News stories are hard to do well - the fine line between the informational and the personal (a little personality keeps the piece interesting) is very fine indeed, and most stories tend to one side. Not so with "Gay Marriage In Texas". The narrator first looks at public apathy toward the proposition through her own eyes, then resolves to go to a vigil in order to get the full story.
The tape from the vigil is stellar: the
sound is very clean, the amount of background noise used is never distracting, and the interview clips are neither rambling nor overly condensed. The interviewees do a great job explaining why the amendment has important remifications for all Texans (not just gays and lesbians).
The piece ends on a powerfully personal note: the realization that, although the anti-amendment protesters were the overwhelming majority at the vigil, they formed a group that had otherwise been silenced in the media. Kudos to the narrator and producer for helping these minority voices get heard - this is a piece that deserves to be listened to far and wide, and not just in Texas.

I was impressed by this relatively personal approach to a very complex, divisive issue as well as by the eloquence of the producer and her interviewees. With excellent use of sound and flawless transitions in between the various components of her piece, the producer holds the listener?s attention throughout the story. Finally, her use of bias and her justification thereof add honesty and richness to an already notable piece.