Tag Archives: State of the RE:Union

The Magic City through NPR’s lens

NPR & 90.3 WBHM logosBirmingham, AL and the surrounding metro area have received a great deal of attention in recent months on NPR. Area member stations, specifically WBHM, helped make many people aware of what happened here and throughout the state of Alabama and continue to share information about the recovery efforts currently underway.

NPR Music recently did a piece on Gip’s Place in Bessemer, calling it “a dream” and making several local fans of the music venue happy about its getting national attention. The local blues spot had been the focus of several local pieces recently including one in B-Metro Magazine last year.

Most notably, the NPR series The State of the Re:Union (created by Al Letson as an entry in the Public Radio Talent Quest back in 2007) recently visited Alabama’s Magic City to take a look at how things are going – and perhaps to break through a few perceptions as well. The episode is currently available for download from the series’ website. The site also has short documentaries filmed during the visit, like this piece about – you guessed it – Gip’s Place.

Good news, Birmingham

If you haven’t had an opportunity to check out national traditional media outlets in recent weeks, you’ve missed several chances to watch or listen to some pieces looking at some of the great things taking place in Birmingham, AL.

A couple of weeks ago, Deontée Gordon, senior account executive for Infomedia, showed folks from CNN three of his favorite places as part of the network’s “My City, My Secret” series (that’s the video clip available to your left).

This weekend, people probably experienced another “driveway moment” as NPR’s State of the Re:Union played excerpts of their recent visit to Alabama’s Magic City as part of an upcoming episode during both episodes of Weekend Edition. The segments took a closer look at Red Mountain Park, soon to be one of the region’s largest parks, and at the good work being done by our friends at Scrollworks.

Incidentally the episode highlighting Birmingham, AL is one of five being prepared for the 2011 Spring season and currently previewed on their website. Videos of the segments shared this weekend have also been posted on the site.