Yesterday's Revolution: Minneapolis 78 RPM Record Scene - Airs Feb. 15 

Lots of folks are into vinyl these days. Some people are even making mix tapes again. But if you really want to embrace obscure, seemingly dead media, there's no better way to do it than to buy 78 rpm records. This documentary takes listeners inside the rarefied world of 78 record enthusiasts, including Greg Carr, former KFAI "Dig Out the Roots" DJ, and Scott Holthus, owner of Vintage Music Company in Minneapolis. Holthus owns hundreds of thousands of 78 records and he refurbishes the machines that plays them.

From Brooklyn to Banja Luka - Airs Feb. 8
Jonathan is a nice Jewish boy from Brooklyn. He has a typically New York loudness, and he's flamboyant, musical and pretty good with languages. Dragana is a nice Serbian girl from Bosnia. She is prone to the occasional Slavic melancholy, but is also generally loud, musical, and pretty good with languages. They live in Holland, a small and sober country that, at first glance doesn?t seem suited to either temperament. Their improbable love story in features in From Brooklyn to Banja Luka. The programme won a Prix Europa in 2005 and a Gold Medal at the New York International Radio Festival.

Listen, Whitey! - Airs Feb 1st

Listen, Whitey! by American Documentary Films

Friday, April 5th, 1968. It is just hours after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. From the riots in Washington D.C. to the marches in New York City, Listen, Whitey! chronicles the reaction of the African-American community immediately following the assassination of Dr. King. Unrehearsed, the people’s voices you'll be hearing offer an unblemished glimpse at a tremendously difficult and painful moment in African American history.

Under Pressure - Airs Jan 25th

Reality Check by David Schultz

Carolyn, a mother of two, faces a life-altering crisis when, just a few short months out of rehab, a $5,000 check appears in her mailbox. It was more money than she'd ever seen. Obviously, most folks would find this to be a tremendous blessing... but it brings Carolyn right to the brink of relapse.

Second Mom from Radio Rookies

Teenager Sara Martinez assumes a lot of responsibility in her family. Her parents don't speak English - so she serves as translator and their bridge to the English-speaking world. She also helps with household chores and looks after her three younger siblings, including her youngest brother, Diego. Diego was born with autism. Sara knows that taking care of him has forced her to grow up faster than her peers. Sometimes she feels she missed out on being just a regular teenager.

The Other End of the Line by Aaron Henkin

Finally, we take a listen at life on the phone at the Baltimore City Police Department's 911 call center. Working at any call center can be an extremely stressful job; chances are, when the phone rings you'll be dealing with someone who's got a problem. However, this is a phone bank where the callers' problems are about as bad as they can get.

Potpourri of Stories - Airs Jan. 18
This episode of The Listening Lounge feature three stories we like. They're not related in a specific way. So we're calling the show a potpourri.

The Sleeping Fool by Sofia Saldanha
Art museum security guards spend their days in uniform, speaking quietly or not at all, surrounded by works of irreplaceable art. It may look easy, but the job requires a stressful degree of responsibility, poise, and silence. Some guards may begin to feel trapped inside their own thoughts, or even inside a painting.


Searching For Blelvis by Sam Greenspan
When Elvis Presley died, he left behind an abundance of adoring fans. One of his most obsessive, and mysterious, admirers is Washington's own Blelvis--a self-described 'Elvisologist,' who can often be found in the Columbia Heights, Adams Morgan, and Mt Pleasant neighborhoods.  Sam Greenspan set out to find out more about the man behind the persona, but found out more about DC's fascination with Blelvis--than the man himself.


Thanks for Sharing Your Girlfriend by Sarah Buckingham
From Monica Lewinski to Mark Sanford, infidelity is always big news. But recently a debate about whether monogamy is the only model for long-term relationships has also been making headlines. CNN considered the question “Is monogamy realistic?” and Newsweek wondered if consensual non-monogamy might be the next sexual revolution.

Martin Luther King speech - Airs Jan. 11
The year was 1967 and Martin Luther King, civil rights leader, Baptist preacher and winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, agreed to deliver the prestigious Massey lectures on CBC Radio. His title, was "Conscience for Change." Although these lectures were recorded more than forty years ago, King’s words have lost none of their relevance as we still try to come to terms with many of the same issues. NPR has links to more of King's speeches here. American Public Media's "Say It Plain, Say It Loud" is also an excellent source of civil rights movement speeches. The APM special is here.

The Everyday Blahs - Airs Jan 4th

Sit With Me by Mike Bernstein
A candid portrait of growing up with a parent who has mental illness. Having a depressed parent can take its toll on childhood. It reframes how children look at the world and it asks them to grow up a little bit faster. We'll hear a moving dialogue between 12-yr-old Cameron and his father, Bob. Both parties feel helpless -- but Cameron asks, "what can I do to help?"

Always Been With Me by Rehman Tungekar
Roughly 6 million Americans struggle with bipolar disorder, a disease that consists of manic highs and crushing lows. For many of these people, conventional medication does not work. As a result, they’re forced to seek out alternative forms of treatment. Electroconvulsive therapy is one such form. We'll hear from Amy, a young woman in Maine that relies on ECT to treat her bipolar disorder.

The Saddest President from The Memory Palace
Franklin Pierce's amiable personality and handsome appearance caused him to make many friends, but he suffered much tragedy in his personal life. As president, he made many divisive decisions which have been widely criticized and earned him a reputation as one of the worst presidents in U.S. history.