Working with WHRO has been a fulfilling experience. Growing up as a kid with a heavily Christian mother, I was hid from a lot. Especially some content showed on the television. Maybe that's why I'm so weird? Who knows. It was great to work with something that I grew up on. I would watch public television daily. I remember sometimes I played sick from school just so I could watch my favorite show, Caillou. Let's just call it dedication, okay? Even my mother watched public television regularly. I would always look at the people on tv watching them pick up the phones. I didn't really understand the whole concept back then, but now it's cool I can say I was apart of that. Not only did my mother hide me from a lot but we also didn't have a lot of money. If it wasn't for public television I wouldn't of gotten to watch such great cartoons, that are not only great but educational as well. I'm glad that they're still around for any other kid that was in the position I was in. As I look down at the generations, even my generation for petes sake, I don't see it going very well. I believe the learners become more advanced but I also see the dumb get dumber with every decision. Working with WHRO I have learned that they are very motivated to work on their educational emphasis. Even there goals for the future are to create more educational products. I think it's wonderful that they want to help the children of tomorrow. 

Some people are fully dedicated to working with WHRO. I would see the same faces constantly. I think public television and public radio is crucial to keep around. Not only is it commercial free which is viewer friendly, but they have so much to offer the recipient. From anywhere to music, to religion, to culture, or to educational programming, Public Broadcasting has it all.

Jae Sinnett!

 

 Jae would come on after Paul from 9-11, his show would really last until one. Jae is a recording artist who holds nine records. On his show he plays a lot of jazz type music. Just like Paul, Jae has CD's to give away. A lot more of his are priced at a $120.00 donation price level. 

You can listen to Jaes show Monday-Thursday on WHRV-FM 89.5 at 9 am and 1pm on Sunday. His show is one of the highest fundraising jazz programs in the country. He plays a lot of old classical jazz but also incorporates a lot more modern type jazz as well.

Paul Shugrue!

 From 7-10 during the radio drive a radio host of the name Paul Shugrue would come on. Paul would normally have a goal of 5,000 for the two hours which he usually made or sometimes went over! He would have a list of CD's donors could pick from. Each 65 dollars that they donated would make them eligible for one CD. Paul Shugrue calls this "out of the box"

He defines out of the box as

"1. an expression that describes things nonconformist and creative.
2. Used as a synonym for "brand new" meaning ready-made, immediate, just created. "

Paul plays non-stop alternative music on WHRV-FM 89.5! You can also listen to him Monday through Thursday at 7p.m. and Saturday at 1p.m.

Most of all the time I spent with WHRO was working with them and their radio drive. They host it a couple times a year and usually have a big success. It's a lot like the television drive besides the fact that you're not on live television. You get the same type of script you follow as the people call. Sometimes it can get real slow, or sometimes it can get real busy. I remember the first time I did it. Paula, the lady head of volunteering asked me to come in at 5:30 in the morning. She said they really needed people so I kindly agreed. Tough waking up that early to answer phone calls, you'd be surprised about the amount of people who called. The first lady I got was this sweet old woman. Before I could even say anything she said, " I would like to donate this to all my doggies that have died, they always would sit with me and listen to you guys". It was really sweet, she kept going on and on about her dogs. She told me all their names and I was sure to put it in the comment box so it would make it on air. During the radio drives you can get some real talkers. People just want to have a full of conversation with you. They want to tell you their life story. It's actually really interesting. I remember I was sitting next to this one lady who was on the phone with some guy for forty five minutes! No lie! He just wouldn't let her go. You would think he was going to ask her out on a date or something. Most of the time people call during the radio drive, it's just to donate but they do have some thing to give away. They have tickets to different types of shows which is usually at a two hundred dollar price level. They also have books and DVD's like always too! If the donor chooses to not pick a gift, all their tax deductible will go towards programming.

Althought the radio drive has ended they still need your help!

 

          

Making this visual argument, I thought about all that WHRO does.  One of the biggest impacts they have is on the children.  They seem really focused on trying to get as many educational programs and services they can to provide to the community.  In most homes of children, parents pay a monthly cable bill.  This gives the children of their homes an opportunity to watch anything.  Some parents don’t regulate television like they should and allow their children to watch about almost anything.  Television doesn’t always teach the right things and can send out some very bad messages.  If a parent were to regulate their child’s television habits, it could impact on how the child preserves things from right or wrong.  The great thing about public broadcasting is that it’s free and educational.  Shows like Sesame Street, Clifford, Arnold, WordGirl plus many others are not only educational but they involve the child in their viewing.  They make them think on their own.  These types of educational programs make learning fun for the child; it makes them want to watch these shows.  Some may not even realize their adding knowledge to their growing brains.  Shows on Disney, Nickelodeon, and Cartoon Network don’t provide educational television.  It’s more of just watching the “pretty colors” on the television screen.  They can sometimes put things in child’s head that makes them curious on things that they should try.            

            My quote, “Every day we make deposits into the memory banks of our children”, at the top of my paper refers to how parents have a huge roll on how we want our kids to grow up. From birth we know very little knowledge besides maybe how to breathe or move our hands and feet.  It’s up to the parents to send the right messages out to their children.  Some parents wonder why their children act out, but maybe next time they should think twice before yelling at them.  We can mold children’s brains from the start.  Putting a child in front of non-educational programs could do no good.  It’s not feeding the child’s knowledge but more so taking away from it.  That also goes along with the second quote “who controls the media, controls the mind”.  Just like the internet anything a child’s see on television or reads on the internet may be or may not be information the need to know.  Some children don’t realize everything that may be shown on television is not realistic.  Some may take fighting, or yelling, or smashing things against other people’s heads in okay to do when in reality it’s not.  Whereas if a child were to watch educational programs that public broadcasting provides, their using their brain to help think out the answers with the characters on television.  Once again, the parents have to help direct their children on the right path.  We want to fill our children with as much knowledge as possible, so they can grow up to be an in depth learner. We would all like to see a better tomorrow.

I'm on Television!

I'm a star guys! Expect to see me in Hollywood next! No, I'm kidding but I really was on television. One of my first few times volunteering for WHRO was for a TV drive. They have these television drives in March, June, September, and November. They are used to help raise money in order to keep their public broadcasting alive. They feed us, entertain us, and give us a good time while we help them out. There are about fifteen people all with a computer, telephone, and headset. The calls go in sequence so when the persons phone next to you rings, you know you're next. Once you receive the call you go through a list of basic question you have ask them like their name, address, if they are a member or not, ect. Then you would ask them how much they are willing to donate and depending on that they are able to receive a gift. This particular night an artist by the name of Buckley Moss was a special guest. She had created a piece of work she had painted exclusively for WHRO. Her painting was called

"Day on the Chesapeake" 

 

Three sizes of the painting were available, they would receive the size that corresponded to their amount donated. I had one lady who had ended up calling me asking if she made a hundred dollar donation, that if she came down to the studio in that moment in time, that Buckley Moss would sign all the portraits she had of hers. Moss, kindly agreed and had the lady's wish had come true. 

It was a fun experience. I remember being a kid watching these types of shows with my mom watching the volunteers answer the calls on television. Never in my life did I think I would be one of those people.

So what is WHRO?

 WHRO is a non-profit public broadcasting station here in Virginia, serving Hampton roads with both radio and television. WHRO was founded in 1961 and has become more and more popular as PBS had come about. All of us remember growing up watching Sesame Street right? If it wasn't for public broadcasting there might not be an Elmo! Not only does WHRO create both radio and television but they also provide many educational services. Not only for younger kids but also for people looking to get graduate credit in college. They have online courses and hands on workshops. WHRO is really here for the public to serve them with every educational need. The thing is, public broadcasting is not cheap. Everything cost money and money doesn't grow on trees. Since WHRO is a non-profit organization, they relay a lot of the helps of volunteers to help get things done. They also relay a lot on us, the people to help contribute, monthly or yearly...or sometimes just make that one time donation. Every penny counts, which mean every penny adds up. Sometimes there are big time donors who contribute a substantial amount and then there are some people who only donate twenty dollars. No matter how much or how little, that money is put towards creating the best public broadcasting they can.