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Radio Host Wins First Place AP Award For Living Homeless
April 21, 2011
He took to the streets to live homeless for 24 hours, then relived the experience for his listeners.
Branden Rathert, afternoon host of NewsRadio1620’s “Pensacola Right Now”, has won a first place award for a public affairs radio program from the Florida Associated Press Broadcasters association. The FAPB announced the 2010 state broadcasting awards Saturday in Orlando.
A call-in to his show from a Pensacola homeless man last November prompted Rathert to visit the man’s campsite, and after meeting “Dan”, “Christine” and “Jesse”, he decided to find out for himself what it was like to live homeless, even for just 24 hours. He recorded an audio diary, along with conversations about their daily plight and how they arrived at this point in their lives. He then turned the experience into a three hour live documentary on his afternoon show, Pensacola Right Now- a live and local show each afternoon from 4-7 p.m. NewsRadio1620.
News anchor Jeff Knox, producer Sammy Bradley and program director Paul Stadden contributed to the program. The EscaRosa Homeless Coalition assisted with additional information, including facts about the Escambia and Santa Rosa Counties’ homeless population and community resources that are available for assistance.
Pictured: A composite photograph of radio host Randen Rathert as normal afternoon talk show host (left) and homeless man (right). Submitted photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Comments
3 Responses to “Radio Host Wins First Place AP Award For Living Homeless”
Sandra, you have pegged them so right, I saw that same man in the wheelchair on 9 mile road in his wheelchair pitifullly trying to cross the road, right in front of I believe it is CVS, it started sprinkling pretty good and this man got up out of his wheelchair got behind it and started to push it across the road in a sprint. If these people would just get up and go to work like a normal human being and quite sucker feeding off of us hard working people this world would be so much better off, I do understand that some of them have mental health issues but there is help for that, they just refuse to get it and the ones on drugs, well I have no compansion for them, i’ve lived my whole 50 years and never had a desire to escape reality or sit around with sorry friends all day high thinking someone was going to give me free cash today for sucking up the air.
Thats my uncle.! He looks like he had some fun. Love you uncle Branden.! <3
Did he figure out that most of them are scam artists? Like the guy that pushes the wheelchair to the intersection of 9 mile road and 29 and then sits in it with his sign, I guess the wheelchair is meant to garner more sympathy in his charade. How about the guy that stands at the North exit of the Walmart on 29 all day looking destitute and then after getting a bunch of tax free cash climbs into his nice mini van that he parks out of sight. Folks, there are people out there that actually are in need of your help so give to them through a certified help organization if you can but dont be an enabler and finance their lifestyle of alcoholism, drug use and scamming by giving to these street corner bums.