Do you listen to public radio?

[Perd Hapley]

Curious about how many here listen to public radio, college radio, listener-supported, NPR or PRI.  I was brought up on the stuff, but given my strangely normal family, I have always wondered how many people listen.  My dad listened for the bluegrass music and because he prefers NPR to newspapers for national/international news.  Somehow, he is still to the right of the Republican Party.

Also, are they always on the left side of the dial? (that's low numbers for you digital types)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------

In Saint Louis, there is a listener-supported station called KDHX, which broadcasts music, usually in two-hour shows oriented to different types of music.  There's bluegrass, Brazilian, old-time country, modern old-time country, a live hip-hop show broadcast from a club on Friday night, singer-songwriter stuff, American Indian music (so-called), pop music from around the world, blues, Irish music, European folk music, and so on.  Unfortunately, the talk shows are lame - Democracy Now! and some homosexual show called Out and Open or some such.

[Fjolnirsson]

http://www.bluegrasscountry.org/?ref=msft&stream=bluegrass

[Scott]

That's about all I listen too, 91.1 and 89.3 on my FM dial. 89.3 is pretty cool it's a really eclectic mix of stuff. 91.1 is just plain old NPR.

[mtnbkr]

Other than AM Talk and specific FM morning shows, all I listen to on the radio is NPR.  

Chris

[Standing Wolf]

Nope.

[beaverboard]

I listen to WFPK, listener supported radio, out of Louisville.  They play "adult contemporary" music.  They play a wide mix of music that you won't here on any other radio station, anything form rock to country to the occasional foriegn music.  All in all a really cool radio station if you don't like to listen to the same 100 songs that they play on comercial radio.  Plus no commercials.

[Antibubba]

Yep.  I hear music I otherwise wouldn't stumble across in a thousand years.  I also like NPR's coverage of Supreme Court cases-it's almost like a baseball play-by-play.

[stevelyn]

Not me. Not interested in National Public Socialist Radio.

I'm an AM talk and headbanger guy.

[MillCreek]

98% of the time that the radio is on in the car, it is on either KUOW or KPLU, the two NPR stations in the Seattle area.  During the week, I listen to 'Morning edition' and 'All things considered', on the weekend, I listen to 'Car Talk', 'A Prairie Home Companion' and 'Whadya Know'.

[Perd Hapley]

I heard Morning Edition and All Things Considered almost every day when I was growing up, but now I can't stomach very much NPR except for the weekend shows.  Though ideally one should take in information from various points of view, the "enlightened" "progressives" on NPR are not even capable of presenting the news in an informative and balanced fashion, as they don't understand the world on which they are reporting.  How can I trust them to tell me the truth, when they believe so many lies?  How many lies might I unwittingly accept?  Even if I could bear a diet of lies and incoherence, I am still not able to bear the thought of their propaganda being represented, and believed, as truth.  It is like reading a thread on, say, DU, in which ignorant, illogical and/or dishonest people are distorting the facts about something one fervently believes in, yet without being able to respond.  I get so mad I can't even turn off the radio fast enough, due to a loss of fine motor skills.  Destroyed a nice little radio, one time, when I ended up throwing it on the ground and stomping on it, just trying to shut it off.  

I once read an article in a leftist, media "watch-dog" magazine, which showed how NPR is actually much more fair and balanced than other news outlets.  Yet all one need do is listen to the weekend shows like Car Guys and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.  Don't even get me started on PRI's weekend shows.  Anyway, they may have a few conservatives on WWDTM, but the jokes are all aimed at a left-wing audience, and they even poke fun at the leftist bent of their listeners, from time to time.  They know good and well they're on the left, and they have begun to acknowledge it just like the rest of the press has.  Just today, they were making jokes about Log Cabin Republicans "beating themselves up in parking lots" and "having large, beautiful closets" in their homes.  Let us leave aside the question of how one participates in a known homosexual group like the LCR while also being in the closet, and move on the Car Guys.  Just listen to a few shows, and you're gauranteed to hear someone apologizing for driving an SUV.

[HForrest]

In terms of news, I find public radio less biased than CNN or FOX, and I like the way it's presented much more. It's just straightforward news- there's no annoying advertisements, and no annoying hype. For instance- a block of time on CNN is, figuratively, like this:

Paula: "ZOMG!!111 WE HAVE A BREAKING NEWS ANNOUNCEMENT! (cue expensive, meaningless graphic designs on screen and tense, exciting music) Yes, this just in from the CNN Intel Communications Center! It appears A TEENAGER IN OREGON HAS GONE MISSING IN THE PAST FIVE HOURS! Sources report 17 year-old Kandi Kristalden as being pretty, popular, and white, and there are no leads in the investigation! We take you live to Anderson Cooper who is on the scene for no apparent reason just outside of Corvallis, Oregon!

Anderson Cooper: ZOMG Paula1! I'm standing directly in front of the house where Kandi Kristalden was last seen by her parents! As you can see, the situtation is extremely tense right now (there is nothing happing whatsoever at the house) at the Kristalden residence!111 Now... if you'll play this video for me... yes, that's it... Shocking footage from just fifteen minutes ago, Paula... now if you'll look closely toward the right of your screen, you'll see what appears to be Bob Kristalden, Kandi's father, walking to the window and closing the blinds![/i] Absolutely astonishing.

Paula: A shocking view from Anderson Cooper of a heinous crime in developement.

Anderson Cooper: Well, actually there hasn't been a crime determined yet, Paula, but as always, we're hopeful for some criminal development to take place! Now, we've determined from sources that unidentified witnesses saw Kandi with some close friends, carrying a *case of beer*... not even four hours ago!

Paula: NO WAI!1!111one!eleven!11 So you're saying that Kandi's own friends[/b] could have put a DATE RAPE DRUG in her beer , abducted her, raped her and taken child pornography videos of her, posted them on the internet, and KILLED HER!!!?!??!?111

Anderson Cooper: SRSLY, Paula... we are proceeding as if this is the case! What kind of awful people do this??11!1 We're now talking to local sheriff's deputy John McBurlington... Sir, what do you make of this horrendous kidnapping and murder of such a pretty girl- who's just so, so, affluent and... so, so, white?

Deputy: Well, we're not really assuming any foul play at the moment... I mean, considering the time frame it's just absurd to think that...

Anderson Cooper: ZOMG I'm sorry sir I'm going to have to cut you off there! We've just got on the line with CNN Medical Correspondant, Doctor Sanjay Gupta! Sanjay! What can you tell us about the medical concerns we might be facing for Kandi right now?1!

Sanjay: Anderson, that's a great question... now if she's bound and gagged in the back trunk of a car, a lack of oxygen can be a serious problem!  Being buried in a remote ditch in the middle of the wilderness can present serious, life-threatening problems as well!

Anderson Cooper: O RLY??!1!!!11

Sanjay: YA RLY!111!11!

Paula: ZOMG ANDERSON!!111!111one! We are just[/i] getting word that Kandi Kristalden is in police custody at the moment... Apparently they found her with her sick pedophile abductors[/b] at what's described by residents as a "local teen hangout"! She appears intoxicated from the multiple druggings she's been forced through by her kidnappers!

Anderson Cooper: Simply shocking, Paula! We at CNN are just... so relieved to know that Kandi is safe from evildoers! I'm certain the community is so grateful to the hard work and bravery of law enforcement that made this happen.

Paula: I'm sure we all are, Anderson. Now back to a special edition of "CNN Presents"- With hubcap theft on the rise, could YOU be the next victim? Stay tuned to learn how you can protect yourself and your loved ones.






But, I digress. NPR just seems a bit less sensationalized.

[Perd Hapley]

Very true.  NPR is almost as detached and clinical as a peer-reviewed journal, but they still sound more human than the soulless hype machines elsewhere.  One reason I never watch TV news (besides not having one) is that for every crime they must have a stupid impromptu interview with an innocent bystander.  "I saw him come around the house with the gun, and I was just like oh crap!  That don't happen around here much, it's usually pretty quiet."  Somehow I never glean any information from such footage.

What is ZOMG and 111?  I suppose OMG means "Oh my G_d" but the rest I don't get.

[Firethorn]

I listen to public radio for the classical music and occasionally hang around for the news.  Like others have said, it's not too bad in many areas.

Of course, I live in ND.

[Werewolf]

During the day if the radio is on it is generally tuned to Glenn Beck, or Neal Boortz or someone along their line (Limbaugh is a total ass - I stopped listening to his inane and insulting ramblings years ago - he is entertainment only and panders to the mindless masses IMO - wish I had his money though )

BUT going to work and coming home I've got NPR tuned in (105.7 FM in OKC - run by OU). NPR has definitely moved closer to center in the last 2 years and even though they still have a very left leaning bent the topics are interesting and are covered a lot better than the sound bites you get elsewhere.

About the only time I don't really listen is during their bi-annual beg for money fest which lasts a week. At that time I call 'em on the phone and tell 'em when they become a bit more balanced in their coverage I will happily donate. Waste of oxygen actually since one is usually talking to a volunteer but what the hay! (and yes this is RADIO I'm talking about not the TV Pub ED station which does the same thing only even more annoyingly).

[MillCreek]

I just about sprayed coffee on the monitor reading the CNN parody.  Absolutely hilarious.

[lee n. field]

Unlike commercial radio, NPR has a few moments when they're worth listening to.  

One of those moments, oh, 5 or 6 years ago now, was listening as "civil rights advocates" Larry Pratt and Susanne Gratia-Hupp reduced Diane Rehm to almost sputtering.     Doesn't get better than that.

(And don't tell me Diane Rehm sounds funny.  She's had voice problems for years, but (even though I disagree with most of that she says) I think she sounds like  what I remember my grandmother sounding like.)

[Mannlicher]

come to think of it, I have not listened to NPR in years.  Even Click and Clack got a little to left wing in their comments for my tastes.

[Perd Hapley]

One of those moments, oh, 5 or 6 years ago now, was listening as "civil rights advocates" Larry Pratt and Susanne Gratia-Hupp reduced Diane Rehm to almost sputtering.

Get out!  If someone would sell that audio, they would make a mint from us RKBA types.

Werewolf, your description of Limbaugh is 180 degrees out of phase, but it does fit Glenn Beck pretty well.  Pot, meet stainless steel.

[Werewolf]

One of those moments, oh, 5 or 6 years ago now, was listening as "civil rights advocates" Larry Pratt and Susanne Gratia-Hupp reduced Diane Rehm to almost sputtering.

Get out!  If someone would sell that audio, they would make a mint from us RKBA types.

Werewolf, your description of Limbaugh is 180 degrees out of phase, but it does fit Glenn Beck pretty well.  Pot, meet stainless steel.

Limbaugh's got the IQ of a carrot and just repeats common wisdom stuff that his illiterate right wing fanatic audience  wants to hear. The problem with common wisdom is it's just that common and common has little value.

Regading Glenn Beck - he is indeed entertaining but to get the full value of him you must listen for about a month or so to figure him out. He says things that are out and out wrong just to get people spun up and calling him on it. Gets the conversation going. That said I like his moron trivia he does during football season. Tends to reinforce my rather low opinion of the intelligence and general illiteracy of the general US population (of course he is usually just calling 7-11's or their ilk so that probably skews the sample a bit (but not much - no - not much).

[Perd Hapley]

Regading Glenn Beck - he is indeed entertaining but to get the full value of him you must listen for about a month or so to figure him out. He says things that are out and out wrong just to get people spun up and calling him on it. Gets the conversation going.

That's funny, because that is how I would describe Rush Limbaugh, especially when he brags about his wealth or his influence or some such.  At other times, he asserts his humility for the same effect.  Maybe we both need to listen to the other show for a month or so.    

The moron trivia sounds funny, but of course it's the same cheap comedy performed by Sean Hannity and Jay Leno; about equal to Beck in their sophomoric prattle.

[HForrest]

"ZOMG" and the following "11one1!1"s are internet slang. They're generally used sarcastically to parody chatroom speak, like internet users who make repeated typing errors (pressing the "Z" next to the shift key while writing "OMG", and not fully depressing the shift key when typing exclamation marks, thus producing "111"- and things like "one", "eleven" and "eleventy" are added to further parody this) and are overly excited in their text. This should explain a bit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zomg

[BryanP]

Absolutely.  

Morning Edition
All Things Considered
Weekend Edition
Car Talk
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me!
Marketplace
Thistle & Shamrock
Says You!

Enjoyable shows.

If you don't laugh at Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! you need a sense of humor.

[client32]

I liesten to the a couple of college stations.

The one I work for, and the one that gave me a degree.

[edited to add]
And, yes, they are on the low end of the FM spectrum.

[Perd Hapley]

Thanks, Wombat.  I knew it was internet slang, but I thought it was something people said in earnest.  Too bad we don't have idiots like that to make fun of here.  

Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me is pretty funny; I usually listen.  I wonder what happened to the Motley Fool, though.

What Do You Know is a different story - I listened a lot when I was a kid, but I don't find it that funny anymore.  Feldman's a smug little dope.  I also grew up listening to Prairie Home Companion, but they're political humor is unfortunately caustic these days.  Still, no one can ridicule the left-coast liberal lifestyle the way they do.

[K Frame]

I used to, then the local public radio station stopped playing classical music, so I quit listening to it.

Most of the commentators on NPR are so far left they make John Kerry look like a viable alternative.