NPR: Debating What to Cover, How to Cover it

Debating What to Cover, How to Cover it

So here I was, last night, getting ready to leave, all happy with today's show because we were FINALLY going to talk about some things that have been percolating for a while -- the Iraqi refugees in Syria and Jordan, the teddy bear story out of Sudan, the story of the rape victim in Saudi Arabia and important new leadership at the World Bank (most Americans only think about the Bank once a year when demonstrators descend to hurl abuse at their annual meeting, but this is an incredibly important institution in the developing world). Plus, more diverting stories ... Edward Ball, who wrote about his discovery of his family's slave-owning past, has a new book. He discovered some locks of his family members' hair and had them tested ... and more on genetic testing with a man who specializes in those of African ancestry.

And what the heck happens? Some guy shoots up a shopping mall in Omaha. YIKES. Of course, my first thought is: how awful. How terrible for the families. Then my second thought is ... what do WE do?

By WE, of course I mean Tell Me More. Do we switch around the show? What do we dump? ... What do we keep? Who can we get/what can we add?

I have to tell you that our first instinct is almost always ... change the show. But then we ask ourselves a second question, what can we uniquely offer? What can we share with you that you will not have heard elsewhere, even in our own newscasts. That is often why you will not find breaking news on the program, other than in the newscasts that begin each program. Our principal is: what can we tell you that you didn't just hear?

Today, though, tested that resolve ... so many great stories -- the National Intelligence Estimate on Iran (the intelligence agencies, as a group, say IRAN is NOT building a nuclear weapon, after all ... a total change from just two years ago), the news from Omaha, a terrible, yet remarkable story out of Detroit (a very young girl is shot six times while trying to shield her mother from a gunman, yet both manage to survive).

What do we change, what do we add?

We decided this morning to take the long view, that the stories we covered are stories with lasting meaning and long-term consequence -- often pushed to the back precisely when more dramatic stories grab the headlines.

We hope we made the right decision. Let us know if you agree...

Michel Martin

6:22 PM ET | 12- 6-2007 | permalink

Comments (Send a comment)

Just last week I sent in a rant about the Barbershop but forgot to praise you for all that you do that makes us proud. My friends and I have admired and respected your journalistic acuity since your time on Nightline. We were also happy to see you moderating the Tavis Smiley summits. It's nice to know that you have a spot on NPR. My friends and I are able to listen to you over the Internet while at work. We feel it is equally important to hear news events reported by black journalist in order to offer an expansive viewpoint to all citizens. You have introduced the world at large to our scholars???our experts that know a thing or two about economics and banking???politics and global affairs. By inviting them on your show helps to make sense of our world, and diminishes the feeling of isolation; as well as the notions that because our viewpoints are different makes us less American. It is so important to have the opinions and professional perspective of the war and the subprime housing crisis examined by folks that look like us because we have friends and family that are in Iraq. We know folks who are not sleeping nights because they are in jeopardy of losing their houses. I especially appreciated the report on the PEW Survey, because it served as a catalyst and got the older and younger generations in our family talking. My friend girls and I tune out office politics during our day and listen to more worthy discussions on your show. It is refreshing to get a black perspective that is as informative, as relevant as trustworthy as anything offered on CNN, and the big 3 broadcasting networks about current events. We find ourselves emailing our rants and raves throughout the day and sometimes calling one another to continue our conversations in the evening. I think you have an important voice and encourage my family and friends to tune-in to "Tell Me More". My 15 and 16-year-old grandchildren listen to your shows as well. I encourage them to live from a black perspective which encompasses respecting and trusting the opinions and analysis of black people, and that is achieved by listening to shows like yours, and News and Notes and Tavis Smiley and reading black print news. As I remind my grands, as a people, we rap, we dance, we play ball, but we also think. I will be asking their history teachers to make your show apart of extra credit so that their classmates predominantly white and Asians may also have an opportunity to see us as American citizens thinking about our world as others do and working to achieve the American dream as average everyday citizens. I will let you know how it goes.

Sent by lois Mackey | 1:02 PM ET | 12-10-2007

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'Tell Me More' with Michel Martin

"Nothing is assumed." That's the unofficial motto of Tell Me More, the new Monday-Friday talk show with host Michel Martin. Grounded in lively interviewing and compelling storytelling, the program seeks to present diverse new voices, cross borders, challenge conventional wisdom and discover how other people think.