Winston-Salem, NC—Voices & Viewpoints with Denise Franklin, the locally-produced radio program that features Piedmont Triad residents who are making a splash on the national or international scene, is celebrating its fifth anniversary. 88.5 WFDD will broadcast a special anniversary show on Friday, April 27, 2007. The show was the brainchild of Denise Franklin, WFDD’s news director and associate general manager. It was created in 2002 by Franklin, with assistance from Chris Runge, Bob Workmon, and Evan Ritchey. It is produced on a weekly basis by Kathryn Mobley.

The first show aired on April 12, 2002, and featured a profile of film composer David McHugh; a health and medicine report from Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center researchers Lou and Greg Kucera on potential treatments of AIDS and neurological diseases; and a preview of the Carolina Film and Video Festival from media critic Mary Dalton. Since that date, 183 new shows have been produced, along with 75 updated shows. Noted guests have included Dr. Maya Angelou, Dr. Johnnetta Cole, Darryl Hunt, Bishop John Heath, Governor Jim Hunt, Dr. Anthony Atala, and Dr. Lew Stringer. Guests to the show come from all across the Piedmont Triad, and include physicians, artists, athletes, business people, and community activists. Of the program, host and creator Denise Franklin says, “It’s a way to show people that national and international movers and shakers don’t just live in New York, Chicago, LA, Atlanta, London. They live right here in the Triad and Piedmont. We’re home to some dynamic and extremely talented individuals.”

Voices & Viewpoints can be heard Fridays on 88.5 WFDD at 1:30pm and again at 6:00pm. Archived versions and podcasts of the program can be found at the station’s website, www.wfdd.org. Online streaming is also available at the website.

88.5 WFDD, the NPR® news and Triad Arts station broadcasting from Wake Forest University, is the only public radio station of its kind located in the Piedmont Triad. It broadcasts news, information, and public affairs programming covering the arts, people, and institutions in the area from both its Winston-Salem and Greensboro studios. The state’s charter NPR® member, 88.5 WFDD is the longest continuously broadcasting public radio station in North Carolina. It is a member of the North Carolina Public Radio Association.