C-Span offers three television channels and one radio channel.. Cable television systems across the United States pay C-SPAN for its programs.. America’s cable television industry create
Trang 1A Night Out at the Movies in Washington
Written by Lawan Davis, Dana Demange and Daniel Kirch
04 May 2006
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HOST:
Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC, in VOA Special English
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I'm Doug Johnson On our show this week…
We play music from the Pointer Sisters…
Answer a question about C-Span…
And report about Filmfest D.C
Filmfest DC
HOST:
For twenty years Filmfest DC has brought movies from around the world to Washington, D.C This twelve-day event took place in movie theatres all over the city It ended on Sunday Thousands of local movie fans enjoyed the latest examples of international cinema Faith Lapidus has more
FAITH LAPIDUS:
The festival celebrated its twentieth year with a special opening night party Visitors saw the new British film “Wah- Wah” staring actor Gabriel Byrne Mister Byrne was also a special guest that night He talked about the movie and how it was made The film is about a young British boy growing up in Africa in the nineteen sixties Mister Byrne said that filming
in Swaziland and learning about that country was one of the best experiences of his career
Filmfest DC movies dealt with two main subjects this year One theme was the cinema of Brazil Filmfest DC officials say Brazil is currently producing many energetic and creative movies
Audiences enjoyed ten examples of new Brazilian films and true-life documentaries
Another theme of the festival was hip-hop music This kind of music started in America, but its influence and sounds have traveled all over the world
Several films explored hip-hop culture in countries like Morocco and Senegal One movie is called
“La Fabri-K” It tells about a group of hip-hop musicians from Cuba The musicians say their songs help express how young people feel in Cuba The songs talk about social problems such as racial
Gabriel Byrne in "Wah Wah"
Trang 2identity In the movie, the Cuban rappers travel to the United States to perform They talk about the differences between American and Cuban hip-hop culture
Filmfest DC also showed new movies from the United States One film is called “Akeelah and the Bee” It tells the story of Akeelah, a young girl with a special ability for spelling words Her teacher helps the young girl compete in spelling competitions Akeelah faces many difficulties with bravery and spirit
C-Span
HOST:
Our listener question this week is from Mohammed Shahrear Sarker He wants to know what C-SPAN means
C-SPAN stands for “Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network.” C-SPAN is a
private, non-profit service of the cable television industry Its goal is to broadcast unedited, balanced programs showing government meetings and public policy events C-Span offers three television channels and one radio channel
C-SPAN is a private business But unlike other broadcasting stations, C-SPAN does not aim to make a profit Cable television systems across the United States pay C-SPAN for its programs It does not receive any money from the United States government
C-SPAN’s main purpose is to inform the American people about the work of their lawmakers It also provides general information about political activities America’s cable television industry created C-SPAN in nineteen seventy-nine It broadcasts meetings of the United States House of
Representatives
In nineteen eighty-two, C-SPAN expanded its programs to twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week In nineteen eighty-six, C-SPAN two was created and began televising meetings of the United States Senate It also presents programs about current events and issues And it broadcasts a popular program on weekends called Book TV
C-SPAN three began broadcasting in nineteen ninety-seven It shows public affairs events from Washington and around the country It broadcasts meetings of Congressional committees, news conferences, meetings of political groups and speeches by political leaders The C-Span radio
program mainly offers a mix of programs from the three television networks
Today, eighty-five million homes in the United States can receive C-SPAN television Estimates say more than twenty-eight million people watch C-SPAN each week
The C-Span logo
Trang 3Internet users around the world can watch all three C-SPAN television channels and listen to C-SPAN radio online Go to www.C-SPAN.org
The Pointer Sisters
HOST:
The Pointer Sisters have been a popular singing group since the nineteen seventies The group started with four sisters The youngest sister, June, died last month She will be remembered through the songs she sang with her sisters Steve Ember tells us more
STEVE EMBER:
Music critics say the Pointer Sisters defined music of the nineteen seventies and eighties The four sisters began singing when they were children They sang with their two older brothers in their father’s church in Oakland, California The sisters later formed a group and became popular during the nineteen seventies Their first album, called “The Pointer Sisters,” was released in nineteen seventy-three Their first hit song was “Yes We Can Can.”
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The youngest sister, June, recorded two albums of her own Here she sings
“Love on the Line” from her album called “June Pointer.“
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In nineteen eighty-four the Pointer Sisters won two Grammy Awards for their songs “Automatic” and
“Jump (For My Love.)” Another of their songs remains popular today We leave you with that song,
“I’m So Excited,” by the Pointer Sisters
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HOST:
I'm Doug Johnson I hope you enjoyed our program today
Our show was written by Lawan Davis, Dana Demange and Daniel Kirch Caty Weaver was our producer
Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA’s radio magazine in Special English
June Pointer