NPR: Pilot #25: The Best Part of Waking Up

Pilot #25: The Best Part of Waking Up

Filed under:

For the first time in BPP history, we actually made radio during the early morning hours that will be our regular time slot. It was only one hour instead of two, and we started at 8 instead of 7, but when you're rolling into work at 4:45 AM, you don't make those kinds of distinctions. In any event, something about early morning hours must have agreed with us, because we pulled off a pretty damn good show. Where else could you find all this and more in one tidy hour?

-- Blackwater in hot water in Iraq - We talk to an Iraqi on the ground near the incident in question to find out what happened, then we break the story out with Bill Sizemore, reporter for the Virginian-Pilot, who co-wrote a six-part series on Blackwater that was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Explanatory Reporting.

-- Brett Somers, best known as a panelist on the classic game show "The Match Game," passed away Saturday. Rather than mourn her death we choose to celebrate her life, by playing The Bryant Park Project Match Game, with our own Mike Pesca as game show host, and blog readers not unlike yourself as contestants.

-- Copper Theft Epidemic - Yes, we did say copper theft epidemic. Who? Why? Where? When? How? And what does it have to do with crystal meth? We'll find out when we talk to Scott Berinato, who wrote a fascinating article all about it.

-- Plus we'll play Make Me Care with NPR's Frank Langfitt, who's covering the negotiations between the United Auto Workers and auto manufacturers. And we'll do The Ramble, which includes the news that Crocs may be dangerous. Not the animals--the shoes.

Dan Pashman

9:23 AM ET | 09-18-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Sorry that you guys had to be up so early. However, it was nice to have the MP3 for my walk. Though, chilling in the evening with the BPP is always nice too. Keep up your awesome work.

Sent by Petro | 11:54 AM ET | 09-18-2007

So is the BPP set to go live at 7 AM ET when it begins its run?

I'm just curious...
-Morning Edition goes live at 5 AM ET, right?
-Will BPP do live updates like ME does for several hours to keep the show relevant for the West Coast? If so, what will/can y'all update with the conversational format of the show? Rachel's newscasts?

Sent by Steve Petersen | 12:18 PM ET | 09-18-2007

It was really nice to have a show waiting for me when I got into work this morning. I came in early today, which was lucky, because none of my coworkers were here to raise their eyebrows while I was laughing out loud at your match game tribute. Keep it up.

Sent by Will Kistler | 2:49 PM ET | 09-18-2007

Thanks for covering the Blackwater story. It is very textured. The Bush Administration is grasping on to the fact that Iraq is a "sovereign state" -- a sign of success, but it must also treat the country as such.

I wish I could've called in during "The Match Game," but I start work at 8 and was running late this morning anyways. It is funny that this is BPP's first early morning show and the two contestants are from Colorado and Alaska -- both a couple of hours behind the East Coast... The BPP gives you a feedbag!

Interesting (in a good way) variety of stories: Marry Our Daughter, copper theft, unions...

"Viral Politics" is an interesting concept.

A Chinese building boom and crystal meth usage are connected? Who would've thunk' it? The power of copper.

Sent by Steve Petersen | 8:18 PM ET | 09-18-2007

Rachel,

I have some questions related to the Blackwater story for you since you've reported from Iraq.

Who provides security for NPR personnel in the country? Is it a private firm like Blackwater? What measures do the guards have to employ to protect you and your fellow journalists? Did they ever have to do something that you witnessed or heard of that made you wonder if the Iraqi government would have concern about?

Sent by Steve Petersen | 11:17 PM ET | 09-18-2007

The Marry Our Daughter segment brought to mind the same question I had after the Dateline NBC story a few weeks back: why are there so many men lining up to "marry" or "meet" very young girls (or boys). There is a lot about this topic in the media, but I don't hear many explorations of the possible causes. Understanding the reasons why so many grown men are sexually attracted to children seems like the first step toward preventing the problem and protecting kids.

Sent by Maura | 7:16 AM ET | 09-19-2007

Hey Steve,
So for the most part, NPR operates all on its own over there. If there is an emergency we can call on a private security firm that we contract with (a company that does a lot of work for other media there). And those guys give us an escort to and from the airport, but that's it. Other than that, we're on our own and we like it that way. It gives us much more flexibility and mobility to go around under the radar so to speak. I've worked much more in Afghanistan than Iraq so I can speak more from that experience but the public sentiment is the same. Iraqis (and Afghans) on the whole see these security contractors as a real threat. They believe they operate outside any laws and indeed as this most recent case has demonstrated, their accountability is indeed in question. At the same time, it's worth asking why are they there doing what they do and why hasn't this come to light before? Well, primarily because no one wants to face the facts that Iraqi is a live war zone and diplomats simply cannot go anywhere in Iraq without dozens of these armed guards with them. It will be interesting to see how this whole thing plays out - it's an issue that's been bubbling beneath the surface for four years now. Just how it will change how security firms operate there and in turn, US officials who they are charged with guarding - well that as we say all too often - remains to be seen. Thanks for the question.

Sent by Rachel | 8:34 PM ET | 09-19-2007

Rachel,

Thanks for your response to my question. I didn't know that journalists -- at least at NPR -- don't use private security services more. Y'all must be lower profile (less likely to spark violence) than the diplomats.

Sent by Steve Petersen | 1:21 PM ET | 09-20-2007

Send a Comment

Comments are reviewed and edited by NPR prior to display. All comments will be read, but not all will be posted.

NPR reserves the right to read on the air and/or publish on its Web site or in any medium now known or unknown the e-mails and letters that we receive. We may edit them for clarity or brevity and identify authors by name and location. For additional information, please consult our Terms of Use.

E-mail this Page

Recipient's e-mail address:	» Up to twelve addresses, separated by commas.
Your e-mail address:
Your name:
Personal message (optional, 600 characters max):
Your NPR member station:
Are you a member of your local NPR station?	Yes No
Would you like to receive information from your local NPR member station? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No
May we contact you with information about NPR programming and services? (see NPR's privacy policy)	Yes No

(Information collected by NPR will be used solely for internal NPR or NPR member station purposes and only if you selected 'yes' above. See NPR's privacy policy for more information.)

Host

Alison Stewart

Welcome to 'The Bryant Park Project'

This new radio show from NPR comes to you weekdays, straight out of New York City. You can find audio and video from us here and in our podcasts. Bryant Park is not a talk show, but it is a conversation. Intrigued? Read our frequently asked questions and discussion rules.