(MUSIC)
Garrison Keillor: I started out in radio here on the University campus at the student station, WMMR, which transmitted by closed-circuit to the student dorms. There were transmitters in the basements of the dorms that used the electrical systems as an antenna, so anybody could pick up WMMR by tuning to 570, and if they did, they could hear rock and roll in the evenings --
Tim Russell (TOP 40): That was Johnny Mathis and "I Want To Love You" and now (HE DOES DRUMROLL) moving to No. Four on the WMMR Hit Parade...it's Elvis and...
GK: ELVIS CHORUS, W. HOPEFULS
GK: Late at night there was cool jazz...
TR (JAZZ): (BASS UNDER) Working our way through the late-night hours, making connections and intersections with East and West, North and South, it's Barry's Place...with yours truly, Barry Halper. Tonight, it's Charles Mingus. With poetic interludes by Karen Halvorson.
Sue Scott (HIP): Lined with silver, the cloud, O the cloud, singly in the blue sky, and yet there and there and there
Shines the sun, and yes, O yes yes yes, it shines on me.
GK: And during the day, there was Public Affairs Forum (SERIOUS THEME, MARCH) where they discussed important issues--
SS: Today we're discussing foreign policy in a World of Change and my guest is assistant professor of political science, Larry Johnson.
TR: Thank you. As you pointed out, Sharon, we do live in a changing world, when the old certainties are changing, and we see the emergence of new forces, new influences, and we enter into a time of tremendous uncertainty, but also of great opportunity.
SS: Okay.
TR: This is not to say that we should give in to fear and retreat from the world.
SS: Okay.
TR: It means that we need to seek greater understanding of the factors that complicate change, and the underlying forces that may cause crises, and to redefine the objectives of foreign policy.
SS: I see.
TR: We face broad challenges, challenges that transcend political borders and affect whole regions or even the entire globe. And so international cooperation is paramount as we deal with change and the impact of change.
SS: Okay.
TR: Our policy needs to be flexible but principled, more focused and yet innovative, as we pursue our own goals but with consideration for the greater good. Choices will need to be made, many of them difficult and even painful. But to not choose is itself a choice.
SS: I see.
TR: Above all we need to have clear objectives if we're to play an effective role. The situation is evolving and relationships are changing, but good relations remain paramount as we pursue long-term goals. New approaches are needed if we're to continue to occupy a position of leadership.
SS: Okay. Well, that's all the time we have today on Public Affairs Forum. Thank you, Professor Johnson.
TR: It was my pleasure. (THEME)
GK: The high point of the schedule for me was noon. At five minutes before noon, there was Audrey June Booth with the Community Calendar.
SS (PERKY): The student Senate meets at 4:15 in the Main Ballroom of Coffman. And Delta Phi Lambda is holding a mixer and snowball dance tonight at 8 in the Armory. Admission is 25cents.
GK: And there was me. I was the guy who did the noontime news.
Tom Keith (TEEN): Today's top story, Vice-President Richard M. Nixon, in a speech at West Point, said America must stay the course against Red China and he accused Democrats of planning to turn over the offshore islands of Quemoy and Matsu to Mao Tse-tung, which he called the sort of weakness that could bring on nuclear holocaust. (PIANO BRIDGE)
GK: And right after me at 12:15 was a program from Indian Radio.
TR (INDIAN): (OVER SITAR) Yes and good day to you, thank you from the bottom of our heart that you join us now for News from India...today we report on a new hydroelectric project on the Ganges...
GK: I loved being a newscaster -- the teletype (SFX) clattering away in the closet, the bells that rang when there were bulletins (FOUR DINGS), the WMMR newsroom with me in it, editing my newscast. There was a big glass window that looked out on the hall and sometimes students would stop and look in and when they did I always picked up a phone and pretended to be talking to someone -- (TK TEEN: Right ... got it ... we'll get that right on the air ...). You felt important being a newscaster, informing the leaders of tomorrow about the world of today, and then, one morning in May, the manager of the station held a staff meeting.
SS: I have bad news. Our engineer tells me that he went out to do maintenance on the transmitters last night and he found that all of them had been switched off. They were all off. As near as we can figure out, they've been off since last summer.
TR: So we haven't been on the air????
SS: We haven't been on the air.
TR: Nothing????????
SS: Nothing. The VU meters were dark. The needles had cobwebs on them.
GK: All that work.
SS: Don't think about it. (STING, BRIDGE)
GK: For seven months we'd been sitting in a little room talking to ourselves. It was sort of a blow. But when you're young, you're not easily discouraged. And seven months of non-broadcasting teaches you something about life being transitory. Maybe you're not building anything. You sure aren't building anything in radio. But when I thought back over the seven months, what I remembered wasn't the public affairs part (TR IN BACKGROUND:... we need to seek greater understanding of the factors that complicate change, and the underlying forces that may cause...), or the news about Quemoy and Matsu, the memorable part was...
(ELVIS CHORUS W. HOPEFULS)