Piece Comment

Review of Dyslexia: Identifying, coping and learning to read.


When shopping for content to air on their stations, one important criterion many programmers use is whether pieces/programs offer something that a station could not do themselves. When listening to this program, it's hard to feel that this program meets that mark.

The program features a 29-minute telephone interview with a book author about the subject of her book-dyslexia. The content of the interview is pretty boilerplate, offering little surprise or engagement. The interview begins with the first question and rolls forward without much of a sense of purpose or direction.

The audio quality of the guest is an issue as well. Many stations avoid telephone-quality interviews with their own local material (let alone acquired material) unless it the information is too urgent or better facilities aren't available. Since the content of this interview is neither time-sensitive or is the doctor calling from a remote location, the quality standard should be higher.

The host is not as warm and dynamic as one would hope, sounding very restrained and stoic--especially when reading copy. The program does a good job of putting the content first, but perhaps too good a job. The host offers short, quick questions and let's the guests go, and go, and go. The host does ask for occasional clarification, but is hesitant to draw out, challenge, or question the ideas put forth by his guest.