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WOUB Member Spotlight: Anne Braxton
< < Back toBraxton has been a member of WOUB since 1984
ATHENS, OH – Anne Braxton is a self-proclaimed news junkie.
“I read three to four newspapers every day,” said Braxton. “And I listen religiously to WOUB and NPR, while watching PBS NewsHour every night.”
Braxton grew up in southern Virginia and came to Athens in 1971 to work as a fine arts librarian.
“You know how the saying goes,” said Braxton laughing. “Everybody comes to Athens with a plan to work at Ohio University for two years, then you stay for life.”
“The most challenging part of being a fine arts librarian was convincing students that just because it’s online doesn’t mean that it’s true. That was very difficult. I had to help teach them to question what they saw online.”
Braxton majored in art history in college and likes to visit art museums around the region. Before the pandemic, Braxton enjoyed travelling. She recently booked her first birding trip in nearly two years.
“This trip is to western Columbia,” said Braxton. “It’s really a fun time to go on these birding trips because you end up in the middle of nowhere with 10 to 12 avid bird watchers and get to experience birds in nature.”
Braxton also collects textile items. It’s an art form she became interested in because it provided her with the opportunity to explore groups of people she didn’t know anything about.
“Most of the items present more questions than answers. I want to learn how and why the items were created because nothing was made without a purpose,” said Braxton. “So, if you want to deck out a camel for a wedding, I can take care of it.”
WOUB is a daily part of Braxton’s life. At one point, when WOUB listeners could contribute to sponsor a day of FM programming, Braxton had her cat, Cora, named as a day sponsor. Braxton has her radio tuned to WOUB almost all day. She listens while working around her home, walking her dog and driving into town.
“I like the fact that when I wake up early in the morning, there is news,” said Braxton. “I also enjoy listening to some of the music programming. American Routes on Saturdays at 6 p.m. is fun. I also enjoy Sunday afternoon Bluegrass. I have attended a few of the live Showdown recordings at the WOUB studios in the past. I like watching how it all comes together.”
On WOUB TV, in addition to PBS NewsHour, Braxton also watches Ken Burns documentaries and The Great British Baking Show.
“I don’t know why I love that baking show so much,” said Braxton. “But I love the frazzled bakers. It’s so fun to watch.”
But Braxton says one of the most important things about WOUB is that it provides a quality, dependable source of factual information for the region.
“There is not too much opinion, and when there is opinion, it is presented as such, not as fact. WOUB also has tremendous value because it is advertisement free, which means an hour worth of time invested equals an hour of content consumed. I don’t like it when I get my car serviced, and the channel is not on WOUB. I have to change it back quickly,” said Braxton with a chuckle.
“I would feel anchorless without WOUB.”