From Rob Scobey, Senior Producer for International English
New Program—Culture & Entertainment
KNLS runs numerous segments to keep our listeners up to date on culture and entertainment. This month—we start an additional segment titled Culture & Entertainment. The segments will be hosted by George Penk and Eden McCulloch of New Zealand’s Life FM. The new segments will have information about entertainment in the Pacific Rim as well as the U.S. Culture & Entertainment will be heard on Wednesdays. It will alternate with our First Person segments. Did you know the movie The Avengers is affecting eating habits around the world? George and Eden will discuss this. They will also let us know about the faith of music superstar Carrie Underwood.
George has already co-hosted some of our Popology segments with Steve Bell. We’re sad to announce that Steve has stopped producing Popology in order to pursue other interests. So we wish Steve well, and we welcome Eden to our broadcasts.
The KNLS English Hour serves the Pacific Rim seven days a week with great music, current news, and The Good News.
The Pacific Rim
The Pacific Rim is the reason KNLS broadcasts in English. It’s that part of the Eastern Hemisphere that encompasses the English-prevalent countries of the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia, and New Zealand. Additionally—English is widely spoken in Indonesia. And English is the official language of government and commerce in India.
KNLS is on the air daily from 800 hours UTC (Universal Coordinated Time, also known as Greenwich Mean Time) to 1800 hours UTC. Eastern Daylight Time is four hours behind UTC; Central Time is five hours behind. So, if you’re in Dallas, Nashville, or Chicago, you can listen between 5:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. If you’re in Atlanta, Miami, or New York, you can listen between 6:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.. Outside the U.S.—if you’re in Manila, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, or Singapore, you can listen between 5:00 p.m. and 1:00 a.m. If you’re in New Delhi or Mumbai, there’s an additional half-hour offset. Listening times are between 3:30 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.
You can also use this website or the KNLS listener website, www.knls.org to listen to the English Hour if you’re not into shortwave radio.
The KNLS English Hour is the Pacific Rim’s source for music to love, news to know, and a message to live. The KNLS signal stretches throughout the English-speaking world—including the planet’s most populous (1.2 billion people) democracy—India—that has English as its official language.
While we work to provide a geographical balance in the topics we feature, news about the USA is of great interest to many listeners around the world. The English Hour does tell stories about life in the United States and KNLS’ home state of Alaska. Two of the programs are titled The American Highway and Postcard from Alaska. They often include a discussion of “American” principles—principles rooted in Christianity that are universally understood and applied. And our Eye on the World stories often show the interdependence of the Eastern and Western Hemispheres.
Since our target audience is mostly non-Christians, our content is different from a typical Christian format station in America. While we provide our share of positive, uplifting content, some of our programming also provides an honest look at the dark side of life on Earth. Indeed, some program segments, such as a popular music selection and the 2007 AIR-award-winning report about slave trafficking in India, may raise questions that a thoughtful seeker of the truth will ask. And other segments, such as the Bible or Christian lifestyle lessons, serve to answer those questions.
Music to Love
Music is a universal language. Probably 80 per cent of the world’s pop tunes are sung in English, and are enjoyed by people everywhere, many who are themselves not proficient in English. The KNLS English hour features your favorite songs of the 80’s, 90’s, and today. International pop charts show that your favorite music is also the favorite of people who are culturally diverse—whether in Nairobi, Sydney, Singapore, or Jakarta.
The songs are rock, pop, r&b, and hip-hop, with an occasional selection of country music that crosses over to the pop charts. The KNLS English Hour generally features music by artists from the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, Australia, and New Zealand. (One very popular international artist is from Barbados. Has anyone heard of Rihanna?
In June, KNLS listeners will hear new music from B.o.B. featuring Taylor Swift, Calvin Harris featuring Ne-Yo, Chris Rene, The Fray, Katy Perry, Kelly Clarkson, Kris Allen, Maroon 5, and Rihanna.
Once an hour, we take a break from pop music and present Profiles in Christian Music with Gayle Crowe. These include acapella versions of newer songs that have been on Christian Hit Radio charts.
Souder & Friends
It may bring a smile or it may bring a tear. Larry Souder continues his series of fascinating people and interesting places.
Why is Chuck Ross so well-known around the campus of a Nashville university? Larry Souder introduces us to him on Souder & Friends. It’s one of the earliest examples of a programmed machine. S & F will treat listeners to the sound of a player piano.
News to Know
The English hour features reports about topics of current interest. Marcy Bryan reports about entertainment, business, and religious news. Kelly Ann Monahan has the latest developments in medicine, science, and computer technology. Paul Ladd provides special reports about diverse topics, religious and secular. Doug Poling provides commentary on the news from a Christian perspective on Today’s News & the Good News. And Bob Waliszewski of Focus on the Family provides Plugged-in Movie Reviews. Bob rates the latest movies according to family friendliness. This is in addition to Marcy Bryan’s regular movie reviews in her Eye on Entertainment reports and Paul Ladd’s features about faith-based movies. And Fred Osterman reports about the latest news in the world of radio.
Upcoming Reports for June 2012:
Marcy Bryan reports that geologists are analyzing seismic data from the Dead Sea in an effort to pinpoint the date of Jesus’ crucifixion. (You may remember that an earthquake occurred at the time.)
Marcy Bryan also reports about China’s efforts to increase its oil supply on Eye on Business. And she remembers recently-departed music artists Donna Summer and Robin Gibb on Eye on Entertainment.
You may want to use extra caution if you’re traveling overseas with your laptop computer. Kelly Ann Monahan explains on Eye on Computers.
Kelly Ann also reports about new findings concerning the swimming capabilities of polar bears. This has become relevant with the shrinking of the polar ice cap.
Why was a renowned violinist ignored when he put on a free concert? Doug Poling tells us on Today’s News & the Good News.
Doug also remembers Charles Colson—Nixon aide convicted in the Watergate scandal—who established a prison ministry.
Bob Waliszewki rates, for family friendliness, Battleship and Men in Black 3.
Author Irwin Lutzer speaks with Paul Ladd about the twisted religious fervor of Nazi Germany.
Paul also speaks with producers of the movies Indoctrination and Touchback. And he interviews long-time U.S. Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania.
Why is the song “We Are Young” more popular among 30-somethings than teenagers? For his “farewell” edition of Popology, Steve Bell—along with George Penk of New Zealand’s Life FM—discusses the song “We Are Young” by Fun featuring Janelle Monae.
The English Express
Dick Brackett, Marcy Bryan, and Paul Ladd join forces to bring KNLS listeners the stories behind some of the idiomatic sayings of the English language. This is for the benefit of listeners who practice English as a second language—as well as the rest of us who claim to know English.
A Message to Live
This is what we’re about and why we’re on the air and on the internet. Our mission is to present the lessons of the Bible, including and emphasizing the Good News in an interesting, non-threatening way.
Ongoing Series
Andy Baker’s Prayer Lesson
Author’s Journal with Dick Brackett
Creation Moments with Ian Taylor
Direction with Rubel Shelley
Eye on Religion (Archeology emphasis) with Marcy Bryan
Family Minute with Brent McCloud
First Person with Paul Ladd
God’s Money with Don White
Groundwire with Sean Dunn
I Love Life with Jerry Dahmen
Letters to My Children with Greg Taylor
Life Stories with Joe Norris
Living with Conflict with Greg Taylor
Paradoxes with Bill Steensland
Popology with Steve Bell—special editions with George Penk
New Program—Culture & Entertainment
