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Lindy · 02-15-2010, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by snowy

Yesterday the statewide public radio system, OPB (Oregon Public Broadcasting) Radio wrapped up its winter membership drive, and it got me to wondering how many people around here listen to, love, and support public radio as I kept hearing all of these stories from people around my state who love OPB Radio as much as I do.

Do you listen to public radio? How much? What are your favorite shows on public radio? What do you like about public radio compared to other forms of entertainment/news? Do you support your local public radio station monetarily?

I listen to a LOT of public radio. It's not uncommon for me to turn the radio on in the morning when I get up and listen to it throughout the day. I like drinking my coffee while I listen to Morning Edition. I cook dinner to All Things Considered. I know that the name of the guy who hosts the BBC Newshour at 1pm is Ian Bennett Jones.

I have a few favorite shows--I love Car Talk, Whad'ya Know, and the classic A Prairie Home Companion on the weekends, as they seem to be what I catch the most often; I always miss Wait Wait...Don't Tell Me although I do enjoy it when I catch it. Being a foodie, I also really love the Splendid Table. This American Life is always interesting. During the week, I enjoy catching Fresh Air but that is highly dependent on the topic; sometimes I start to feel as if that show is attempting to dictate to me what culture is. I really really love The Moth Radio Hour and if your local public radio station is airing the pilots, I hope that you listen to it. I hope that they turn the Moth Radio Hour into a real program.

I like public radio because in my mind they provide me with a more carefully thought out viewpoint and story than I might get from broadcast or cable news. They spend more than 30 seconds on a story when they report on it, and they often manage to bring in people to talk about the story who wouldn't go on television. Beyond the news aspect, I appreciate how they take the time to tell a story. Storytelling is kind of a lost art, but on public radio it's still alive and well.

I wish I could support my local public radio station. This thread is meant to serve as a mental reminder to myself so that next time I have some extra cash lying around, I'll shell out the $25 for the student membership. Considering how much I listen to public radio and watch public broadcasting in general (I don't have cable), $25/year is a steal. I really feel like they are providing a valuable public service.

So how about you? What are your thoughts on public radio?

I love public radio! Since I'm on the road so much, I've been able to enjoy it in a lot of places. I've survived pledge drive in about a dozen different states!

The quality seems to vary quite a bit by locality, and content as well. I like really like classical music, which is what most draws me to NPR, but also Car Talk, All Things Considered, the Saturday Jazz programming, and especially Prairie Home companion with their Norwegian Lutheran schticks, (reminds me of home) such a contrast to the East coast and New York Jewish schticks. I don't like everything on NPR -- I find This American Life sometimes depressingly sad, and the Wait, Wait...Don't Change the Station guys seem overmuch stuck on themselves, and laugh too hard at their own jokes. If the Bush administration were still in office, Amy Goodman would find some way to blame dubyah for the Haiti earthquake, etc, but I like most of what I hear. I like local concert coverage, which I hear a lot of in Minnesota and Nebraska especially.
Like Snowy, I appreciate that they are willing to explore the news and its background in some depth. All in all, I love NPR, and support with donations in Massachusetts and Kansas both.

Lindy