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First Listening Journal

Going Radical: An NPR News Investigation

by Dina Temple-Raston

This investigative piece is exactly 7 minutes and 31 seconds long. While the feature is interesting, it is somewhat too long. In fact, I tuned out a couple of times. However, the beginning is interesting and it catches the attention of the listener by telling the story of the young Muslim man who spent his time in London immersing himself into Islamic fundamentalism. The story is interesting to me simply because I follow the news; however, it is not unique. It is just another story talking about another young man who turns into a Muslim radical. However, the reporter’s voice does not sound monotone, therefore it is easy to follow. The quality of the sound is crisp and clear. This is important since it would be terrible to listen to if it was long and had bad quality. Overall, the production quality of this story was very good and the interviews that the reporter conducted throughout the story were very clear and easy to follow.

This piece can be found at:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=123663212

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Love Shack from World Vision Report

by Will Everett

This story is about a local Senegali man who has a small shack where he makes herbal

medicine, specifically love potions. It is a very interesting story that incorporates science, magic, and love. The only interesting parts where the interviews that the reporter had conducted with the Senegali man and his customers. However, the reporter’s voice sounded very monotone and uninterested.

This story is about five minutes long, however, I felt that it should have been longer. I was very curious to learn more about this man and the type of herbal medicine he practices in Senegal. Also, the story was missing the viewpoints of other local residents from the village who truly believe in this medicine man's work and actually go to this man for help. Overall, the production quality, the length, the reporter's sources and his voice in this story could have definitely been better.

This piece can be found at:

http://www.worldvisionreport.org/Stories/Week-of-February-13-2010/Love-Shack

India's women are in control

Chanda Kochhar, CEO & MD, ICICI Bank

Barriers for women may finally be tumbling

While no woman has ever held a leading position on Wall Street, women in India are climbing up the corporate ladder, specifically when it comes to banking.

According to an article by The New York Times, women in India are actually running some of the nation's largest banks. Women like Chanda Kochar, who runs the Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India (ICICI), are closing multi-billion dollar deals everyday.

In India, companies like HSBC, Royal Bank of Scotland, UBS and Fidelity International, JPMorgan Chase, and Royal Bank of Scotland are all dominated by businesswomen. In a country like India, which is often criticized by the West for their different traditions and beliefs, progress and success for women is actually more attainable.

India's financial industry, which is younger than that of Europe and America, has succeeded in giving women the rights they deserve as corporate leaders. While in the West, women still continue to struggle in order to prove themselves to be as competent as their male counterparts when it comes to business.

The fact that these women are able to achieve such great accomplishments, while maintaining their culture and beliefs sets a great example for women, especially women living in the East.

This I believe...

On January 20, 2009, Neda Agha Sultan was sitting in her car amidst protests in the city of Tehran. Neda, who was not participating in the protests at the time, stepped outside her car to observe what was happening around her. Seconds after she stepped out, a police official shot her straight to the chest and Neda fell dead to the ground.

Neda’s murder did not just serve as a symbol of the Iranian people’s struggle. It has inspired the entire world to pause and pay attention to what it feels like to live under oppression.

While I have always strongly believed in the freedom of all individuals no matter what race or religion they may be, this year’s events have pushed me to strongly support human rights and the people who speak out to defend this cause. Among these events was the ongoing struggle of the Islamic Republic of Iran. Men and women, young and old have been calling out for their freedom against the injustices of their government.

Many Iranians have suffered and sacrificed their lives for their right to vote and they’ve sacrificed their lives just to have their voices heard in their own country. While they continue to struggle for these rights everyday, their voices are being heard all over the world by inspiring young people to actually get up and take a stand. In fact, they’ve inspired me as an aspiring journalist.

Imagine living in a society where you are totally confined. Imagine that you are not able to express yourself at all, whether it’s through the way you dress, the religion you practice, or what you do for a living. Imagine not being able to choose how you live your life or whom you vote for, or what goes on in your country. Not only would this oppression be hindering my personal freedom, but it would also hinder my society from progressing. After all, freedom of speech paves the way for creativity and change.

If I am not able to express myself, I don’t feel whole. In fact, I do not feel like I am reaching my full potential. This is why I truly believe that freedom is not a privilege; it is a god-given right that we should not have to ask for. However, this right is not easily attained because it is threatened by other people’s actions. We often have to fight for it and sacrifice our lives in order to secure it.

If sacrifice is what it takes for us to be free, then so be it. It is not an expensive price. Too many people have died and suffered already for this cause, so stopping now is just not an option.