Marco Werman
Encyclopedia
Marco Werman is an American
radio personality. He is a host, reporter and senior producer in public radio.
's The World
, covering music for the program and as a part-time host. Werman has been working in journalism since he was 16 when he worked as a copy boy at the News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina
. His journalism experience includes documentary
photography, print, radio and television. A former Peace Corps
volunteer, Werman got his start in radio while freelancing in Burkina Faso
, West Africa
, for the BBC World Service
, where he later worked as a producer. "Radio impressed me in Africa," says Werman. "Everyone had one, broadcasts happened in many languages, and in the two coups I witnessed, the radio station was important booty: it and the electrical generator were always the first targets."
In 1990, he started up a new public radio station in the Adirondacks in New York
and hosted a daily two hour news and public affairs show there for four years. This was followed by a half year stint in Rome, Italy where he was the correspondent for Monitor Radio. In 1995, he was invited to assist in creating the format for The World, where he has worked since. In 1997, he began providing the Global Hit segment, in which musicians and musical trends around the globe are linked and used as a lens to understand the news. This segment has also become a popular podcast
as part of the PRI News podcasts.
Werman has been the recipient of awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters
for an original radio drama that he wrote; the Sony Awards for an exposé on child labor in West African gold mines; from the New York Festivals for a BBC documentary on the 1987 assassination of Burkina Faso's president; and the first annual Unity award from the Radio and Television News Directors Association
for coverage of diversity issues.
In 2007, he won an Emmy for his story "Libya: Out of the Shadow" on the PBS program Frontline/World, about the 2006 total solar eclipse that brought thousands of tourists to Libya just after it had rejoined the community of nations. Werman was the first American television and radio journalist to go to Libya
after Muammar al-Gaddafi
renounced weapons of mass destruction in December 2003, a move that would lead to Libya losing its pariah state status.
Werman is also the host and a reporter for a new music series in development for PBS called "Sound Tracks: Music Without Borders." The pilot episode aired in 2010. He is also a presenter and interviewer for the PBS Arts online series, "Sound Tracks presents Quick Hits."
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio personality. He is a host, reporter and senior producer in public radio.
Biography and background
Werman is currently a senior producer with Public Radio InternationalPublic Radio International
Public Radio International is a Minneapolis-based American public radio organization, with locations in Boston, New York, London and Beijing. PRI's tagline is "Hear a different voice." PRI is a major public media content creator and also distributes programs from many sources...
's The World
The World (radio program)
PRI's The World is a global news radio, audio and multi-platform program created by Public Radio International based on the program's congruence with PRI's mission, and in order to fulfill the critical need for more original global news created for and provided to Americans. This was partly a...
, covering music for the program and as a part-time host. Werman has been working in journalism since he was 16 when he worked as a copy boy at the News and Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. His journalism experience includes documentary
Documentary
A documentary is a creative work of non-fiction, including:* Documentary film, including television* Radio documentary* Documentary photographyRelated terms include:...
photography, print, radio and television. A former Peace Corps
Peace Corps
The Peace Corps is an American volunteer program run by the United States Government, as well as a government agency of the same name. The mission of the Peace Corps includes three goals: providing technical assistance, helping people outside the United States to understand US culture, and helping...
volunteer, Werman got his start in radio while freelancing in Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso – also known by its short-form name Burkina – is a landlocked country in west Africa. It is surrounded by six countries: Mali to the north, Niger to the east, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Côte d'Ivoire to the southwest.Its size is with an estimated...
, West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, for the BBC World Service
BBC World Service
The BBC World Service is the world's largest international broadcaster, broadcasting in 27 languages to many parts of the world via analogue and digital shortwave, internet streaming and podcasting, satellite, FM and MW relays...
, where he later worked as a producer. "Radio impressed me in Africa," says Werman. "Everyone had one, broadcasts happened in many languages, and in the two coups I witnessed, the radio station was important booty: it and the electrical generator were always the first targets."
In 1990, he started up a new public radio station in the Adirondacks in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and hosted a daily two hour news and public affairs show there for four years. This was followed by a half year stint in Rome, Italy where he was the correspondent for Monitor Radio. In 1995, he was invited to assist in creating the format for The World, where he has worked since. In 1997, he began providing the Global Hit segment, in which musicians and musical trends around the globe are linked and used as a lens to understand the news. This segment has also become a popular podcast
Podcast
A podcast is a series of digital media files that are released episodically and often downloaded through web syndication...
as part of the PRI News podcasts.
Werman has been the recipient of awards from the National Federation of Community Broadcasters
National Federation of Community Broadcasters
The National Federation of Community Broadcasters is a national membership organization of community-oriented, non-commercial radio stations, producers, and other organizations and individuals committed to community radio in the United States....
for an original radio drama that he wrote; the Sony Awards for an exposé on child labor in West African gold mines; from the New York Festivals for a BBC documentary on the 1987 assassination of Burkina Faso's president; and the first annual Unity award from the Radio and Television News Directors Association
Radio and Television News Directors Association
The Radio Television Digital News Association , formerly the Radio-Television News Directors Association , is a United States-based membership organization of radio, television and online news directors, producers, executives and educators...
for coverage of diversity issues.
In 2007, he won an Emmy for his story "Libya: Out of the Shadow" on the PBS program Frontline/World, about the 2006 total solar eclipse that brought thousands of tourists to Libya just after it had rejoined the community of nations. Werman was the first American television and radio journalist to go to Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
after Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
renounced weapons of mass destruction in December 2003, a move that would lead to Libya losing its pariah state status.
Werman is also the host and a reporter for a new music series in development for PBS called "Sound Tracks: Music Without Borders." The pilot episode aired in 2010. He is also a presenter and interviewer for the PBS Arts online series, "Sound Tracks presents Quick Hits."