Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Media Radio Off
Posted by Dan Savage on Tue, Jun 2, 2009 at 4:21 PM
Every time I hear Juan Williams on NPR I snap off my radio and deduct $10 from my annual pledge. Currently NPR owes me several hundred dollars.
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6
And $50 every time Ross Reynolds has some stupid topic for the Conversation like "What's your experience with Seattle crosswalks?"
7
Considering how often Steve Scher and Juan Williams are on... if it weren't for Peter Sagal and Carl Kassel, oh and Scott Simon, I wouldn't listen, well, except I am rather fond of Tom and Ray, but other than them, don't forget Nina Totenberg (she rocks) and Michele Noris, I really wouldn’t tune them in at all – unless Anne Garrels is on, of course…
Really, how could NPR allow people with differing personal opinions (even if they are stuffed bags) to cover stories or offer opinions. Terrible, terrible, terrible. It would be far better to only get my news from FOX.
But I will grant you that Steve Scher comes across as rather pompous in real life and Juan Williams is a bore.
Really, how could NPR allow people with differing personal opinions (even if they are stuffed bags) to cover stories or offer opinions. Terrible, terrible, terrible. It would be far better to only get my news from FOX.
But I will grant you that Steve Scher comes across as rather pompous in real life and Juan Williams is a bore.
8
Considering how often Steve Scher and Juan Williams are on... if it weren't for Peter Sagal and Carl Kassel, oh and Scott Simon, I wouldn't listen, well, except I am rather fond of Tom and Ray, but other than them, don't forget Nina Totenberg (she rocks) and Michele Noris, I really wouldn’t tune them in at all – unless Anne Garrels is on, of course…
Really, how could NPR allow people with differing personal opinions (even if they are stuffed bags) to cover stories or offer opinions. Terrible, terrible, terrible. It would be far better to only get my news from FOX.
But I will grant you that Steve Scher comes across as rather pompous in real life and Juan Williams is a bore.
Really, how could NPR allow people with differing personal opinions (even if they are stuffed bags) to cover stories or offer opinions. Terrible, terrible, terrible. It would be far better to only get my news from FOX.
But I will grant you that Steve Scher comes across as rather pompous in real life and Juan Williams is a bore.
9
Eli is The Stranger's resident harpy on KUOW. Isn't that right, Dan?
Whenever I read something stupid in The Stranger, I choose one more advertiser to boycott.
Whenever I read something stupid in The Stranger, I choose one more advertiser to boycott.
10
Imagine that: a discussion on the merits of an NPR personality on a blog based out of Seattle.
I'm shocked, I tell you!
I'm shocked, I tell you!
13
I turn off the radio every time that trout-tongued old fart Daniel Schorr comes on, but that's mostly because I cannot stand the sound of his voice.
14
@7/8 - I think it has less to do with reasonable ideological disagreement than it does with sheer intellectual dishonesty. Propagandists who distort the facts to suit their message should not be given a microphone by a publicly-funded media company.
16
Amen; I quit giving money to them years ago. Back in Precambrian times I used to regularly watch PBS shows like "Wall Street Week" and "Washington Week in Review" (where Juan often appeared) until I realized it was a bunch of nonsense. And spare me from Gwen Ifill!! Eww, what a bunch of sycophant insider wanna-bes, deigning to bless us with their pearls of wisdom from on high...
17
NPR was assaulted and eventually captured by the right 5 or 6 years ago. Now every other guest is from the AEI.
18
I give proudly to my local NPR station. It isn't perfect, but it is far better than any alternative I have come across. Being a donor has given me face to face access to decision-makers at NPR. I have told Scott Simon to his face that I thought he was soft on torture in 2005 because of comments he made in 2003. This year, I have chatted face to face with the new CEO Vivianne Schiller and the political editor Ken Rudin. Next time, I'll be sure to mention that Slog readers can't stand Juan Williams. I personally just find him boring. And the comment about Fresh Air from #5? Must have been dropped by the local affiliate. Download the podcast.
19
Based on the new quarterly Arbitron ratings, no one listens to talk radio...including NPR.
They also don't listen to
Alternative
Edge
New Wave
Country and Western
Rap; Hip Hop
Metal;Hardcore
They do listen to
Rock
Pop
Oldies
They also don't listen to
Alternative
Edge
New Wave
Country and Western
Rap; Hip Hop
Metal;Hardcore
They do listen to
Rock
Pop
Oldies
20
Whenever ECB writes anything, I go to QFC and steal a bottle of wine in the $9 price range. I have quite a cellar full of wine now.
22
But KUOW has long been on the top of The Stranger's list of enemies. So why are TS staffers on KUOW every week and even slogging to call attention to their appearances?
Why would Kelly O (or was it Lindy) do a special about the meanings of movies on KUOW?
FUCK OFF WITH YOUR ANTI-KUOW YET PRO-KUOW BULLSHIT. I SAY THE STRANGER OWES ME A COUPLE THOUSAND $'S FOR THIS INSINCERE CRAP... Not to mention $8 for a bottle of wine.
Why would Kelly O (or was it Lindy) do a special about the meanings of movies on KUOW?
FUCK OFF WITH YOUR ANTI-KUOW YET PRO-KUOW BULLSHIT. I SAY THE STRANGER OWES ME A COUPLE THOUSAND $'S FOR THIS INSINCERE CRAP... Not to mention $8 for a bottle of wine.
24
Dan, I know you like to be reactionary and I usually agree with you, but at least get the basic facts right here. What you hear on an NPR show that's actually made by nationwide NPR (you know, Morning Edition + All Things Considered + Weekend Edition) has almost no connection whatsoever to your local station. Yes, your donation to the local station might be used to help pay for their NPR membership dues, but they're going to pay for that whether you give money or snarkily send them a bill.
So how might the local station use your donation? Perhaps to help pay the salary of local reporters -- so why penalize them for some asshattery in Washington, DC? Or are you just being facetious with all this discussion of the importance of local news reporters (w/r/t the demise of the PI)?
So how might the local station use your donation? Perhaps to help pay the salary of local reporters -- so why penalize them for some asshattery in Washington, DC? Or are you just being facetious with all this discussion of the importance of local news reporters (w/r/t the demise of the PI)?
25
oh, and fuck Juan Williams. I'm totally on your side there. But maybe you could write a letter and complain instead of bitching counterproductively.
wait, BRILLIANT IDEA, how about you use the power of "web 2.0" or whatever -- and post information here about how Slog readers can write letters to the national NPR folks? maybe that would actually have an effect!! COOL!
wait, BRILLIANT IDEA, how about you use the power of "web 2.0" or whatever -- and post information here about how Slog readers can write letters to the national NPR folks? maybe that would actually have an effect!! COOL!
26
Fox News, as a dispensary for Murdochian propaganda has a lineup of weak leftist talking heads they can use as straw liberals to maintain that illusion of being fair and balanced to their conservative viewing base.
Like the discord and resolution pattern that is used in music, these puppets set up a weak argument that is abrasive to a polarized attitude, which is then countered soundly by the conservative protagonist. The conservative viewer gets an endorphin rush when the conservative re-enforces his or her point of view.
Regarding O'Reilly, everything has, so far, gone as predicted. Interestingly, though, O'Reilly is responding defensively enough that I wager he suspects he might have, in fact, influenced how events unfolded. I doubt he'd feel guilt about it, though; at best he'd merely fear blowback.
Like the discord and resolution pattern that is used in music, these puppets set up a weak argument that is abrasive to a polarized attitude, which is then countered soundly by the conservative protagonist. The conservative viewer gets an endorphin rush when the conservative re-enforces his or her point of view.
Regarding O'Reilly, everything has, so far, gone as predicted. Interestingly, though, O'Reilly is responding defensively enough that I wager he suspects he might have, in fact, influenced how events unfolded. I doubt he'd feel guilt about it, though; at best he'd merely fear blowback.
27
@19: unless Arbitron has changed its policies recently they do not include non-commercial radio in their public ratings lists (you used to be able to get them by subscription)...the ratings ranks are all about advertising revenue and becasue there are no ads to be sold on public radio, they are dead to Arbitron.
30
@29 Deborah Brandt - did you hear her during the last pledge drive? It would have been funny if it hadn't been so nausea-inducing. And then there were things she'd said in the months leading up to that pledge drive comment that had me thinking: that woman should not be left alone with a mocrophone.
Ken Vincent - what happened to him???
Ken Vincent - what happened to him???
31
Ken Vincent left KUOW a few years ago over some creative dispute, I believe. (By the way, he's a total hotty.)
33
Amen, Bro. Savage. He drives me crazy. But quite frankly the list of folks on NPR that drive me crazy is getting longer by the day.
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