Ideas is a series of special one-hour programs produced and presented by WVIZ/PBS ideastream®. Topics for each episode are guided by ideastream’s “Listening Project,” a series of surveys, town hall meetings and other community-focused activities. Subjects such as education, the economy and jobs, the environment, economic development, civic affairs, and health and human services are prominently featured. Each Ideas episode also serves as the keystone for a compilation of related programming on 90.3 WCPN, WVIZ/PBS and content on ideastream websites. The goal of this program series is to focus audience attention on an issue or topic of broad community interest. These stories, segments, and entire programs are distinguished by their depth and quality of journalism and the creative storytelling ideastream audiences have come to expect and appreciate.

Wednesday, May 23, 2007

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Avandia
A study done by Dr. Steven E. Nissen at the Cleveland Clinic raises serious safety concerns about Avandia, a pill widely prescribed to diabetics. Nissen’s analysis, scheduled to be published in the June edition of the New England Journal of Medicine, shows that Avandia significantly increased the risk of heart attacks when compared with other diabetes drugs or a placebo. The drug’s maker, GlaxoSmithKline, issued a release defending Avandia’s safety stating it “strongly disagrees” with the conclusions of the journal’s article. ideastream Health Reporter Lisa Pinkerton talks with study’s author Dr. Steven Nissen.

Read the study from the New England Journal of Medicine
Read the response from drug maker GlaxoSmithKline
Read the response from the American Diabetes Association

PolicyBridge Report
A report just released by local black think tank PolicyBridge argues that the achievement gap between black boys and nearly every other demographic group in northeast Ohio is caused by a powerful, anti-education culture becoming increasingly more prevalent in the local black community. The study contends that parents who undervalue education and a mass media that values quick, shallow rewards of the so called hip-hop lifestyle are causing an alarming number of young black males to undervalue or altogether dismiss the critical importance of a good education. Not everyone agrees with the report including former Ohio Senate Minority Leader C.J. Prentiss, who is now the governor’s special representative for closing the achievement gap. According to a Plain Dealer report, Prentiss is worried the PolicyBridge report is to critical of black parents. Rick Jackson delves deeper into this report and reaction to it as he talks to C.J. Prentiss and Timothy Goler from PolicyBridge.

Read the report from PolicyBridge
Read coverage from The Plain Dealer

Cleveland Botanical Garden Flower Show
Once again, Cleveland Botanical Garden hosts the largest outdoor flower show in North America, for five days on Memorial Day Weekend. But just how important is the Flower Show, to the city? Is there an impact beyond the beauty? Do 10 acres of lush, spectacular gardens, expert lectures and demonstrations matter in a town with big problems that are spiraling out of control? Rick Jackson looks at the Flower Show through a different set of criteria than what you might be used to seeing.

Cleveland Botanical Garden

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