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Michel Martin

Michel Martin explains the idea of a pilot segment at the Rough Cuts daily editorial meeting.

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So now we're getting closer... closer... closer.

This week we reach a milestone: We're going to produce our first "pilot." These are demo shows that we produce and distribute to member stations to help them decide whether to pick up the program. OK, who are we kidding? We only want to "help" them decide one thing: yes.

We want them to pant for it.
We want them to fight over it.

So we're trying to make it as strong as can be??? and that's where we are going to put our energies this week (check out our behind-the-scenes pics). We've been posting two or three segments a week, but this week we're just going to put up a feature on Thursday (one, in particular, I think you'll like -- if I say so myself. More on that later in the week).

And, yes, we will post the pilots at some point -- at least some of the segments. As usual, we want to know what you think. It will be a bit rough (as in "Rough" Cuts) because we don't have a final music score and we're still working out some details, like how the intros and the little breaks between segments should sound. But we're getting there. Keep your fingers crossed and thanks for all the help, encouragement and tough love so far.

Speaking of help: Do you belong to a book club? What are you reading right now? We are very interested in having book clubs as a regular segment -- featuring book clubs and what the club members are reading, author interviews and all of that. But we want to know: What's hot right now?

We are especially curious to know if you are reading books that speak in some way to the multicultural experience. The nontraditional. Earlier this year, we interviewed author Rebecca Walker who wrote the intro to a collection of short stories called Mixed, a collection of short fiction by mixed-race writers. That would be a good one. I know there are book clubs that explore interfaith dialogue (I know because I did a story on one). What are you reading? Let us know??? and do we even need to say it? We get the impression that most book clubs are by and for women. But men -- we love you, too -- if you have a book club, tell us what you've got on your list.

And finally... we still haven't found our "Diversity Coach" -- someone who can help us with a segment on how to smooth out the kinks in multicultural, interpersonal relations. If you've ever had an etiquette class or a protocol class or read a column by somebody whose advice impressed you in this area, won't you drop us a line?

5:46 - February 27, 2007

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