I am surrounded by NPRniks. Most of my friends seemingly listen to NPR on a regular basis. I’ve tried to listen to it but I just can’t do it.
Why can’t I listen? It’s the nice hosts who don’t interrupt callers or their guests when sometimes they should. It’s the hosts’ soothing voices that put me to sleep. It’s the folksy/smug humor of Garrison Keillor (I’m a Minnesota native so the Prairie Home Companion style is all too familiar). It’s Steve Inskeep. It’s All Things Considered. It’s Morning Edition. It’s every episode of This American Life that I’ve ever heard. It’s the lack of an edge that makes NPR as a whole so boring to me. It’s their pursuit of radio excellence that drives me away because sometimes I don’t listen to the radio to be told what to care about.
This article I got from my Poynter Online RSS feed includes comments from a focus group study NPR with younger types. The result: NPR is boring. Thank you. I’d love to see more of the report. If I agree with the young people that means I must feel younger than I am (almost 36).
Some at NPR, or rather PRI, are trying to change their approach or at least put some youthful flair into their programming. I’ve mentioned it before but Fair Game is at least a current attempt at trying to inject something interesting or least not so damn important into NPR’s content. I also listen to On The Media from WNYC because not only is it the best media analysis show out there but it also knows how to push the edge and make fun of itself.
I know NPR isn’t for everyone. Besides the conservatives out there, do you just not care for NPR’s style? Does your radio need to be engaging in a different way? Does anyone else know of any other NPR programming that doesn’t try to move you or inform you or make you feel all folksy all the time? Anyone agree with me?
Anyone else think otherwise?
3 responses so far ↓
Scott Goldberg // March 21, 2007 at 12:56 pm |
I work at a show from WNYC, New York Public Radio, and distributed by NPR, called Radio Lab. And I’m sure that if you listen to this show, you will not be bored. Check out the shows from Season 1 and 2 in our archives at http://www.radiolab.org. Season 1 is available via streaming audio, and Season 2 is available via downloadable MP3 or iTunes podcast. And let us know what you think — radiolab@wnyc.org
fernsehturm // March 24, 2007 at 5:58 am |
I listened to a couple of the Radio Lab shows. I’m impressed so far. The production is sometimes a little much but it’s different and enaging at first. I’ll put it on my list of podcasts!
Radio Lab in Seattle « Fernsehturm // May 17, 2007 at 5:26 am |
[...] Lab in Seattle I’m not much of a connoisseur of NPR (a previous post attests to this). However, a show I really like called “Radio Lab” is coming to a local [...]