>American Public Media to Distribute Nationwide The Story with Dick Gordon

Contacts: Brad Robideau
American Public Media
651-290-1113
brobideau@americanpublicmedia.org

American Public Media to Distribute Nationwide The Story with Dick Gordon

Public Radio Program Features Storytelling to Bring the News Home

(St. Paul, Minn.) September 15, 2006—American Public Media^™ today announced plans to co-produce and distribute nationwide the new daily public radio talk show, The Story with Dick Gordon. The Story is produced by North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC and is hosted by respected journalist Dick Gordon.

The Story is a daily one-hour interview program that brings together ordinary and extraordinary people to share their personal stories and experiences that provide a deeper perspective on the news. The program is designed to deliver great stories to public radio in a way that will help listeners grasp what is happening in the world and why it matters to them. Veteran public radio journalist Dick Gordon interviews people who are in the news or whose real-life experiences help listeners understand the news of the day or ongoing issues of importance.

The Story offers new ways—Web site and comment/story line—to engage listeners. Each program will encourage listeners to share their stories on the topics to be featured later in the week. A pre-produced "Listening Post" segment will call out to people at crossroads and cafes across the country, offering a snapshot of the ongoing American stories. The Story is not a call-in program, but will select from the best listeners' stories to amplify listeners' understanding of significant events.

The Story has been in development at North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC since October 2005, and the pilots have been broadcast on North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC's local public radio network. The Story is intended for midday broadcast and will be tested and refined during pre-launch broadcasts on KNOW 91.1 FM in St. Paul, Minn. The full national launch of The Story is planned for early 2007.

Dick Gordon is an experienced and seasoned journalist with an extensive background in both international and domestic reporting. He was a war correspondent and back-up host for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's This Morning, the national current affairs radio program. An award-winning journalist, Gordon has also served as a Parliamentary reporter, Moscow correspondent and South Asia correspondent for both radio and television.

"Dick Gordon is an exceptional talent," said Joan Rose, general manager of North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC. "He brings intelligence, inquisitiveness, and a background as an international correspondent to his interviews. This gives him a depth of experience and an ability to connect with people from all walks of life as he engages them in conversation."

"North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC is excited to produce this program," added Rose. "Our region's tradition of storytelling helps inform our approach to a new and compelling form of narrative journalism that we are pleased to share with public radio listeners across the country."

Jim Russell, American Public Media's senior creative advisor, has been a collaborator in the development of the program with North Carolina Public Radio-WUNC's creative staff.

"The Story brings a fresh approach to radio with its dual emphasis on storytelling and on relevance and timeliness," said Sarah Lutman, American Public Media's senior vice president of content and media. "These are not just great stories; they're stories that need to be heardñtoday. You'll hear from remarkable people in engaging conversation with Dick Gordon. We're proud to have this innovative new program in our national programming portfolio and look forward to working with our colleagues at North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC to develop the show and build its audience."

About North Carolina Public RadioñWUNC
WUNC is the National Public Radio affiliate licensed to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. It operates a five-station radio network serving more than 280,000 listeners each week in communities from Greensboro to the Outer Banks. WUNC has the largest public radio news staff in North Carolina and produces programs including The State of Things and The Peopleís Pharmacy. WUNCís news and information format can be heard at 91.5 FM in the Triangle and Triad, at 90.9 FM in the Rocky Mount/Wilson/Greenville area, and at 88.9 FM along the Outer Banks. The station is online at www.wunc.org.