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Story category: community life
"Extreme Makeover" and the Good and Bad of Reality TV
Story air date: Friday, October 23, 2009
Sunday night, America will see the fantasy that Philo residents Nathan and Jenny Montgomery and their family have been living since last August. The ABC reality show “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” destroyed the family’s dilapidated home and built them a new one, filled with new furnishings. Nathan Montgomery’s creation of the Salt and Light food bank helped get them selected.
“Extreme Makeover” belongs to a TV genre that’s often pummeled by critics for hype, over-commercialization and lowest-common-denominator values. But University of Illinois media observer James Hay says reality TV has real roots. He tells AM 580’s Tom Rogers the shows grew out of an ethic that took hold as the century changed and Americans chose a conservative government.
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arts and culture • community life • entertainment • mediaTwitter Helps Break News a Bit Too Quickly for UI Athletics
Story air date: Thursday, October 22, 2009
The University of Illinois Fighting Illini basketball team is nearing the start of a new season. But because of a new edict from the coach, you shouldn't expect to get any practice updates from players who use the social networking site Twitter. Rob McColley of the Champaign-Urbana website Smile Politely reports for AM 580.
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community life • recreation • technology • internet • University of IllinoisTent City Supporters Look for a New Home; Champaign's Not So Sure
Story air date: Monday, July 27, 2009
The Safe Haven Tent Community will leave the back yard of the St. Jude Catholic Worker House by the end of July. But Safe Haven and its supporters hope to convince Champaign city officials that semi-permanent housing is better than no housing at all --- and that they should be allowed to stay somewhere in the city. AM 580’s Jim Meadows reports.
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civil rights • community life • government • Champaign • Urbana • urban planningA Workspace for Those Without Permanent Places
Story air date: Wednesday, July 08, 2009
Lots of remote employees and nomadic freelancers work without a place they can call an office. But an Urbana company is stepping in to fill the niche and get local entrepreneurs back in desk chairs in a trend known as co-working. AM 580's Marrissa Monson visited co-owners Lucy Cross and Susan Potter (left).
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business • community life • lifestyleIllinois Wines Make Headway
Story air date: Monday, February 09, 2009
Illinois has recently seen a surge of wine production. But is it on par with legendary wine regions elsewhere? AM 580 intern Whitney Wyckoff traveled to Vermilion County, where a part of the prairie has become a vineyard.
