Letters: Katrina, Aggression, and a Fishing Host

ROBERT SIEGEL, host:

Each Thursday we read from your e-mails, and, not surprisingly, we've had a lot of letters about our coverage of Hurricane Katrina.

`All the stories you aired today about the hurricane victims were incredibly moving,' writes Elizabeth Calacerdo(ph). `But when you aired the very personal story of Sally Lohrbach and her husband in Gulfport, with her voice breaking as she recounted everything she lost, especially her husband's lifetime of journals, I felt the grief through the radio. To everyone out there feeling alone and helpless,' says Mrs. Calacerdo, `people in all corners of America are listening and watching and praying and caring and donating.'

Several listeners were disturbed by our interview with Anna Solis(ph). She had evacuated to a shelter in Shreveport with her nine-day-old grandchild, born prematurely. Michael Federer of Norwalk, Connecticut, thought the interview was a lapse of good judgment. `Though Melissa Block showed compassion in asking how the baby was doing,' Mr. Federer writes, `Solis' response was "Not doing well," and she then said that she was going to take the baby to the hospital, quote, "as soon as I finish talking to you."'

Well, Federer continues, `It was at that moment Block should have said, "Thank you for your time, and we hope everything turns out well for the baby and for your whole family." Instead she carried on the interview with no less than eight questions or comments.'

Our story by Radio Rookie Derrick Hewitt generated quite a mailbag of its own. He is the 15-year-old who, as part of a radio training program in New York City, produced a story about his own aggressive behavior. `Words cannot describe the emotion welling inside at the sound of a boy beating his brother,' writes Carl Burkholter(ph) of Norwalk, Ohio. `I felt anger towards a parent that would allow this, a brother that would record this and NPR for airing this piece. How dare NPR confuse this case study in child psychology with news worthy of the day?'

Jake Sunshine of Madison, Wisconsin, though, heard the story very differently. Mr. Sunshine writes: `Kudos to NPR for playing the difficult segment on the family life and problems of Derrick Hewitt. I have no doubt that you received a deluge of letters from outraged listeners. This listener, however, thought it was an insightful, unflinching and thus excellent piece of journalism.'

Well, finally, on a lighter note, we got a letter of appreciation about our obituary for Harold Ensley. He hosted a Kansas City television program about fishing for 48 years. Phil Burger of Las Vegas, Nevada, remembers Ensley. `Growing up in Kansas,' he writes, `I watched his show nearly every week until I moved to Florida in 1980. I loved hearing the old theme song, but you missed the best part, the end.' Well, Phil, here it is.

(Soundbite of song)

Unidentified Man: (Singing) ...gone fishin' instead of just a-wishin'. Gone fishin'.

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