Notes from the Electronic Cottage 10/22/20: Free Speech Week 2020

Producer/Host: Jim Campbell

It’s Free Speech Week in the US this week, which brings up an important question: what does Free Speech actually mean in the digital age? Is our traditional idea that the answer to bad speech is more speech still relevant? Today, we’ll look at our First Amendment context for Free Speech. In following programs, we’ll look at different responses to this question in the digital age.

Links to sites mentioned in today’s program:

Free Speech Week
Top 100 Most Banned and Challenged Books, 2010-2019
First Amendment Museum – Free Speech Week

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Maine Currents 10/20/20 Elections 2020 Edition: Debates, Voting Deadlines, Voter Suppression and more

Producer/Host: Amy Browne

It’s the 3rd Tuesday of the month, so it’s once again time for our Elections 2020 edition of Maine Currents, with guests, Professor Amy Fried, Chair of the Political Science Department at the University of Maine, former State Representative Ralph Chapman
Ann Luther, board member for the League of Women Voters of Maine, and host of the Democracy Forum here on WERU, and Will Hayward, Advocacy Program Coordinator for the League of Women Voters, joining us for a discussion of the recent debates and town halls, voting deadlines, ballots, efforts to prevent voter suppression and intimidation, and more!

Have an election or voter question? Call or text the League of Women Voters of Maine Hotline at 207-558-3333 or email [email protected]
More information is also available on the Maine Secretary of State’s website
Maine Attorney General Frey’s Advisory Concerning Poll Monitoring and Voter Intimidation can be viewed here

Taped via Zoom on Monday, 10/19/20

About the host:
Amy Browne started out at WERU as a volunteer news & public affairs producer in 2000, co-hosting/co-producing RadioActive with Meredith DeFrancesco. She joined the team of Voices producers a few years later, and has been WERU’s News & Public Affairs Manager since January, 2006. In addition to RadioActive, Voices and Maine Currents, she also produced and hosted the WERU News Report for several years. She has produced segments for national programs including Free Speech Radio News, This Way Out, Making Contact, Workers Independent News, Pacifica PeaceWatch, and Live Wire News, and has contributed to Democracy Now and the WBAI News Report. She is the recipient of the 2014 Excellence in Environmental Journalism Award from the Sierra Club of Maine, and the First Place 2017 Radio News Award from the Maine Association of Broadcasters.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

The Nature of Phenology 10/17/20: Deer Changing Coats

Producers: Hazel Stark & Joe Horn
Host: Hazel Stark

That first crisp, cool breeze that hits us in late August has us scrambling for that favorite soft, warm layer we haven’t needed since early June. We also start turning to warmer, more unctuous meals as fall increases its grip. Likewise, deer engage in a diet and costume change.

Photos, a full transcript, references, contact information, and more available at thenatureofphenology.wordpress.com.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download