Journalism

Ann Rule was a writer for True Crime magazine when she was assigned a story about a serial killer who turned out to be a former acquaintance of Rule's. Rule worked with Ted Bundy at a suicide prevention center. She had even reported suspicions about Bundy to police. Her account of Bundy's crimes and her time working with him is called "The Stranger Beside Me."

Writer Todd Gitlin explains how media portrayed and often misrepresented the political activities of Students for a Democratic Society and other activist groups associated with the 1960s' New Left.

Journalist Sidney Blumenthal argues that political strategists have replaced party bosses during election seasons. The former's job of creating a coherent and appealing media narrative for a candidate continues even after an election comes to an end.

Deirdre English is an investigative journalist for Mother Jones magazine. She discusses her problems with the film Apocalypse Now, violence against women, pornography and the cultural impact of feminism.

Richard Ben Cramer, foreign affairs journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner, has spent extensive time traveling to and reporting on the Middle East. He has reported on Israel, Egypt, and Lebanon, and his stories often focus on individuals. He joins the show to discuss his work and the situation in the Middle East.

Martin Williams is a jazz critic, writer, and academic. He currently works at the Smithsonian Institution. He discusses jazz criticism and the effect jazz has had on classical music. He also shares some of his favorite records.

Ralph Flood speaks with two groups of protestors gathered at City Hall in Philadelphia. They oppose Jimmy Carter's 1979 budget proposal and the First Bank of Pennsylvania's support of Food Fair in spite of a strike, respectively.

New York Times columnist Vincent Canby discusses the role of the film critic.

Nat Hentoff joins the show via telephone to discuss his relationship with the late Charlie Mingus.

Journalists Donald Embinder, Jack Veasey, and George Bodamer join the show to discuss gay publications and gay life in Philadelphia.