Quick Takes

WFMU’s Jersey City transmitter is back on-air

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After sustaining damage to its studio and transmitters from Superstorm Sandy, independent freeform music station WFMU has resumed broadcasts on 91.1 FM in Jersey City, NJ. The station announced Nov. 5 via its website and Facebook page that its 91.1 FM transmitter is back on the air; it had resumed webcasts on wfmu.org shortly after the storm. A transmitter licensed to 90.1 FM in Mt. Hope, N.Y., which also went dark during the storm, is still silent.

System/Policy

Pubcasters battered by Superstorm Sandy

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When Superstorm Sandy slammed into the most populated region of the United States Oct. 29, claiming at least 90 lives and wreaking havoc on everything in its path, public broadcasting stations along the Eastern Seaboard couldn’t escape the storm’s wrath.

Awards

Lourdes Garcia-Navarro was honored for distinguished reporting from the world’s most volatile regions.

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NPR’s Jerusalem-based foreign correspondent received CPB’s highest award, recognizing outstanding contributions to public radio, during an April 9 dinner attended by top pubcasting execs. Garcia-Navarro reported from NPR’s Baghdad bureau from 2008 to 2009, and was one of the first reporters to enter Libya after last year’s uprising. She made in-depth reporting of events from the world’s most volatile regions a hallmark of her reporting, providing “powerful and sound-rich descriptions” of the conflict in Libya and other hotspots. “It is fitting that Lourdes receive this award named after the famed war correspondent,” said CPB Chair Bruce Ramer. “We honor her dedication and service, as well as the courage of those like her who ensure that we are all informed about important world events and issues.”

“Oh, Lulu — you have made us so proud,” said Margaret Low Smith, NPR programming chief, in a videotape reel of congratulations from colleagues.

People

Record-breaking deejay shift: 100 hours in Jersey City

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The 100 hours that made Glen Jones famous started and ended with a dream. To be precise, they started with “Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha and ended with a wistful ballad, Tom Waits’ “Innocent When You Dream.” In between, Jones, who hosts a weekly show on WFMU in Jersey City, N.J., weathered extreme fatigue and, if his feat is verified, broke the Guinness world’s record for most continuous hours of deejaying. Actually, “broke” is not strong enough — he spun records and interviewed guests for a whole extra day longer than the former record of 73 hours and 33 minutes, set last September by a British deejay. [The publishers of The Guinness Book of World Records verified the record later in the year, according to WFMU.]

His marathon featured a comprehensive mix of American pop music, everything from classic rock to big band to show tunes.