Longtime Detroit journalist Jack Lessenberry, known in recent years for his acerbic Metro Times column Politics & Prejudice, has launched a new radio program on Michigan Radio called the Jack Lessenberry Show. In addition to the standard on-air broadcast the show has a comprehensive blog which features show audio and additional commentary from Jack and the show staff. With recent shows on Michigan’s racial divide, the decline of Michigan’s social safety net, Roe vs. Wade, and the impact of casinos on the City of Detroit, the program looks to be off to a strong start.
My only suggestion would be to encourage Jack and the program to not just use the blog as a vehicle for show audio and pre-prepared “essays,” but instead as a sounding board of news and ideas. A blog can be a powerful tool to build an online community which can serve not only to collaborate on developing show material, but also provide ideas and tips for future shows.
I’ve been listening to the podcast since I moved to NY and it’s quite good — it’s how I keep up with my Michigan issues while I’m away. I don’t listen to every show, but there have been a few interesting ones..
I agree that Lessenberry should be more hard-hitting on the radio; I enjoy him very much but have been a little underwhelmed by shows such as “What parents need to know about Halloween before they take their kids trick-or-treating,” and the like.
I also think that Rob Goodspeed is a younger version of Jack Lessenberry, and I hope to see you achieve the level of success that he has.
If Rob turns into Jack Lessenberry, I’ll be disappointed. Right now, Rob is more intellectually honest (perhaps that is just youth), more fair and as balanced as someone can be who openly takes a side in the opinion business, and doesn’t resort to unnecessary personal attacks.