I just wanted to sing the praises of National Public Radio! THEY ROCK! I listen to NPR every day and it is my favorite source of news. My station plays the BBC half the day so it's also great for getting that international perspective. No hype, no stupid fake entertainment like the TV new magazines, just good old reporting. Sure...it's at times a little biased, leaning to the left a bit...but a fair trade I say from the horror of other news media. All hail NPR! Posted by beverly (Member # 6246) on :
Hear, hear!
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
I agree. I love NPR! This American Life and On The Media are the best reasons around for a lazy Saturday afternoon.
The news is great - very thorough. It leans a bit to the left, but that counterbalances all the right-leaning voices around me.
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
I personally don't like it.
a) It's funded by money taken from me at gunpoint b) It has a solid left wing bias.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
Phanto -
Try This American Life. Seriously. It's worth it. Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
Talk of the Nation, Fresh Air, This American Life, All Things Considered, Morning Edition, Wait Wait Don't Tell Me...all great shows.
I used to listen to As It Happens, which was a plesantly irreverant Canadian news program distributed by...PRI, I think. Great show, but my radio station stopped carrying it.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Next Best Thing is good too... kind of a clone of This American Life.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
I love Prarie Home Companion.
But it is quite biased. I remember back in the months before the Iraq War. It seemed like every single day NPR was reporting about protests being held against the invasion of Iraq. Listening to NPR, I believed that I was in a tiny minority of people that supported the idea of invading Iraq. Once we did invade and the main-stream media started talking about the support for it, I realized that I had been deceived by NPR. There was *much* more support for the war than NPR led me to believe.
[ June 02, 2004, 01:44 PM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]
Posted by A Rat Named Dog (Member # 699) on :
I'm more of a KFI guy myself. More controversy, less droning.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
News should be culled from many sources. I like NPR and Slate because they are left-leaning without making me roll my eyes or want to throw things.
The Wall Street Journal does the same for the right-leaning side. Well, that, plus just about everyone I personally know.
[ June 02, 2004, 01:46 PM: Message edited by: katharina ]
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Prarie Home Companion! Yay!! I love that too. It's weird because it is so traditional yet so liberal...but it works.
Posted by Noemon (Member # 1115) on :
I liked Prarie Home Companion when I was younger, but I rarely listen to it as an adult. Some of the funny bits are still good, but the show feels a little stale to me when I do catch an airing of it these days. Of course, that might say more about me than it does about the quality of the show.
By the way, if you don't have a popup blocker, be prepared to be deluged when you click on Geoff's link. Nothing pornographic or anything; just an annoying number of popup ads.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
I only got one pop-up. I watch news hour once in a great long while. I've got kids of an age and disposition that it's not really worthwhile to listen to any radio.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
pooka, I have to ask. What does you listening to NPR have to do with your kids?
I have a vivid memory of my dad taking me to school every day of second grade at 7:30 exactly. I know it was 7:30 exactly because we listenen to Paul Harvey's News and Comment, and the Rest of the Story lasted the exact length of the ride to school.
Posted by kaioshin00 (Member # 3740) on :
quote: I just wanted to sing the praises of National Public Radio! THEY ROCK!
Can a news station really rock? Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
The music clips between the news segments can be quite peppy.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
*giggle* Rock on Kat!
Cheat commando O's! Rock, Rock on!
(I need a new discriptive phrase)
Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
Katharina:
It's the principle. I can't listen to a biased program that is funded by money snatched from me.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Pooka! Darlin! NPR is tame! Perfect for the kiddies! Posted by Scott R (Member # 567) on :
They DO lean left, news-wise.
That said, I'm only REALLY annoyed by their liberalism on Saturday nights from 8pm-1am. This is when Traditions, with Mary Cliff, airs. Every once in a while she'll play some modern liberal fight tune that makes my teeth ache. For all that, it's still a wonderful program.
The only program that I strenuously object to is 'Hearts of Space.' Really. Bad. New. Age.
It's unforgiveable that my tax $$ are spent on it. Thank goodness it comes on after 11p on Sundays-- you know they aren't spending lots of money on it.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Oh no! Look out! Here comes the NPR protection racket! Give to their spring drive or you'll get it! Heheh...
But Phanto, NPR is not really THAT biased. It is a LITTLE but it goes with the territory. Intelligent people have a tendency to be biased to other intelligent people. You don't have to give money if you don't want to.
Posted by pooka (Member # 5003) on :
It's not the content, is that my son always seems annoyed by any unnecessary noise. I guess I could growl "we're leaving it on because I SAID SO!" But then I would feel really guilty and have to buy them ice cream. So it's cheaper to just not listen to anything. Note I said any radio. That also includes Dr. Laura and the Retro station.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Awwww.. *hugs da Pooka*
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
I hardly think the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, National Science Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts are wastes of our tax money. But hey... that's just me. Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :
Can't listen to NPR any more, cause my stupid car antenna got broken off several months ago. Posted by Phanto (Member # 5897) on :
Telp: You pay taxes? Tax money funds NPR.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Telp: I think those would make great charaties.
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Bah, just pennies. Worth it I say. Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
Mike you bring up a good point... the lack of broadcasting power. Poor NPR has so little juice that often it's got static or if you're in a big building you can't get reception either from the interference.
Posted by WheatPuppet (Member # 5142) on :
NPR is the only thing on the radio I listen to. I fall asleep to classical music at night and I wake up to Morning Edition. Yes, it's left-leaning, but I like it a lot more than "All patriotism all the time" of TV news.
I really like Fresh Air. I really like interviews and Terri Gross has a really great voice.
Posted by Kasie H (Member # 2120) on :
Okay, I take that back. It's $1.12/year.
[ June 02, 2004, 03:12 PM: Message edited by: Kasie H ]
Posted by Bob the Lawyer (Member # 3278) on :
Holy blap! Is it that much??? You could buy a chocolate bar with that much money! Blood sucking government scum!
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
Telp, you say it's worth it to you. That's great -- you would be willing to donate to the NPR charity. But should people that don't like it be forced at gun-point to donate to it?
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
lol Bob!
Posted by Telperion the Silver (Member # 6074) on :
It's up to the Endowment for the Arts to make that choice. They donate for the art programs...we just get the slightly left leaning interview programs as a bonus. Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Actually, if you take the current population (293,396,087) divided by the NPR funding (380,000,000) it's only about $0.77 per person. Next year, if the population remains constant, it will only be $0.75 per person. Personally, I'd much rather they spend 380 million on NPR than on some new military toy that doesn't work. So, how about I spend my tax dollars on NPR and you can spend yours on silly military pork.
Posted by Kayla (Member # 2403) on :
Hell, I don't even listen to NPR and I'd still rather the money go there than on some of the stupid stuff it does.
Posted by fugu13 (Member # 2859) on :
Oh don't worry, Phanto. Your money is what was used to make the bullets that are used in Iraq. My money went to NPR.
Posted by advice for robots (Member # 2544) on :
I gotta say Car Talk is my favorite program. Those guys are so dang funny.
I pretty much listen to NPR exclusively--on my way to work and on my way home. Robert Siegel is a bit stuffy, but the news shows are excellent. Before I found NPR I was thinking news had completely gone to pot.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
<-- has fond memories of going garage-sale shopping with his father and listening to Car Talk.
Posted by Mike (Member # 55) on :
quote:Oh don't worry, Phanto. Your money is what was used to make the bullets that are used in Iraq. My money went to NPR.
*grin*
Posted by fil (Member # 5079) on :
I don't think you could field more than a few fighter jets for what it costs to keep NPR on the air. Money well spent. And that is only a piece of their funding (and it is going down). I think a lot of funding is still local both from individual listeners and local and national corporations. Would that all public media ran this way. More content (you can't listen to AM radio without hundreds of ads per hour it seems) and a bit more variety in programming.
I can't see the liberal bias (other than it not being like mainstream radio or television which is so far up the right's bum right now... ) and you won't hear a show like Rush or Beck have folks from many points of view in discussions. Give me the weekly news roundup on the Diane Rheme show where you get the left and right and middle perspectives.
And this isn't Monty Python's "The Argument Clinic" like you get on television pundit shows (The Daily Show does it great by having little kids read transcripts from those shows). These are well thought out discussions with all sides presented fairly and with opportunities to ask questions. Good hosts cut off people if they get hot headed or argumentative. Great stuff.
fil
[ June 02, 2004, 04:58 PM: Message edited by: fil ]
Posted by Dan_raven (Member # 3383) on :
I am an NPR Fan.
Does it lean Liberal? That depends on your point of view. There are people who claim that if its not Rush, then it leans left. I find it very informative and gives a wide range of perspectives.
I've also had times when I had to turn it off for a few months because I was tired of listening to "the world will end and its all our fault." It can dish out more guilt and negative views than my mother--Carcinogens, global warming, global cooling, lost resources, murderous thugs in all these countries. I get upset and turn it off, replacing it with Country music.
Then, after a few months I get tired of listening to some really intelligence insulting Country song and I turn NPR back on.
Luckilly, I have found recently that Country is getting more and more intelligent (minus one @#$# artist who "can't tell the difference between Iraq and Iran"), and NPR is getting less and less depressive.
Posted by katharina (Member # 827) on :
I heard a really...uplifting story yesterday about a doctor in LA who removes gang tattoos for free, to allow the tattooed a shot at erasing the past and starting over.
---
My biggest problem is with Tavis Smiley. He seems intelligent and a good interviewer. Why on earth is his show "All Racism and Victims, All the Time"? I appreciate the perspective, but isn't it just as insulting for the black host to fanatically stick to black subjects as it is not to have the show on at all? Did Tavis Smiley choose this constant theme?
Posted by fil (Member # 5079) on :
I like Tavis to a degree but I really like the guy who fills in for him from time to time. I think the Smiley show is to answer a need in NPR programming which is a dearth of African-American hosts or related themes. I guess. I don't think it is "racism" all the time, but it is important issues around race that need discussion. He also does other news issues, but still takes the perspective of "how does this effect African-American listeners."
His live show on PBS seems to be less about this and more about interviewing people he finds interesting (I have only watched the show a few times and there wasn't any of the racial-centered guests or stories).
Our local affiliate plays BBC News for an hour a day. That is really cool and diverse programming. It is nice to hear about how the rest of the world tells stories about the rest of the world (and about us, too).
fil
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
I was in Louisville KY and heard an amazing Public Radio station. it was some music program on a rainy saturday afternoon that sold me.
In the same set they played Mike Ness, Booth and the Bad Angel, Hank III, and Kitchens of Distinction. It was the most random set i'd ever heard. but i was hooked.
Posted by Ben (Member # 6117) on :
What's the name of the replacement guy they hired for Morning Edition? i have forgotten.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Someone less memorable than Bob Edwards...
Posted by Annie (Member # 295) on :
Bubba the Love Sponge, I believe, is the replacement for Bob Edwards.
--
I had an enlightening NPR experience today. I moved home for the summer (230 measley miles) and went from being in Yellowstone Public Radio range to Montana Public Radio, so my programming is all thrown off.
But today, at 1:00, I turned on NPR wondering if I'd find my accustomed From the Top broadcast. Instead, I heard.... World Music Hour! The first three songs were by AfroCelt Sound System, Cheb Mami and IAM. I was so excited I almost peed my pants. I'm not the only eccentric music kid in Montana! It was beautiful.
*wipes tear*
Posted by aspectre (Member # 2222) on :
[ June 02, 2004, 07:48 PM: Message edited by: aspectre ]
Posted by Yank (Member # 2514) on :
I really, really like BBC World News. I would listen to NPR 24/7 if all they played was BBC World News.
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
Interesting article, aspectre. That is the first time I ever saw anyone claim that NPR is conservative.
I enjoy NPR's news coverage, as a general rule, and enjoy Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and Talk of the Nation, among other programs. I also enjoy Diane Rehm and Tavis Smiley.
One thing I do NOT like about my local NPR station is that they cut out a lot of the good evening programs I used to enjoy (for example, they used to play the National Press Club tape on an evening slot) in favor of all jazz all the time. It gets to be a bit much. And almost no classical music.
Posted by mr_porteiro_head (Member # 4644) on :
That bugs me about our NPR station as well. At 20:00, it switches to jazz. I wish they'd continue with normal NPR programming. Even if all they did was repeat shows from earlier that day it would be better than Nothing But Jazz.
Edit: One thing that I really like is Science Friday. I usually don't listen to it, but I'll listen to them all later on the web.
[ June 02, 2004, 07:35 PM: Message edited by: mr_porteiro_head ]
Posted by Ela (Member # 1365) on :
I love Science Friday. It always has something interesting.
I especially love it when they have the Ignoble Awards ceremony. That is hilarious. Posted by slacker (Member # 2559) on :
I listen to NPR all the time (when it's not jazz time at least), and I can't think of any articles wherein there was a significant (or "solid") liberal bias.
I did hear a rant by a Republican last week (I can't remember his name) where he went off on Kerry right out of the gates (and it wasn't anything connected to Kerry). Doesn't sound too liberal to me.
Maybe I'm listening to the wrong hours?
Posted by porcelain girl (Member # 1080) on :
i am a staunch supporter of public broadcasting. news, music, and ideas not ran by corporate interests.
more freedom of variety, diversity, and expression. heck yes.
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
I too love NPR, and use it for my primary news source. My favorites are Morning Edition, All Things Considered, and The World, from the BBC world news service.
I also like Fresh Air a whole lot, and Car Talk, when I catch it on. Marketplace I will listen to, and I probably should pay more attention to stuff about money like that, but it's not my favorite. I enjoy the News from Lake Wobegon, but the rest of Prairie Home Companion gets old to me. Most of their skits aren't funny (like Guy Noir) and the music is never anything that I get into.
Some of my favorite bits on ATC are the commentaries from people like Andrei Codrescue and the cowboy poet dude, and Catherine Windham Tucker, the lady with the very cultured sounding southern accent who is from Thomasville, a small town in Alabama. I like the regional voices. NPR is just about the only national media outlet that doesn't make me feel as though the south is not really part of the United States, as though it is a third world country. NPR is inclusive, and I like that. Everyone seems to have a voice there. Also it's free online at www.npr.org. All the shows are available to anyone.
Annie, I hear you about the world music. I used to love a show they had on my public radio station (WUAL in Tuscaloosa) called Afro Pop Worldwide with George Colinet. It introduced me to Ladysmith Black Mombazo long before Paul Simon ever jammed with them, and to that cool CD with Ry Cooder and Ali Farka Toure of blues/west african traditional music which was largely the source of blues, also to Run DMC, if you can believe that. It was very diverse and always great. I miss that show.
[ June 02, 2004, 09:42 PM: Message edited by: ak ]
Posted by ak (Member # 90) on :
I hate it that Bob Edwards is gone. I loved him so much. Susan Stanburg, though, I could never stand. I wish they would ditch her. Her voice is so fakey and affected, to my ear.
Terry Gross is the best interviewer I've ever heard. She always asks really intelligent questions. And she seems to be listening to the answers, too, and not just reading from a script. I can't think of a single interview of hers that I haven't liked. Uncle Orson should SO get an interview with Terry Gross when he puts out his next book. That would totally rock.
One thing in particular that I love about her is that she knows good music. The musical choices on her show are always very good, and the musicians she interviews are too. She has diverse tastes but always is exactly right in her choices.
I'm fond of the Thistle and Shamrock, too, but only in a backgroundy-music sort of way. I love those Celtic ballads. They are pretty, even when they don't always hold my interest.
I like Talk of the Nation, and the National Press Club when I can catch them. I don't think they play on my station anymore, but sometimes when I'm out of town (like KQED in San Francisco is a great public radio station) I can get them and when I do I enjoy them very much.
I've never heard Science Friday, for instance, but it sounds like something I'd love.
I don't think the new coverage is left leaning. It seems very balanced to me, and I disagree with it for being too conservative about as often as too liberal. They do seem to me to be biased in favor of environmentalists, and not always too smart technically about the environment. Some of the ideas which are rather weak, like the thought that wind power or ocean tides could provide any significant portion of our energy needs, are not exposed for the silliness they are, for instance. On environmental issues I almost always think they show it wrong. But other than that, they seem to be less biased than any other U.S. news source. They seem to pander less to the mob, as well, though they do give plenty of coverage to things of interest. I just think it's the best news source around.
Posted by DocCoyote (Member # 5612) on :
I always found that whenever I had to fly to Southern California, the first thing I looked for on my rental car radio was the NPR station. Seemed like I needed to be grounded in their news/info/music/talk to keep myself sane while negotiating SoCal traffic. L
Posted by Paul Goldner (Member # 1910) on :
"I don't think you could field more than a few fighter jets for what it costs to keep NPR on the air."
You couldn't field a fighter jet, period, for what NPR gets funded in a year. At least not if you expect it to fight. Or do anything more then sit in a hanger.
We only were able to purchase 225 fighter jets last year, for a budget of 42 billion dollars. Thats about 150 million just to aquire the PLANE, forget its armaments, pilot, 15 or so ground crew PER PLANE, landing strip, fuel, protection, etc.
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
I listen to NPR every day and it is my favorite source of news. My station plays the BBC half the day so it's also great for getting that international perspective. No hype, no stupid fake entertainment like the TV new magazines, just good old reporting. Sure...it's at times a little biased, leaning to the left a bit...but a fair trade I say from the horror of other news media.![[Hail]](graemlins/hail.gif)
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Wall Bash]](graemlins/wallbash.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Heheh...![[Wink]](wink.gif)
You don't have to give money if you don't want to.
![[Mad]](mad.gif)
![[ROFL]](graemlins/rofl.gif)
lol Bob!
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)
) and you won't hear a show like Rush or Beck have folks from many points of view in discussions. Give me the weekly news roundup on the Diane Rheme show where you get the left and right and middle perspectives.