism, disaster. But this episode is really about order and governmentality.

Music

“Bavarian #1 (Say You Will)” by Miike Snow

Calexico, “Dub Latina,” from A Feast of Wire
Bo Diddley, “Surfers’ Love Call,” from Surfin’ with Bo Diddley
Timber Timbre, “Bad Ritual,” from Creep On Creepin’ On
Lee Moses, “My Adorable One,” from Time and Place

This week, 3620 intern extraordinaire Laura Gertken brings us an episode about the Amish Mafia, a concept constructed as real by perhaps one of the least credentialed arbiters of truth: reality television. Enjoy!

Music

“No Light No Light (Spector Ryan Gogling Remix)” by Florence and the Machine

“Bowls” by Caribou
“Stay the Same” by Bonobo
“All in Forms” by Bonobo
“Animals” by Baths