BROOKE GLADSTONE: Mike Pesca is our producer at large-- [MUSIC OUT] Well, actually we need to talk to you about that.

BOB GARFIELD: Yeah, as of now, Pesca is no longer our producer at large. He's leaving us -- moving on to bigger things. But it's hard to let him go. His ideas, his humor, his unique voice have enriched every part of this program, and the fact is, he was at On the Media long before Brooke and I got here!

BROOKE GLADSTONE:He's reported stories, emptied his pockets in interviews, filled in as host, penned most of our parodies and even composed our corporate anthem! [OTM CORPORATE ANTHEM MUSIC]

BROOKE GLADSTONE: [SINGING] THERE'S MEDIA ALL AROUND US MEDIA BIG AND SMALL

BOB GARFIELD: [SINGING] THERE ARE MEDIA THAT ARE HARD TO KILL LIKE AN ENEMY BY SEGAL-- [LOUD RECORD SCRATCH]

BROOKE GLADSTONE:Oh, yeah -- and he did a memorable piece about advertising's abuse of the record scratch sound effect. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the guy is amazing.

BOB GARFIELD:And incredibly well-informed, and a little odd, and extremely persistent. In this piece about bass fishing in media -- don't even ask -- he wore down reluctant sources with terrier-like determination.

MIKE PESCA: There's a -- you know, there's a bass-fishing game here. Have, have you seen that at all?

WOMAN: I don't like fishing. That's boring.

MIKE PESCA: But what if the video game were to be, you know, twice as exciting as actual fishing? Might that interest you?

WOMAN: No.

MIKE PESCA: What about you? You like fishing?

YOUNG BOY: No. It's too boring.

MIKE PESCA: Well if I told you that there was a video game which could take the fishing experience and make it really interesting, would you at all be interested in playing?

YOUNG BOY: No.

MIKE PESCA: Yeah, there's a fishing video game around back! You want to play?

YOUNG GIRL: No.

MIKE PESCA: Oh-- my treat. I'll pay for it. Give it a whirl.

YOUNG GIRL: I think it's a joke.

BOB GARFIELD: Mike, we wish you all success in whatever scheme you have cooked up.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: We really do. But should you venture back this way, know that our OTM is your OTM. It's hard to put on a radio show without our favorite Mike.

BOB GARFIELD:And now back to the rest of us-- [THEME MUSIC UP AND UNDER] Arun Rath is our senior producer and Dean Capello our executive producer. Bassist/composer Ben Allison wrote our theme. You can listen to the program and get free transcripts at onthemedia.org and e-mail us at onthemedia@wnyc.org. This is On the Media from NPR. I'm Bob Garfield.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: And I'm Brooke Gladstone.