Radio Australia Highlights LXXXVI (w/c Jan. 24)
John A. Figliozzi
Here are some listening suggestions for Radio Australia for the first
part of the workweek. Days and times are UTC with times and frequencies
reflecting best shortwave reception in North America. + denotes that a
program was first broadcast previous to the listed time; *denotes a
program produced by RA; all others are produced at Radio National or at
other ABC domestic networks as noted.
[Editor's Note: "The World Today" returns this week, Mon-Fri. 0210 and
0410. "Australia Talks Back" returns, Mon.-Fri. 0905. Note week-long
summaries below for "Margaret Throsby", "Late Night Live" and "The
Planet".]
Mon.-Fri. 0310 on 15515 - MARGARET THROSBY INTERVIEW - An interview with
a special guest which gives an insight into the life and work, thoughts
and feelings of the guest and shares their evocative and eclectic
musical choices. Guests this week:
Mon. - Brian O'Doherty, author, artist, film-maker and former art
critic;
Tue. - John Derum, actor;
Wed. - Hugh Mackay, social researcher; his latest book is a stocktake of
Australians at the end of the last century, "Turning Point: Australians
Choosing Their Future";
Thu. - TBA;
Fri.- Elizabeth Ann MacGregor, Director of the Museum of Contemporary
Art in Sydney.
(Sole broadcast.)
Mon.-Thu. 1205 on 9580 - LATE NIGHT LIVE - ABC Radio's chat show for
thinking listeners, the program is unique in its coverage of the
important debates of our time, ranging across politics, philosophy,
international news and cultural concerns. With Phillip Adams at the
helm, LATE NIGHT LIVE has developed a large cult following with a loyal
group of Radio National listeners.
Mon. - An interview with the poet, playwright, essaying and novelist,
Wole Soyinka. In 1986, Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for
Literature - the first black and the first Nigerian to win this European
prize. A fierce critic of Nigeria's dictatorships, Soyinka has lived in
exile for the past 6 years in the U.S. where he teaches at Emery
University.
Tue. - "The Rise and Decline of the Christian Empire". Ian Guthridge was
a Jesuit who, as a young man, headed off to Rome to get a Doctorate in
Theology at the Gregorian University. By the time he'd completed his
doctoral studies, Ian realised he could no longer be a Catholic because
he wasn't convinced that Jesus was God. All up Ian Guthridge spent 10
years in Rome and when he returned to Australia began writing and
teaching. His most recent book, "The Rise and Decline of the Christian
Empire", is a study of how and why Christianity grew to dominate the
West....and what this history tells us about the decline of Christianity
in the West. "King Leopold's Ghost". Adam Hochschild tells the story of
how a cruel "tin pot" King from Belgium set up his own private fiefdom
in the Congo and systematically raped and pillaged ivory and rubber, and
in the process killed between five and eight million Africans. The
narrative begins with the Belgian colonisation of Africa in the 1860's
and ends around 1900 with the birth of the human rights movement that
brought King Leopold's reign to an end. "The Birth of Sydney". Tim
Flannery's new book "The Birth of Sydney" is a biological and geological
history of the city and the changes wrought on the Sydney basin by
rivers, floods, sandstone, Aborigines and the British Empire. Flannery
writes a brilliant introduction to the subject and the rest of the book
is edited extracts of observations by the likes of Arthur Phillip,
William Dawes, Bennelong, Charles Darwin, Mark Twain and The Sydney
Morning Herald.
Wed. - "Women and Power: A Public Forum". What is meant by "power for
women"? There's been lots of talk about women wanting it all - but what
price do women pay to have it all (whatever that is)? How does a woman
who is, or wants to be, successful in business balance the roles of
career, wife, mother, etc.? Why do some women resist power? And how do
women resist becoming blokes? These are some of the issues discussed in
the Women and Power forum, held at the Victoria State Library and hosted
by Phillip Adams.
Thu. - "Peter Cundall". Phillip Adams spoke to Peter Cundall on the eve
of the 10th Anniversary of ABC TV's "Gardening Australia". But having
found Peter to be such an interesting person, LATE NIGHT LIVE wanted to
spend more time with him. So, in this extended inteview Peter Cundall
discusses his childhood in Manchester, his army years, which included
time in solitary confinement as a POW in Yugoslavia during WWII, his
years as a member of the Communist Party and his thoughts about GM
(genetically modified) food.
Mon. - Fri. 1315 on 9580 - THE PLANET - Good, heartfelt, inspiring music
from around the world.
Mon. - We think the "no's" have it, we beg to differ, it ain't
necessarily so, and we won't be resolving any contradictions. Not today,
anyway,. Our "Quite Contrary" program ranges from the physically
confrontational to the unanswerable, via the apocryphal. Richard Nixon
and Nikita Khrushchev begin the proceedings, which conclude with a
Marxist riddle for two guitars (that's Chico, not Karl).
Tues. - All aboard for the last "return trip" of our summer season. "My
Ship" takes us to many seas, rivers, lakes.. sometimes into their watery
depths; not every ship is sound, and some are immaterial. There's hard
work and messing about in boats, shipboard romance (and unadulterated
lust), fishing, fresh penguin eggs, that proverbially slow boat to
China.. and, yes, some of the boatmen are Volga.
Wed. - Our first featured new release of 2000 is suitably "planetary",
and just right for Australia Day. "East" is a set of performances by
Australian musicians of "eastern" origin. All have performed at the
Australian Institute of Estern Music's annual Festival of Asian Music
and Dance, but many of these cuts were recorded in a studio. One Tibetan
musician was 'captured' on a boat in the Hawkesbury, and he nicely
titled the result, "Yes We Have No Mantras Today". Some pieces are quite
"traditional", whilst others exhibit much hybrid vigour. They range from
Iran to Indochina, and include what's very probably the first-ever
recording of a Turkish-Vietnamese spontaneous collaboration.
Thu. - Joe Louis Walker is a strong-singing bluesman with an equal
affinity for blues, soul and gospel music. Although often perceived as a
new face, he's been singing since the 50's. On his new CD, "Silvertone
Blues", (named after his 30s guitar) he's mostly in acoustic blues mode,
with some fabulous backing by harmonica ace James Cotton and solid
pianist Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne. Whatever the style, Joe Louis ensures
that the technique doesn't overshadow the emotion.
Fri. - TBA.
Mon. 2330 on 21740 - *INNOVATIONS - RA's showcase of Australian design,
discoveries, invention, engineering and research skills with Desley
Blanch. This week: "Breast Cancer Test Using Hair". The technique, while
in its early stages, if proven, could lead to a simple non-invasive
screening method for the disease and may also predict whether a woman
will develop the cancer. "Obstetric Omniascope", which uses light and
video to examine the baby's environment to detect when a baby is in
distress and should be delivered. (Also Tue. 2130.)
Tue. 0030 on 17750 - THE LAW REPORT - Issues in and reports about the
Australian legal system. This week: "Crime and Criminal Justice". THE
LAW REPORT starts its new season with a BIG topic - crime and criminal
justice in the 21st century. Professor Franklin Zimring, from Berkeley,
California, has for 20 years been a leading figure in research on legal
policy and institutions. He has turned his prophetic gaze on firearms,
crime trends in a globalised world, drugs and drug-related crime,
capital punishment and prison and punishment policy. He brings his
crystal ball for a look at crime and criminal justice in the next
century. (Also at 1030, 1530.)
+Tue. 0110 on 17750 - THE SCIENCE SHOW - "The Descent of Man - Part
One".
This week, THE SCIENCE SHOW begins a special four-part series presented
by Tom Morton on the new Darwinism. Today, 140 years after Charles
Darwin published "The Origin of Species", his 'dangerous idea' is
enjoying greater influence than ever. There's Darwinian psychology,
Darwinian economics, Darwinian medicine, Darwinian law and even
Darwinian literary criticism. The new Darwinians claim to be developing
a unified theory of human nature - one that can give us guidance on how
to shape our societies and how we ought to live. (Final repeat
broadcast.)
Tue. 1605 on 9580 - THE COMFORT ZONE - A program which explores the
cultural significance of architecture and design, gardening and food.
This week: "Heavy Metal". Looking at the various ways metal enters our
lives: in the kitchen in the form of the indispensable knife, in the
garden in the form of something that's quite dispensable these days but
still nice to have around, the sundial. And, of course, you can build
with metal, particularly if you're Australian, since metal structures
are something of a speciality in this country. (Sole broadcast.)
Tue. 2330 on 21740 - ARTS TALK - "HMAS Armadale". On December 1, 1942
HMAS Armadale was sunk in the Timor Sea by Japanese aircraft, with 150
men on board. Of these, 102 were left in the sea, but after nine days in
the water, only 49 survived the ordeal. As a young seaman, Col Madigan
was one of the survivors, and together with historian Don Watson and the
artist Jan Senbergs, they discuss their book and exhibition which
commemorates this little-known but significant event in the annals of
Australian naval history. (Final repeat broadcast.)
Wed. 0030 on 21740 - THE RELIGION REPORT - "If Christ Came to the Sydney
Olympics (Part 5)". Delving into the mystery, politics and history of
the Olympic movement with Professor William Baker, the Bird and Bird
Professor of History at the University of Maine. Professor Baker’s
principal interests are sports and religion. (Also at 1030, 1530, 2130.)
Best frequencies noted for RA here in upstate NY:
2100 - 0100 UTC: 21740 [17580 also noted]
0100 - 0200 UTC: 17750 [17580 also noted]
0200 - 0900 UTC: 15515 [17580 and 17750 also noted]
0900 - 1100 UTC: 13605 [11880 also noted]
1100 - 1600 UTC: 9580 [11650 also noted] (fade out)
If shortwave reception at your location is unreliable, you may find RA
via Internet audio a better alternative. The full Radio Australia
program schedule (with the exception of the weekend "Grandstand"
extended sports service), is streamed "live" in RealAudio from the
station's Internet site at <http://www.abc.net.au/ra/>. Late details for
some RA-produced programs may also be available there. Late details for
Radio National-produced programs are often available from
<http://www.abc.net.au/rn>.
Next update available on Tuesday evening EST. Until then, good
listening!
John Figliozzi