Commentaries

WKMS welcomes community members to self-voice self-authored compositions that express opinion, introspection or humor on topics of interest and importance to our audience. If you have an opinion, interest or review you'd like to share with WKMS listeners, please see the guidelines below. The views expressed in commentaries are the opinion of the commentator and don't necessarily reflect the views of WKMS.

The station will review every script before it is recorded with respect to:
1. Libel or slander.
2. Content that is more promotional than provocative.
3. Accuracy.
4. Personal attacks and ad hominem attacks.
5. Political or religious content that promotes rather than informs.
6. Appropriate usage, language and form for civil discourse.

The station will assist authors with:
1. Making appropriate edits.
2. Bringing the communication to proper time length, generally about 600 words or 3 to 4 minutes of spoken word.
3. Recording the communication in the WKMS studio (unless other arrangements that yield equally acceptable audio are agreed to).
4. Editing the communication and placing it in the WKMS schedule.

WKMS will require authors to provide the station a final script that will be filed in the news department and will be placed on the station's web site.

WKMS will need authors to provide a suggested introduction for each communication as well as a standard announcer outro script that includes author name, general place of residence, and whatever other personal information might lend authority or authenticity to the communication.

WKMS will schedule produced communications and inform the author of time(s). Generally these are aired three times each, but the rotation is solely at the discretion of the station.

WKMS will refuse to air communications that violate rules of the Federal Communications Commission for non-commercial, educational stations. Further, WKMS will refuse to air communications that would, for any reason, undermine its goodwill with the audience it serves.

If you find these terms agreeable, please email msu.wkmsnews@murraystate.edu to schedule a time in a studio to record.

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Commentary
1:08 pm
Fri October 29, 2010

Uncommon Mystery - Under A Monsoon Cloud

Murray, KY – Halloween is the perfect excuse to indulge in scary stories, tall tales and murder mysteries. Commentator Michael Cohen pulls out his detective bag for an uncommon mystery novel about the covering up of a murder by members of the Mumbai police force. It's by H.R.F. Keating, an English crime fiction writer best known for his series about Inspector Ganesh Ghote. The 15th book in the series, Under a Monsoon Cloud.

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Commentary
3:06 pm
Thu October 28, 2010

Commentary: Sensitivity police's war on honesty claims another victim

Richard Nelson

Murray, KY – Last week, NPR terminated the contract of Senior News Analyst Juan Williams, due to remarks made on The O'Reilly Factor that were inconsistent with NPR's editorial standards and practices. The action has since sparked a national debate over the issues of political correctness and the freedom of speech. Commentator Richard Nelson says the sensitivity police's war on honesty claims another victim, furthering the divide between the political right and left.

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Commentary
11:31 am
Fri October 15, 2010

Commentary: Abou Ben Adhem and Gail Magruder's Letter

Duane Bolin

Murray, KY – "Life was not always easy," could very well be a universal truism when reflecting on past generations. Commentator Duane Bolin has a new lease on life after a near-death experience. We continue his series of commentaries with a lens on the past, memories of an insurance man in Arlington, Kentucky and the poem, "Abu Ben Adhem" by James Henry Leigh.

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Commentary
12:12 pm
Fri October 8, 2010

Uncommon Mystery - The Yiddish Policeman's Union

Murray, KY – Michael Cohen peeks through the pages of an uncommon mystery about a detective story set in an alternative history version of the present day. It's Michael Chabon's award-winning novel "The Yiddish Policemen's Union."

Surely it is an uncommon mystery novel that wins four top awards for science fiction. But what interested the award committees was not a future of space ships and time travel, but rather what Michael Chabon does with the past.

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Commentary
11:27 am
Fri October 1, 2010

Called Back - surviving a near-death experience

Dr. Duane Bolin

Murray, KY – In the last moments of life, we often hear about seeing the light' and moving towards it. But what happens to a person when that light grows faint and they're suddenly pulled back to Earth? Commentator Dr. Duane Bolin has a new lease on life after a near-death experience. In this commentary, he shares this experience and references Emily Dickenson's epitaph, "Called Back."

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Commentary
11:58 am
Fri September 3, 2010

Commentary: "Life is a Miracle" - thoughts after a near-death experience

Dr. Duane Bolin

Murray, KY – Cradling a newborn, burying a loved one or laying in a hospital bed and waiting, it's easy to forget that life is fleeting and fragile unless presented with a stark reminder. Commentator Dr. Duane Bolin has a new lease on life after a near-death experience. He's since grown fond of Wendell Berry's essay, "Life is a Miracle" and shares his interpretation of the piece.

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Commentary
12:36 pm
Fri August 27, 2010

Judicial Overreach and the Democratic Process

Richard Nelson

Murray, KY – The issue of marriage and equality is in the news again after a California judge overturned the controversial Proposition 8. In Kentucky, the 6th US Circuit Court of Appeals recently upheld the ban on Ten Commandment displays in county courthouses. Commentator Richard Nelson says both decisions were left to a single or small group of judges rather than being open to the democratic process. For contentious issues like these, he proposes judges show restraint, not overreach.

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Commentary
4:47 pm
Fri August 20, 2010

Uncommon Mystery - The Oxford Murders

Murray, KY – Now that the students have returned to Murray State and classes are in full swing, we take off our summer shades and don our thinking caps. Commentator Michael Cohen peeks through the pages of the mathematical mystery, The Oxford Murders, by Argentinean novelist and professor of mathematical logic, Guillermo Martinez.

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Commentary
4:18 pm
Fri August 6, 2010

Uncommon Mystery - Talking about Detective Fiction

Murray, KY – Mystery fans recently celebrated the 90th birthday of award-winning novelist P.D. James (August 3). James is most famous for her iconic poet-policeman Adam Dalgliesh. Her most recent book, published in 2009, is a work of literary cricitism, titled Talking about Detective Fiction. Fellow mystery critic Michael Cohen peeks through the pages of this "entertaining" analysis of the genre.

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Commentary
3:52 pm
Fri July 30, 2010

Commentary: Rumpole of the Bailey

Dr. Brian Clardy

Murray, KY – For television fanatics, the summer months can be long, grueling and disorienting. While production companies ready their fall season line-ups, viewers are left with a seemingly endless stream of re-runs. As an antidote for this summer affliction, Commentator Doctor Brian Clardy recommends turning to television shows of the past, and digs out a classic British series about an eccentric barrister named Horace Rumpole.

A scene from Rumpole of the Bailey - "Taming the Bull"

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