ANN ARBOR—Illegal dumping in a Chicago minority neighborhood, Pat Buchanan’s environmental record, and a Wisconsin Native American rock singer who incorporates environmental themes into his music are some of the subjects examined in features aired by the Great Lakes Radio Consortium. The innovative public radio project’s programming, now based at Michigan Radio of the University of Michigan, is heard on Michigan Radio and nearly 100 stations through nine states and Ontario.

Designed to broaden and enhance environmental coverage of the Great Lakes region and funded by grants from the Great Lakes Protection Fund and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation, the Consortium produces a program service consisting of weekly 29- minute satellite feed of news and mini-documentary features designed for local broadcasts. These features can be aired during National Public Radio newsmagazines “Morning Edition” and “All Things Considered” as well as other programs including NPR’s weekly environmental program “Living on Earth.”

David Hammond, managing editor of the Consortium, believes the weekly broadcasts provide an excellent opportunity to reach the public about important regional issues and encourage them to think beyond their local environment. Donovan Reynolds, director of broadcasting for U-M, says he is “pleased that public radio at the University of Michigan will be the center of investigative reporting on critical issues affecting the Great Lakes.”

“It’s an ambitious project,” says Russell Van Herrik of the Great Lakes Protection Fund. “Rather than seeing the environment as an isolated topic, this project will use the environment as a lens through which we can view a wide variety of public policy issues.” Hammond is an environmental policy specialist with a background in media production. Michigan Radio, a listener- supported broadcast service of U-M, can be heard in An Arbor on WUOM, 91.7 FM, in Grand Rapids on WVGR, 104.1 FM, and in Flint on WFUM, 91.1 FM.

Two documentaries produced and aired on Michigan Radio recently earned top honors among broadcasters from the Associated Press Michigan Broadcast Contest. “The Vaccine Works: Victory Over Polio,” written and produced by John Walters, shared first place honors with “Dresden Remembered,” produced by Alan Young, in the Best News Documentary Category.

Charles Stewart Mott FoundationDavid HammondU-M News and Information ServicesUniversity of Michigan