November 18th, 2010
The Hague sports started as nothing more than a blog written by a Stephen F. Austin State University student. As Nathan Hague, along with Luke Johnson, began to do podcasts, (internet radio shows) they began to expand, and they opened a new website www.thehaguesports.com.
The show started with Nathan Hague, the host of the show and sportswriter who prides himself on his many interviews of big named athletes. Along with Nathan was Luke “Ocho-Cinco” Johnson, who is known for his love of two things, the A&M Aggies and Brett Favre. Joining them later on were Stephen Todd, known for his self-proclaimed nickname Stevie-Westside, and Ben Dieter, one of Texas Rangers’ most loyal fans. Jason Hague is a frequent guest on the Hague Sports, who brings a little more sarcasm to the show, and has an ongoing argument with Luke Ocho-Cinco about who is the best quarterback of the NFL.
The Hague Sports covers many college and professional sports. The biggest subjects covered by the show are college and professional football, college and professional basketball, and professional baseball. One of the most popular traditions of the show is the “Drama Queen Award”. This award is given to someone involved in the sports world that starts drama or causes a fuss. A few of the cast members nominate a different person involved in sports and they vote on who has caused more drama, and crown them that weeks Drama Queen.
The show and articles on haguesports.com are quite entertaining, and always up to date with the news in the sports world. It is fun to tune in to hear the cast members give each other a hard time and place fun bets on game picks. The cast gives a whole new perspective on sporting events.
Tags: Aggies, Ben Dieter, Brett Favre, Cast Members, Drama Queen, Frequent Guest, Hague, Internet Radio, Jason Hague, Luke Johnson, Most Loyal Fans, Nathan Hague, New Perspective, Professional Baseball, Professional Basketball, Professional Football, Professional Sports, Queen Award, Sports World, Sports Writer, Sportswriter, Stephen F Austin, Stephen F Austin State University, Stephen Todd, Texas Rangers, Tyler Texas
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August 12th, 2010
A few days ago I wrote an article on the Guadalupe Radio Network (GRN). It is a Catholic network which continues to spread across the state of Texas. The programming is almost exclusively talk, and it addresses social and religious issues from a conservative pro- family Catholic perspective. A closes friend of mine was recently a guest on 910 am to talk about private and parochial education. The show is available for podcast by the way, and I recommend giving it a listen.
My friend Dr. Adam Muller, holds a PHD in Literature from the University of Dallas, and has been teaching at the Highland School in Dallas for the past six years. Dr. Muller’s purpose on the broadcast was to educate the listener on a philosophy of education; he referred to as classical education. (This is not a reference to the group that goes by the name American Classical Education). Too many private (and unfortunately) Christian schools fail to understand what it means to have a “philosophy of education.” For many of them, having a philosophy of education means requiring chapel class and including a scripture verse in their literature. They often employ the same modes and methods of memorization and indoctrination as the average public institution, while applying a religious bent. Dr. Muller was attempting to emphasize that the purpose of true education is not to program our children but to teach them to reason principally, and critically in pursuit of what is true. But is this Christian education? Emphatically Yes! All truth is God’s truth! To seek out truth honestly, will put the student on the path to an encounter with God. And remember, what is programmed can be unprogrammed. It’s an environmental problem. Why do so many young people lose their faith in college? I believe that in many cases it’s because they’ve been programmed with their religion, but they fail to grasp the truth and beauty of it. When they find themselves in a new setting with different influences, the old program seems unreal and unimportant. Now I should state that neither the good Dr. nor I are suggesting that there is anything wrong with a religious school requiring chapel or any other kind of religious services. In fact they can be extremely valuable. I only mean to reinforce the point that having a Christian school must mean more than introducing the trappings of faith into a typical institution. It should also be remembered that there is no perfect model that will ensure the salvation of our student’s souls. At the end of the day even the wisest, most intelligent among us can choose the life we want to lead.
As I listened in to the discussion, I found myself a little frustrated with the host of the radio show. He didn’t seem to follow the lesson Dr. Muller was trying to teach. I don’t know whether it was an issue of time constraints, he did have a second guess lined up for the bottom half of the hour, or whether he genuinely didn’t understand the depth of the Dr.’s lesson. Either way he seemed bent on directing the course of the conversation in a less informative way. Despite the fact that the interview could have been more than it was there is a lot in it to consider. As parents, educators and students prepare to return to school this fall, it’s important that we consider our own philosophies of education. Are our kids learning to reason, or are they just being programmed? To listen to this interview, visit the following web page at http://grnonline.info/, and look for the heading The Good News.
Tags: Adam Muller, Catholic Network, Catholic Perspective, Christian Education, Classical Education, Dr Adam, Dr Muller, Encounter With God, Environmental Problem, Guadalupe Radio Nework, Indoctrination, Infl, Memorization, Parochial Education, Philosophy Of Education, Public Institution, Radio Network, Religious Issues, Scripture Verse, True Education, Truth And Beauty, University Of Dallas
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August 10th, 2010
A close friend of mine who happens to be Catholic and who lives in the Dallas Metroplex was recently invited to be a guest on a local Catholic talk radio show there. I have yet to listen to the interview as it has not been posted yet but it may well serve as a subject for a future article. In the meantime I took the occasion of his interview to learn a bit about both the station and the network of which it is a part.
The Guadalupe Radio Network (GRN) serves Catholic listeners across Texas with twelve different stations. The closest station to the Tyler area is the North Texas station located in the Dallas area or at 910 on the am radio dial. So why would someone who writes on East Texas culture and events write an article on a religious radio station a couple of hours out of his jurisdiction?
There are a couple of answers to that question. First off with stations everywhere are now streaming their broadcasts, it’s possible to reside a hundred miles away or more and remain in the cultural loop. And the GRN broadcasts to most of our state. It’s not unreasonable to expect an affiliate to spring up closer to our area. The only branch outside the state that I’m aware of is located in Washington DC by the way.
The Guadalupe Network was founded in 1997, and has as its goal to help educate Catholics on the fundamentals of their faith as well as to stand up for conservative pro-family values in a society that increasingly rejects them. The format is all, or nearly all topical. While the network is very Catholic in its theology and its views on modern society and politics even the most ardent protestant is likely to find a natural ally in the station.
Many socially conservative Tylerites are likely to find an agenda with which they can sympathize. Recent broadcasts addressed issues like prolife activism, the abstinence movement, and parochial and private education.
Much like Tyler’s religious broadcasting, GRN is a non- profit that subsists on the donations of listeners, as well as grants from businesses, church groups and community organizations. So how wide will the stations reach be? I think it remains to be seen.
The network’s agenda is likely to appeal to Texans from all over the state regardless of theological stripe, but I’m curious whether or not the more exclusive denominations will be able to overlook the station’s orthodoxy in order to unify around its family values message.
I’ll confess (no pun intended) I remain unsure how often I’ll listen in, not due to religious differences but time constraints. For those in our area who would like to check out the broadcasts or perhaps make a donation visit the website at http://grnonline.info/.
Tags: Abstinence Movement, Activism, Ally, Catholics, Dallas Area, Dallas Metroplex, East Texas, Family Values, Grn, Guadalupe Radio, Guadalupe Radio Network, Lone Star State, Private Education, Protestant, Radio Dial, Radio Network, Radio Station, Recent Broadcasts, Religious Radio, Talk Radio Show, Texas Culture, Tyler Area
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February 24th, 2010
KVNE Radio
2721 East Erwin
Post Office Box 8525
Tyler, Texas 75711
Office: 903-593-5863
Fax: 903-593-2663
Broadcasting on 89.5FM, every day, is KVNE ‘the voice of encouragement’ – a local Christian radio station based in Tyler. It is a non-profit organization and raises money from donations and sponsorship from local businesses rather than airing commercials. The aim of KVNE is to encourage local Christians through music, plus promote Christian events and local ministry initiatives in the area.
KVNE has a great breakfast show, featuring a family friendly couple called Mike and Carrie who keep you smiling with their jokes, phone-ins and topical discussions plus contemporary Christian music. I love ‘What the survey says’ and my kids love to listen to ‘Kid’s karaoke’ on a Thursday when kids phone in and sing their favorite song on air! It’s not as cheesy as it sounds – actually, it’s quite cute. They often have guests on the show and as East Texas has a fair share of Christian musicians – Paul Baloche and Chris Tomlin to name a few – there is quite a local flavor. KVNE is very community focused – they collect backpacks for underprivileged kids in Tyler and valentines for patients in the local hospitals. Better still is their concern with the poor worldwide. Each Christmas they promote Operation Christmas Child – a project to send shoeboxes of Christmas gifts to poor children overseas and they also support Mercy Ships and other mission organizations working in the developing world.
What is not so good about KVNE? In a word, the repetition! The music comes from The Scroll Christian bookstore and in my opinion, they don’t give this radio station nearly enough variety. I guess for The Scroll it’s partly about getting airplay to sell their latest CDs (clever marketing) but we get tired of hearing the same old tunes, occasionally remixed, day after day. I wish KVNE would not limit itself in this way and play music from other places in the world – Hillsongs Australia, Vineyard Canada and some of the excellent contemporary bands coming out of England have so much to offer. Christians are hungry for new Spirit-filled worship songs. Stuff that has been reproduced from the original raw stuff by an American artist seems to lose something. KVNE is not insular in its outlook in general so why should it have such a restrictive playlist?
The very, very worse time of year is Christmas. I know I am not alone in turning off the radio for the entire month of December! The repetition is completely unbearable and even for an evangelical Christian who thinks the world of Christmas, there is only so many times and ways you can listen to a limited repertoire of carols and Christmas songs without feeling sick! Luckily my friends and I discovered Pandora.com in December this year – it saved the day for us!
‘Praise Share’ week (in March) is also to be avoided. During this week – the radio presenters tout for donations and there are some unconvincing and in my opinion, undignified, ploys to increase donations by ringing a bell and saying that a mystery benefactor will double any donations given over the next hour. I feel sure that the people of East Texas value KVNE enough not to have this awful week of fundraising and I wish they would just trust the Lord to provide the finances they need through long-term regular giving.
Enough negative things said. There is a lot of good stuff about KVNE. I do enjoy Mike and Carrie. The news in the morning is a bonus, I like the weather updates and enjoy the Focus on the Family spot. Tune in sometime from Jan – November, you’ll probably like it, and as they tell us in their tag line – it is safe for the whole family to listen to.
Tags: Chris Tomlin, christian bookstore, Christian Musicians, Christian Radio Station, Christmas Gifts, Contemporary Christian Music, KVNE, Kvne Radio, Latest Cds, Local Ministry, Mercy Ships, Ministry Initiatives, Mission Organizations, Old Tunes, Operation Christmas Child, Paul Baloche, Post Office Box, Shoeboxes, Topical Discussions, Tyler Texas, Underprivileged Kids
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January 10th, 2010
A voice of encouragement
As the world around you is so frustrating and chaotic, there is a radio station that is nothing but calming and uplifting.
Back in 1981 a group of Christians from East Texas decided to start a commercial free Christian radio station. The station, 89.5, began broadcasting on October 29 1983. This radio station plays only music that is encouraging and glorifying to God. They feature programs such as Adventures in Odyssey, Focus on the Family, and The Alternatives with Dr. Tony Evans.
Adventures in Odyssey is a thirty minute drama. It teaches children and adults life lessons. This program is created for ages 8-12, but it is listened to by the whole family. Your children will be taken on a imaginary adventure with great friends and creative fun characters. Enjoy the lessons taught through the adventures of John Avery Whittaker, or Whit, and his employees Connie Kendall, and Eugene Meltsner. The characters each have their own fun personalities that makes the journeys come to life and connect with your family.
Focus on the Family with Dr. James Dobson comes on most nights at nine. Dobson talks about marriage and true and current issues in every day relationships. Dr. Dobson has written 36 six books and many of them best sellers. “Dare To Discipline” washis first book that he wrote for parents and teachers. This book has sold over 4.5 million copies and it was even placed in the library at the White House. Besides his many awards and best sellers, he is also the founder of Focus on the Family. Focus on the Family is a non-profit organization that reaches out to families and to spread the Word of God. They have many programs that reach out students, parents, teachers, and children. Focus on the Family’s theme of their ministry is “Helping Families Thrive”. “Let’s get Acquainted” was the first radio broadcast by Focus on the Family. This was aired by Dr. Dobson on March 26, 1977. Since then, the ministry of Focus on the Family has changed many lives and the mission has spread through many countries around the world.
Start your day every morning with the voices of “Mike & Carrie in the morning”. Mike Harper has been the morning host for a long time and now is joined by Carrie Parsons, who brings the view of a mom. Enjoy a laugh with Mike and many times a cry with Carrie.
As your day continues encouragement is still available with Jeff Johnson. He understands that life can get chaotic and frustrating. Jeff keeps you day rolling with great music to keep your mind focused on the Lord. He keeps your day light with humor, to keep you smiling.
As you are getting off of work and are heading home, Jennifer Winborn is there to encourage you and help you switch moods from your job to your family. Jennifer is a wife and mother that works away fro home and she will encourage you through music and words of advice. She was a warm and polite personality that makes you feel like you know her.
Through all the frustrating challenges of your life listen to 89.5 to keep you day going and your mood great!
Tags: Adventures In Odyssey, Christian Radio, Christian Radio Station, Dr Dobson, Dr James Dobson, Dr Tony Evans, East Texas, Family Focus, First Radio Broadcast, Focus On The Family, Great Friends, Imaginary Adventure, James Dobson, John Avery, Journeys, KVNE Tyler, KVNE Tyler TX, Minute Drama, Parents And Teachers, Six Books, Tony Evans, Tyler Texas Christian Radio, Tyler TX Christian Radio, Whittaker, Word Of God
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