Radio Australia Highlights XXIX
John A. Figliozzi
AUGUST 14-16, 1999
Here a full compendium of programs on offer from RA during weekends,
along with some detailed highlights for selected programs. Days and
times are UTC. Be sure to check repeat times of listed programs to fill
in the gaps between listings.
(*Denotes programs produced at RA, all others produced at Radio National
and other ABC domestic networks unless otherwise indicated. + Denotes
program had first broadcast earlier in the day/week.)
+Fri. 2130 on 21740 - THE SPORTS FACTOR - A program debating and
celebrating the cultural significance of sport in Australian society.
This week: "Politics & Sport". Last weekend, the Federal Minister for
Employment Services, Tony Abbott, suggested that sportspeople and other
celebrities should stay out of the debate on an Australian republic. But
Australian cricketer Zoe Goss believes otherwise. Zoe bats for the
republican side, and believes that a change to a republic will encourage
Australians to feel as passionate about their country as they feel about
their sport. And former Australian cricket captain and pro-republican
Ian Chappell says that his views were forged on the cricket fields of
England and Australia. But television sports presenter JIM WILSON says
we don't need a republic to have a sense of who we are. He agrees with
the Minister's comments and thinks that the debate is being side-lined
by the number of sports personalities who are publicly supporting a
republic. Plus, the 20th anniversary of a suburban cricket club that was
founded for the precise reason of mixing politics with sport. (First
broadcast 0030, 1030, 1530.)
Fri. 2310 on 21740 - BOOK READING - A mixture of contemporary and
classic Australian writing. (Repeated Sat. 0330, 1105)
Fri. 2315 on 21740 - LINGUA FRANCA - A program about language. "David
Crystal on Language Death: Why does it matter?" At the end of the
millennium, there are about 6000 languages in the world, of which about
half are going to die out in the course of the next century.
World-renowned language specialist David Crystal, the author of 'The
Cambridge Encyclopedia of the English Language', soon to be in Australia
for the Melbourne Writers' Festival, talks about the subject of his
forthcoming book 'Language Death: Why Does it Matter?' (Repeated Sat.
0340, 1115.)
Fri. 2330 on 21740 - IN CONVERSATION with Robyn Williams - Robyn
Williams talks not only to scientists but also to those interested in
the subject and about what it's meant to their lives. This week: Richard
Welch, who trained in science before entering publishing. (Repeated Sat.
0730)
+Sat. 0030 on 21740 - FEEDBACK* - Roger Broadbent reads your letters,
plays your musical requests and discuss RA's programming plans for the
upcoming week. (First broadcast Fri. 2105; Repeated Sat. 0605, Sun
0330)
Sat. 0110 on 21740 - OZ SOUNDS* - Australian music presented in all its
diversity. (Repeated Sun 0430, 1030.)
Sat. 0130 on 21740 - ARTS TALK - The arts in their historical, political
and social context through lively interviews with artists, thinkers and
critics, as well as some performance. This week: "Nick Cave's Meltdown".
During the past few summers in London, the Meltdown Festival on the
Southbank of the Thames has been guest curated by celebrities from the
alternative arts world, such as Laurie Anderson, John Peel and, this
year, the Australian-born Nick Cave. (Repeated 0630; Tue. 2330.)
Sat. 0205 on 15515 - OCKHAM'S RAZOR - Sounding off about science. This
week: Dr Adam Graycar from the Australian Institute of Criminology talks
about preventing crime through environmental design. He believes that a
fair bit of crime can be prevented by designing our homes and
communities in such a fashion that it would block criminal
opportunities. (Repeated 1910, Sun. 0410)
Sat. 0210 on 17580 - GRANDSTAND - Live weekend sports coverage featuring
the Australian (Rules) Football League Match of the Day. (Continues to
0800.)
Sat. 0230 on 15515 - EARTHBEAT - A program on environmental science.
This week: "Surviving Technology" Professor Richard Turco is the
scientist who discovered the hole in the earth's ozone layer. He's also
one of a group of scientists who developed the theory of nuclear
winter. He tells EARTHBEAT how changes we've made to our environment
have profoundly changed the nature of human evolution and that we're now
dependent on technology for our survival. (Repeated 1930, Sun. 2330.)
Sat. 0305 on 15515 - RURAL REPORTER - ABC's rural reporters present
news and stories from rural and regional Australia covering issues
relating to primary industries and regional communities to paint a
picture of life and the issues that concern the 35% of Australia's
population that lives outside the major urban centres. (Repeated Sun.
0730; Wed. 2330; Thu. 2130.)
Sat. 0405 on 15515 - *PACIFIC FOCUS Environment Edition - Reports on
developments in the environmental field in the Pacific region. (Sole
broadcast.)
Sat. 0430 on 15515 - JAZZ NOTES* - The Australian jazz scene. (Repeated
1030, Sun. 1105.)
Sat. 0505 on 15515 - *PACIFIC FOCUS Sport Edition - Reports on sport in
the Pacific region. (Sole broadcast.)
+Sat. 0530 on 15515 - DEMOCRACY AND NATION - A 13-part 'Open Learning'
series on the character of the democracy established in Australia in
1901. Program 10: "Educating a Democracy" Despite Federation in 1901,
education policies and practices remained very much a state government
matter. Educational philosophies varied from state to state as
governments grappled with questions about the role of education and the
balance between the private and public sectors. (First broadcast Fri.
1830; Sun. 0030; Repeated 2130.)
Sat. and Sun. 0805 on 15515 - GRANDSTAND WRAP - Reports on all the
weekend sports action in Australia and around the world.
Sat. 0905 on 13605 - THE SCIENCE SHOW - This week on the Science Show it
is the year 1000. If you are living in England life is not nasty,
brutish and short - except if you are a slave. Your dinner will be boar,
lamprey, bread and mead, unless there's a famine. You won't eat with a
fork. If you are living in Australia the date won't matter, life has
been much the same for the past hundreds of years. Author Robert Lacey
(in England) and Professor Rhys Jones (in Australia) conjure up life
1000 years ago. (Repeated 1305; Tue. 0110.)
Sat. 1130 on 13605 - FINE MUSIC AUSTRALIA* - Australian classical music
compositions and performances. (Repeated Sun. 0210)
Sat. 1205 on 9580 - THE SPIRIT OF THINGS - A program about contemporary
religious experience in Australia. This week: "The Truth About Cults."
Cults are best described as organisations that are too good to be true,
according to Raphael Aron, author of a new book on the subject. People
are duped into believing that everything inside the cult is truth while
everything and everyone outside the cult is evil. Aron, a counsellor of
cult members and their families for more than 25 years, talks to program
host Rachael Kohn about his findings. How well does the media report
cultic activities? What are the considerations and dangers of
investigative reporting of cults? (Sole broadcast)
Sat. 1355 on 9580 - ON THIS DAY - in world and Australian history.
Sat. 1405 on 9580 - NEW DIMENSIONS - Intimate conversations with many of
this century's leading thinkers and social innovators. "Deep Ecology for
the 21st Century--Part 9" [Ed. note: This is a syndicated program that
is also carried by Radio for Peace International and some public radio
stations in the U.S.] (Repeated Sun. 1705.)
Sat. 1505 on 9580 - MELISMA - Chamber music, folk sources and jazz
innovations in a graceful, melodic and sometimes challenging two hours.
+Sat. 1705 on Internet - *PACIFIC REVIEW - The best of the week's
reports first broadcast on "Pacific Beat". (First broadcast Fri. 1805,
2005, Sat. 0705; Repeated Sun. 0505.)
Sat. 2100 on 21740 - SUNDAY WITH MACCA - Australian songs, poems and
stories from all over the country. Ian McNamara ("Macca") hosts ABC
Radio's highest rated program and celebrates traditional Australian
values and culture with callers from inside and outside Australia.
(Continuous to 0000; begins at 2010.)
Sun. 0005 on 21740 - CORRESPONDENTS' REPORT - The ABC's overseas
reporters give their interpretation and analysis of the week's major
events, as well as offering some perceptive observations about the
countries and regions in
which they're based. (Repeated 0310, 0640, 1010)
Sun. 0110 on 21740 - THE EUROPEANS - "Exodus" Over a thousand Romany -
the preferred name for Gypsies - travelled to Finland from Slovakia
recently, seeking political asylum. At the bottom of the social pile in
Slovakia, they claim to suffer there from systematic discrimination
harassment. So, what's the real story behind this mass exodus of Romany?
Is it just coincidence that Finland currently holds the presidency of
the European Union? (Sole broadcast.)
Sun. 0230 on 15515 - *INNOVATIONS - RA's showcase of Australian
invention, enterprise and ingenuity. This week: How a simple electronic
device is reducing the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome; tracking
the growth of an export-oriented manufacturer with its unique weed
spraying technology; and taking the heat out of dairy cows. (Repeated
0830; Repeated Mon. 2330, Tue. 2130.)
Sun. 0305 on 17580 - GRANDSTAND - Live weekend sports coverage featuring
the (Australian) National Rugby League Match of the Day. (Continues to
0800.)
+Sun. 0530 on 15515 - IN CONVERSATION with Shane Mahony - The people and
personalities behind the rural news each week. This week: Sarah
Henderson the well known Australian author, pastoralist and business
woman of the year. (First broadcast Sat. 1730; Repeated Sun. 1130.)
Sun. 0605 on 15515 - *PACIFIC FOCUS Arts Edition - Reports on the arts
in the Pacific region. (Sole broadcast.)
Sun. 0705 on 15515 - *PACIFIC FOCUS Business Edition - Reports on
business in the Pacific region. (Sole broadcast.)
Sun. 1055 on 9580 - ON THIS DAY - in world and Australian history.
(Repeated 1555.)
Sun. 1205 on 9580 - COUNTRY CLUB - From Americana to alternative, bush
to bluegrass, and from heritage to tomorrow's music, a two hour ramble
through the various tracks that make up that very wide field of country
music.
Sun. 1405 on 9580 - BOOKS AND WRITING - In-depth discussions with
prominent novelists, poets, biographers and critics from Australia and
the world focusing on books, ideas and writing. (Sole broadcast)
+Sun. 1505 on 9580 - ENCOUNTER - This highly acclaimed series explores
the connections between religion and life. This week: "Reconciliation."
Who starts reconciliation? In the last decade of the 20th century, more
than 30 truth and reconciliation commissions have been set up in
countries around the world. The decade is marked by extremes; scientific
and technological advances and unimaginable brutality. In this Encounter
we hear from Robert Schreiter, an eminent Catholic scholar who seeks to
find what the Christian message might contribute in this larger
discussion of reconciliation. (First broadcast 0935.)
Sun. 1605 on 9580 - THE NATIONAL INTEREST - Presented by Terry Lane,
one of Australia's most accomplished interviewers, this program looks at
the major issues of the week featuring longer interviews as well as Mr.
Lane's witty roundup of what's making the news in the (Australian)
states.
Sun. 2210 on 21740 - AM - For more than 30 years, AM has been
ABC Radio's flagship current affairs programme, setting the days news
agenda with concise reports and analysis from correspondents around
Australia and around the world. (Repeated 2210)
Sun. 2240 on 21740 - MUSIC DELI - Folk, traditional, acoustic and world
music, with a strong emphasis on Australian performances of these
musical styles - at festivals, in concerts and special recordings made
for the program in ABC studios around the country.
Sun. 2310 on 21740 - CORRESPONDENTS' REPORT MONDAY EDITION -
The ABC's overseas reporters give their interpretation and analysis of
the week's major events, as well as offering some perceptive
observations about the countries and regions in which they're based.
(Repeated Mon. 0010)
Mon. 0030 on 21740 - THE HEALTH REPORT - "Dreams" What do your dreams
say about you? According to Freud, they reflect our deepest needs. But
those who study the brain during sleep say dreams are just a kind of
mental flotsam. We hear about new evidence that suggests dreams do tap
into our hidden urges after all. We also look at new research that could
lead to better long-term treatments for Parkinson's Disease.
(Repeated1030,1530, 2130)
Mon. 0110 on 21740 - AWAYE! - On Australia's only national indigenous
arts and culture program this week: "A Bill of Native Rights." In the
lead up to the federal referendum, we look at Indigenous attitudes to
the political system and some of the limitations hindering access. While
they head up a great number of community organisations, what is keeping
Indigenous women from becoming mainstream politicians? And, how do
Indigenous youth feel about policies that directly affect them, but have
no say over? New kid on the block, Aden Ridgeway talks up Constitutional
reform, and the role a Bill of Rights would have on the Indigenous land
struggle while back on the lawns of old parliament house, the Aboriginal
Tent Embassy reaffirms its stand on sovereignty. And satirist Anita
Heiss gives a Koori Woman's perspective on what the Prime Minister's
Preamble should have said.
World and Australian News on the hour.
Best frequencies noted for RA here in upstate NY:
2100 - 0200 UTC: 21740 [17580 also noted]
0200 - 0900 UTC: 15515 [17580 also noted]
0900 - 1100 UTC: 13605 [11880 also noted]
1100 - 1500 UTC: 9580 (fade out) [11650 also noted]
The full Radio Australia program schedule is also streamed "live" in
RealAudio from the station's web site at
<http://www.abc.net.au/ra/>. Late details for some RA produced programs
are also available there. Late details for RN-produced programs are
available from <http://www.abc.net.au/rn>.
Good listening!
John Figliozzi