A poster for the new documentary “Unveiled: Daisy Bates and Johnny Cash.”
On this state holiday honoring civil rights pioneer Daisy Gatson Bates, people can register for free tickets to a screening next month of an Arkansas PBS original documentary that tells the story of placing statues of Bates and singer-songwriter Johnny Cash in the U.S. Capitol. While working for Little Rock public radio station KUAR in previous years, I reported on each step of the process — often alongside filmmaker Nathan Willis — and know people will enjoy watching the fascinating details of the legislative debate, selection of the sculptors, the physical work of making the statues, then getting all the needed approvals to place them in the Capitol.
The screening will be Wednesday, March 19, 7 p.m. at Robinson Center in Little Rock. You can register for free tickets here. There will first be a panel discussion, followed by the documentary. It will make its broadcast premiere the following night, Thursday, Feb. 20 at 7 p.m.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
I had the most fun I’ve ever had during a pledge drive on Wednesday, Dec. 11 as Arkansas PBS featured an evening airing Willie Nelson’s 90 Birthday Celebration, followed by a 1990 concert with country supergroup the Highwaymen, which was made up of Nelson, Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings and Kris Kristofferson.
I’ve long been a huge fan of Willie and have seen him in concert more than any other performer — maybe a dozen times since 1990. I spoke about being introduced to Willie’s music at a young age in the 1970s when my mom would play his 8-tracks Red Headed Stranger and Stardust on practically every family trip to see my grandparents. I didn’t enjoy Willie then, but over the years, watching him perform during the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 and many times on Austin City Limits helped me begin building an appreciation. Eventually seeing him in concert, I realized what an amazing performer he was.
So it was a joy to talk about Willie as we were showing a couple of his concerts. Joining me on the air was singer-songwriter Ryan Harmon, who, despite his young age, has an encyclopedic knowledge of country music. Years earlier he had worked in the marketing department at Arkansas PBS, but after being selected for an audition with ABC’s American Idol, took the encouragement he received from judges and is now focused on building his career as a musician.
If you watch the video below, you’ll see we had a great time on the air. The video only features highlights from our local breaks with none of the concerts we were showing to avoid copyright infringements by posting this to YouTube.
Among the things I spoke about during the pledge drive was my one experience interviewing Willie for a half-hour in South Florida in 2005. I was working for the Miami Herald, which had a partnership providing local news to PBS/NPR station WLRN. You can hear the interview and read a transcript here.
During breaks in the Highwaymen show at Nassau Coliseum, we also talked about the unveiling of the Johnny Cash statue earlier that year in the U.S. Capitol, which I was excited to attend. His statue and one of civil rights pioneer Daisy Bates, unveiled earlier in the year, now represent Arkansas. Each state is allowed two statues, and Bates and Cash were selected by the Arkansas General Assembly in 2019.
Interviewing Willie Nelson in Plantation, Florida on May 26, 2005. Photo: Candace West/Miami Herald
I also discussed covering the restoration years earlier of Cash’s boyhood home in Dyess, which began when Arkansas State University bought the dilapidated farmhouse as part of its Arkansas Heritage Sites program. Fundraising for the project began with a 2011 with a concert in Jonesboro, which included Kris Kristofferson. Willie would perform the second year, with a dedication ceremony of the home eventually held in 2014.
The preservation of the Cash home and placing a statue of he and Bates in Washington are, by far, my favorite stories to have covered during my long career.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
We’ve got a lot happening on the air and being streamed on Arkansas PBS during the month of November. Prentice Dupins and I detail some of the highlights and events that are planned.
An Arkansan and a Canadian attempt a 2,200-mile trip through the Northwest Passage in homemade rowboats as captured in the new film “Passage,” premiering Nov. 7 at 7 p.m.
Ken Burns’ new two-part documentary on the life, genius and enduring impact of Leonardo da Vinci premieres on Nov. 18 and 19. In advance of that, we’re hosting an event on Saturday, Nov. 9 at 4 p.m. to screen highlights, followed by a panel discussion at CALS Ron Robinson Theater,
And of course, we’ll preview the Nov. 5 election on the Nov. 1 episode of “Arkansas Week,” then have analysis on the following week’s program.
Throughout the month, Arkansas PBS is also collecting gently used winter clothing, which can be dropped off at libraries across the state during the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood Sweater Drive.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
I speak with the three journalists who would be asking questions of candidates in the 1st district congressional debate before the broadcast began on Oct. 8, 2024. Photo: Arkansas PBS
Each election cycle, Arkansas PBS hosts a series of debates with candidates running for Congress, and when applicable, state constitutional offices. This year we featured the races for the state’s four seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With a special election being held for treasurer, all three candidates also took part in a forum discussion on our program “Arkansas Week.”
Now in my role as Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, this was the first time I helped organize the debates, learning the extensive steps that begin months ahead of time to ensure a fair format, participation by all candidates, and the that technical logistics of making the live broadcasts happen run smoothly. In previous election years, beginning in 2010 while working at Little Rock’s KUAR-FM 89.1, I served in the panels of journalists who would question candidates. Having that background proved to be beneficial for me. Even more important was seeing how my colleagues, who have been organizing decades for decades, did their jobs.
The debates, moderated by Steve Barnes, generated news stories around the state as these were the only matchups among the candidates. The debates took place over the span of a week one month before Election Day in one of our three studios. They were broadcast and streamed live at 10 a.m. or 2 p.m. each day, and we reaired one each evening that week. All four were rebroadcast in a marathon the following weekend. The debates also aired on Little Rock Public Radio, while KASU-FM 91.9 in Jonesboro broadcast the 1st district debate.
1ST DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
Incumbent Republican Rep. Rick Crawford, Democrat Rodney Govens and Libertarian Steve Parsons were questioned during the Oct. 8 debate by KAIT-TV 8 news anchor Diana Davis, Talk Business & Politics reporter George Jared and KASU-FM 91.9 News Director Brandon Tabor.
2ND DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
Incumbent Republican Rep. French Hill and Democrat Marcus Jones were questioned during the Oct. 7 debate by reporters Steve Brawner, Arkansas Business Editor Hunter Fields and KARK-TV 4’s Caitrin Assaf.
3RD DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
Incumbent Republican Rep. Steve Womack, Democrat Caitlin Draper and Libertarian Bobby Wilson were questioned during the Oct. 8 debate by reporters Steve Brawner, Talk Business & Politics reporter George Jared and Yuna Lee, an anchor with 40/29 News in Fayetteville.
4TH DISTRICT CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE
Incumbent Republican Rep. Bruce Westerman and Democrat Risie Howard were questioned during the Oct. 10 debate by Brandon Evans with 40/29 News in Fayetteville, Little Rock Public Radio Politics and Government Reporter Josie Lenora and Pine Bluff Commercial Editor Byron Tate.
Following each debate was a press conference, which all candidates were invited to participate in. We included the press conferences in the live streams of each debate. Arkansas PBS is located on the edge of the University of Central Arkansas campus, and one instructor saw the learning opportunity for his students. Journalism professor David Keith, who was teaching a class on political reporting, had his students watch the debates, then attend the press conferences, with many asking questions of the candidates.
Incumbent U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman speaks during the Oct. 10, 2024 press conference. Journalism professor David Keith and his students took up about half of the seats in the room where it was held after the 4th district debate. Photo: Michael Hibblen
FORUM FOR TREASURER CANDIDATES ON ‘ARKANSAS WEEK’
The appearance by the candidates for Arkansas treasurer on “Arkansas Week” was the only time the three sat down together for any kind of public forum. Democrat John Pagan, a former state legislator, Libertarian Michael Pakko and Republican John Thurston, who is currently Secretary of State, joined host Steve Barnes on Oct. 11. The special election was necessitated by the death of previously elected treasurer Mark Lowery.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
What are we showcasing during the month of May at Arkansas PBS? Allow Director of Communications and Community Engagement Julie Thomas and I to tell you what’s planned. Each month, Arkansas PBS produces this feature highlighting what’s scheduled to be broadcast and streamed, especially our locally-produced content.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
August has been quite a month at Arkansas PBS. The network received 18 nominations for the 47th annual Mid-America EMMY Awards/NATAS and was a finalist for 11 Public Media Awards in the National Educational Telecommunications Association’s 55th annual competition. I can’t take credit for those — the recognition is just another example of the incredible caliber of work produced by colleagues who I’ve gotten to know since starting here at the beginning of the year.
Each month, Arkansas PBS produces a promo showcasing what will be airing that month. For August, Mackenzie Holtzclaw and I recorded this preview of what was ahead.
We also had a couple of especially strong episodes of Arkansas Week, which I oversee production of. We had important topics with hosts Steve Barnes and Dawn Scott doing a great job of interviewing the guests.
On August 25, two days after former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson took part in the highly anticipated first Republican presidential debate, he joined us on Arkansas PBS to discuss his performance and what’s next in his long shot bid for the White House. He only narrowly met the minimum qualifications to participate in the debate, with his campaign announcing on the Sunday before Wednesday’s event that he had received enough individual donations. Then in the second segment, Democratic political consultant Michael Cook, Republican political consultant Bill Vickery and UCA political science professor Dr. Heather Yates offered analysis of the debate.
A key question now is whether Hutchinson’s exposure in the first debate, along with his campaigning, will be enough to expand support and enable him to meet requirements to participate in the second debate, scheduled for Sept. 27 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute in California.
On the August 18 episode of Arkansas Week, U.S. Rep. Bruce Westerman was a guest to discuss the potential economic boom that south Arkansas could experience as companies, including ExxonMobil, are expanding the extraction of lithium. The metal is a key ingredient for electric vehicle batteries. Some projections suggest up to 15% of the world’s lithium could come from the Upper Jurassic Smackover Foundation that runs through the extreme southern end of the the state.
Then the second segment delved into a loosening of state child labor laws during the most recent session of the Arkansas General Assembly. There are concerns the changes could lead to kids being exploited and injured or killed in workplace accidents. Attorney Cara Butler with the Mitchell Williams law firm explained the two laws passed by the legislature, while Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families Keesa Smith discussed her concerns.
Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, 36-year broadcasting veteran, photographer, interested in radio, TV and railroad history, author and host of the book and podcast series Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas.
On the web since 2002, this is the online home of broadcasting news veteran Michael Hibblen. I've worked for newspapers, radio and TV stations around the country, with this website telling the story of my career, including audio, photos and videos. Also featured are various interests I've researched, primarily about radio and railroads. Today I'm Director of Public Affairs at Arkansas PBS, overseeing production of the program "Arkansas Week" and the streaming of events on the Arkansas Citizens Access Network. The posts on this site are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of Arkansas PBS or my former employers.
My Book
Released by Arcadia Publishing in 2017, Rock Island Railroad in Arkansas delves into the history of the railroad which once had a huge footprint in Arkansas, as well as other states in the middle of the U.S. The book features historic photos and tells the story of the Rock Island, which was shut down in March 1980. READ MORE
For 13 years, from May 2009 to December 2022, I worked for NPR station KUAR-FM 89.1 at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. That included 10 years as News Director while continuing to anchor and report. You can read and hear reports from that time on Little Rock Public Radio's website.
