Say what you will about NPR...

2
miseryandthesun wrote:I heard both 'Broken Chairs' and 'Watch Song' during show transitions today.

That's quality programming.


I agree. I have been hearing more and more great bands/songs on NPR: Sonic Youth, Pavement, Spoon, and more...

A while ago, a friend of a friend was one of the people that chose these songs for Chicago Public Radio. I need to see if he is still in that department...
my mustache will be named 'Rick'.

Say what you will about NPR...

4
NPR lost me for awhile. I don't know if it was the loss of Fresh Air or changing in programming or just generally being burned out on it, but lately I'm finding my way back. And, in the few times I've tuned in as of late, I have been quite impressed with the music selection both in transitions as background music during some of the programs. I hope they keep it up.

Say what you will about NPR...

5
I've never understood people's criticism of NPR. I remember in college all these grad students -- many of whom I happily sat next to in seminars and such -- would go on a tear about how NPR's hegemony was killing local news radio, citing any theory that seemed fashionable at the time. Meh. Whatever. It was trendy.

Then a little while ago Bill Callahan was dissing NPR. For what, I dunno. But somehow a little part of me died. The part that bought Callahan records, I think it was.

Heard a snippet of Beatsie Boys between segments at 5:52 the other morning. There is no better time to hear a snippet of old school B-Boys unexpectedly.

Say what you will about NPR...

6
hellyes!! wrote:NPR lost me for awhile. I don't know if it was the loss of Fresh Air or changing in programming or just generally being burned out on it, but lately I'm finding my way back. And, in the few times I've tuned in as of late, I have been quite impressed with the music selection both in transitions as background music during some of the programs. I hope they keep it up.


Loss of Fresh Air? It is, in fact, on twice a day (Mon-Fri) on Chicago's NPR station - once at 11am and again at 10pm.


(Your location states that you're in Chicago, so I'm assuming this is applicable.)

Say what you will about NPR...

7
sunyab wrote:I've never understood people's criticism of NPR. I remember in college all these grad students -- many of whom I happily sat next to in seminars and such -- would go on a tear about how NPR's hegemony was killing local news radio, citing any theory that seemed fashionable at the time. Meh. Whatever. It was trendy.

Then a little while ago Bill Callahan was dissing NPR. For what, I dunno. But somehow a little part of me died. The part that bought Callahan records, I think it was.

Heard a snippet of Beatsie Boys between segments at 5:52 the other morning. There is no better time to hear a snippet of old school B-Boys unexpectedly.


Some stupid fucker I was fixing an intercom for called it National Propaganda Radio. I was going to argue with him but then I remembered that I get paid to listen to peoples crap and then laugh about it at the end of the day.

Say what you will about NPR...

8
N.C. wrote:
The truth of the matter is NPR [National Public Radio] is not that different. So I listen to NPR when I'm driving for as long as I can stand it, that's supposed to be the liberal media, just take a look at their reporting. So last night I was listening to the reporting on Bush's speech about how to get victory in Iraq. Just imagine - just do a thought experiment. Suppose you were in Russia under Brezhnev or let's say in the early 80s and you heard reports about the war in Afghanistan. Well, I'm sure it would have been the same thing. They would have discussed how can we get victory, how can we destroy the terrorists, will this tactic work, will that tactic work, we're losing too many soldiers and so on. Well, just like the most liberal journal in the US. Did anybody ask the question in Russia: do we have a right to invade another country? Can you imagine anyone asking that question here? But in Russia there's a difference. That was totalitarian control, if you said the wrong thing you'd go off to the gulag. Here it's just willing subordination to power.


N.C. wrote:Public broadcasting has always been very narrowly bounded. I mean, it pushes the edge slightly beyond commercial broadcasting, but not very much. There are a lot of illusions about that. It’s called “liberal,” which is correct, I think, but liberalism in the United States means something a little less extremist than what’s called conservative. It’s kind of center-right instead of far left.


For the most part, I enjoy NPR. But I get very annoyed when they cover the war or the current administration. They consistantly dance around the elephant in the room.

Say what you will about NPR...

9
NPR has been dealing with awesome music for a long time. They once aired a full-hour piece on Wire and their contribution to music in general, did an interview with Arto Lindsay, had a spot on the Plastic People of the Universe as a memorial when Milan Hlavsa died back in 2001, interviewed David Byrne several times, and have played snippets of good bands on countless occassions.

In doing so, I believe they have paid more recognition to the post-punk direction of music than any other national media period. Not like that's a challenge, though. But it shows their hearts are in the right place when it comes to music.

Say what you will about NPR...

10
nihil wrote:For the most part, I enjoy NPR. But I get very annoyed when they cover the war or the current administration. They consistantly dance around the elephant in the room.


Anne Garrels (an NPR correspondent) has been reporting from Iraq for years. She crops up with a new report at least every few days. Every time, I breathe a sigh of relief that she's not dead. I think her continuing coverage is a pretty solid commitment to hitting this topic, especially in comparison to the other media companies that have infinitely more resources than NPR does.

Also, while I don't know, offhand, your specific complaints about their treatment of goings-on re: the current administration, it seems to me they do about as good a job of it as a major media outlet can be expected to do, considering they are supposed to maintain standards of journalistic integrity which includes impartiality; indie radio still has Democracy Now! and stuff like that, if you're looking for more overt-and-sustained criticism.

Just my two cents. Mostly pointing out the existence of Anne Garrels.

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests