Believe me, we will certainly let you all know as more public radio 
stations around the country add 'BackStory with the American History 
Guys' to their schedules. We had our debut broadcast on Radio IQ 
(covering Southwest and Central Virginia) last Sunday. Two more stations 
in VA will carry the show by the end of June and we're working on more. 
We're already podcasting for the world, though, and have a newsletter we 
use to let history buffs and public radio fans know the topics of 
upcoming shows. The producers are building the program around 
discussions that start on the website before the actual show is taped. 
So, even out at UC Davis, we hope you'll go ahead and get involved in 
the show before it graces your airwaves. It's all on our temporary 
website www.backstoryradio.org . (The URL will remain the same --- only 
the design is temporary.) Click on the purple 'Subscribe' button on the 
website to add the podcast to your ITunes.

We are always looking for callers, show topics, interviews, feedback, 
challenges, criticism and comments. Do let us know what you think, please.

For those who many not have seen the news, vfh Radio at the Virginia 
Foundation for the Humanities is debuting a new public radio call-in 
show about American History, hosted by renowned (and rambunctious) 
historians Edward Ayers, Brian Balogh and Peter Onuf. The text of the 
article that ran in the Charlottesville paper follows below.

Be well,

Lydia Wilson
VFH Radio
434-924-6895

By Brain McNeill - Charlottesville Daily Progress.

A new public radio show that debuts today will feature three renowned — 
and humorous — American historians who will delve each week into the 
history behind current events.

“BackStory with the American History Guys” is co-hosted by University of 
Virginia history professors Peter Onuf and Brian Balogh, as well as 
University of Richmond President Ed Ayers, a former UVa dean.

The weekly, hour-long call-in show’s premiere will explore the topic of 
newcomers in American politics. It will air at 3 p.m. today on RadioIQ 
(89.7 and 91.5 FM).

“People want some memory injected back into the news,” producer Tony 
Field said. “There’s almost a sense of amnesia when it comes to 
politics, the economy or social issues. There’s a hunger out there for 
some historical context to understand the issues of the day.”

Field, a former associate producer of NPR’s popular “On the Media,” 
added that listeners will come for the historical insight, but might 
stay for the witty banter.

Next Sunday’s topic will be controversial wars in American history. It 
will feature an interview with a retired four-star general and Nicholson 
Baker, author of “Human Smoke: The Beginnings of World War II, the End 
of Civilization.”

Co-host Onuf, an expert in early American history, said that he never 
imagined he would one day be on the radio. Yet the show works, he said, 
because the three historians are buddies.

“The secret of our success — and I do think the show will be successful 
— is that we enjoy hanging out with each other, whether or not we’re on 
the air,” Onuf said.

Following its debut today on RadioIQ, “BackStory” will be added to 
Harrisonburg’s WMRA on Saturday and Norfolk’s WHRV on Aug. 6.

Additional public stations around Virginia might pick up the show in the 
coming months, said Andrew Wyndham, director of media programs for the 
Virginia Foundation for the Humanities at UVa, which produces 
“BackStory.” Wyndham hopes to take the show to public radio stations 
across the country in 2009.

“It has a new sound and an unconventional voice,” Wyndham said. “There’s 
nothing on public radio that I’m aware of that resembles anything like 
this.”

Rick Mattioni, program director of RadioIQ, said “BackStory” was a 
natural fit for the station’s Sunday schedule, which also features 
“Studio Virginia” and the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities’ “With 
Good Reason.” “BackStory” will take the place of “Just Us Talking,” an 
NPR show hosted by correspondent Margot Adler.

Mattioni praised “BackStory,” saying it is a concept that can be 
sustained over time and one that will resonate with public radio listeners.

“They make people think,” he said. “And they make people laugh.”



Date: Sun, 1 Jun 2008 11:31:29 -0700
From: Judith Bailey Gabor <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: American History Guys
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<div class="moz-text-flowed" style="font-family: -moz-fixed">Hope 
someone lets us know when American History Guys goes nationwide.

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