New media

New prez at VPR, and other odds and ends

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:: Robin Fenn was named president of Vermont Public Radio, which runs a network of classical stations throughout the state as well as news/talk outlets. Fenn has worked at the station for 20 years and most recently served as v.p. of development. She replaces Mark Vogelzang, who left VPR to work with a nationwide fundraising effort for public radio. More in the Burlington Free Press. CORRECTION (added 3/11/09): As you’ll see if you read the article, Robin Fenn is now Robin Turnau.

:: I got a kick out of this article about a shopping mall in Yellowknife, Canada, which falls into the “Is it real, or is it The Onion?” file. The Northern News Service reports that most people are glad the mall has stopped playing classical music on speakers at its entrances. The tactic was intended to keep people from hanging around outside the mall.

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More Classical in CA, Republican Irony, and Sirius XM Filing Bankruptcy?

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Where shall I start?  There’s so much news!

Let’s start with the Republican hypocrisy irony,  since the Stimulus Bill is on everyone’s mind.  Someone can correct me if I’m wrong, but the final bill apparently really does cut the hoped-for $50 million in NEA funding.

UPDATE 2-12-09: A press release just sent out by the RNCC claims:

Democrats said they would fight for fiscal responsibility in Washington, but went back on their promise by voting for $335 million in STD prevention, $75 million for smoking cessation and even $50 million for the National Endowment of the Arts.

Does this mean the NEA funding is back in?  Stay tuned.

The author of that cut in the Senate was Tom Coburn (R – Oklahoma), whose daughter Sarah, ironically, is a top-notch opera singer.  The LA Times just ran this story about her.  He considers museums, theaters and arts centers “wasteful and non-stimulative projects.”

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