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Austin, Texas, bills itself as the music capital of the world, and this is the week it earns that title. Austin hosts the 17th annual South by Southwest music festival. Every stage in the city is throbbing with live music, and artists are even playing on the street. Hear NPR's Rick Karr.

At eight-foot-two, he's easily the biggest star in children's television. But it's a small world inside the costume of Sesame Street's Big Bird. Caroll Spinney, who also performs Oscar the Grouch, discusses the evolution of Big Bird with NPR's Bob Edwards. See a video clip of Spinney's characters.

Director Federico Fellini called an interview he gave to filmmaker Damian Pettigrew, "the most detailed conversation ever... of my personal vision." That interview is now the basis of Fellini: I'm a Born Liar, a new film from Pettigrew. Los Angeles Times film critic Kenneth Turan offers a review.

The Arabic-language television news network Al-Jazeera comes under fire from British and American military officials, as well as from some Arab viewers. Al-Jazeera is broadcasting graphic pictures of dead British and American soldiers and footage of American POWs being interrogated by Iraqis. NPR's Jackie Northam reports.

Bloggers -- or Web loggers -- have been sharing their most intimate thoughts and opinions on the Internet since the mid-1990s, mostly with text, links and photos. Now, increasingly they're adding their voices -- literally -- to their online diaries. NPR's Ari Shapiro reports on the advent of audio blogs.

In an act of solidarity, New York actors join Broadway's musicians in a strike to keep live, pit orchestras playing in theaters. Following weeks of negotiations, the musicians' union and the League of American Theatres and Producers fail to reach an agreement over a new contract. Hear Jeff Lunden's report.

Marking the 400th anniversary of the death of Queen Elizabeth I, Washington's Folger Shakespeare Library puts on an exhibition to commemorate her reign. NPR's Susan Stamberg reports.

Director Gurinder Chadha's hit British film Bend It Like Beckham is now attracting attention in the United States. It tells the story of Jess, a young Indian-British girl who wants to play soccer like her idol, sports celebrity David Beckham. NPR's Jacki Lyden reports.

Walter Mosley is best known for his entertaining Easy Rawlins mysteries, but with his latest title the author decided to turn his sights on heavier stuff. His new book, a non-fiction essay on America and its role in the world, is called What Next: A Memoir Toward World Peace. In a talk with NPR's Juan Williams, Mosley discusses his views on the war on terrorism and the looming conflict with Iraq. Hear an extended version of the interview and read an excerpt of the book.

Organizers of the Academy Awards say that the March 23 presentation show will go on, despite the possibility of war with Iraq. And the NCAA says its men's and women's basketball tournaments, which start this week, will go on as scheduled. NPR's Renee Montagne reports.