Good News, Bad News

A "Good News" newspaper
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Original Air Date: 
April 10, 2005

Mountain climber Warren MacDonald was 32 when his doctors told him he’d spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. It’s not that he didn’t believe them. After all, he’d just lost both his legs. But Warren MacDonald refused to be defeated by the worst news he could ever hear.  He found a way to go on climbing. In this hour of To the Best of Our Knowledge, we explore good news and bad news, and the ways we talk about them. Also, who gets to decide what’s news?

Bill Siemering on Radio in the Developing World

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Bill Siemering, NPR’s first Director of Programming and President of Developing Radio Partners, tells Steve Paulson how communities in the developing world are using radio as a community development tool.

Doug Maynard on Delivering Bad News

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Sociologist Doug Maynard talks with Anne Strainchamps about the different styles of sharing bad news and how sometimes the speaker’s style can undermine the content of the message.

Warren MacDonald on "A Test of Will"

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Warren MacDonald lost both of his legs above the knee in a climbing accident. He refused to be defeated by the news and devoted himself to designing new prosthetic devices.

Robert Darnton on the 18th Century News

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Princeton historian Robert Darnton says that people in 18th century Paris spread the news by making up topical songs to familiar melodies, and that the police kept records on everybody.

Show Details 📻
Airdates
April 10, 2006
Guests: 

Bill Siemering

developingradio.org

Doug Maynard

Sociologist
ssc.wisc.edu

Warren MacDonald

Author
warren-macdonald.com

Robert Darnton

history.fas.harvard.edu
Categories: 
Culture
Media
Last modified: 
March 22, 2023