NPR is going downhill

[UglyCasanova]

First they cancelled one of my favorite shows, "Talk of the Nation". I was just listening to one of my other favorites, "It's All Politics", and they announced that it too was being cancelled. One of the best political shows out there. Smart, funny, level headed, fair. Of course it has to go...

I frequently browse the NPR site, and they do have some good stuff on there, but more and more it just seems to be filled with either fluff or articles with a very blatant and obvious agenda. Neither of which should be up to NPR standards, but unfortunately that is what we are getting more and more of.

So long Ken and Ron.


Update: now they've taken a perfectly good website (the old one) and turned it into the new and improved one.

 

[zinfamous]

yeah, lots of great shows going away. Losing Talk of the Nation is insane.

I think this all boils down to rural communities overrun by teabagging dodoheads have been convinced by their corporate handlers that NPR is a commie news network, so the funds are starting to dry up.

 

[lxskllr]

I liked Talk of the Nation myself. Not really familiar with the other one, but I might not be remembering. I don't pay close attention to the show names.

My local station has been dicking around with the broadcast. They've deleted some stuff I like, but I have an hour less of Tavis Smiley(sp?) on Sunday, so that's a plus.

 

[zinfamous]

I liked Talk of the Nation myself. Not really familiar with the other one, but I might not be remembering. I don't pay close attention to the show names.

My local station has been dicking around with the broadcast. They've deleted some stuff I like, but I have an hour less of Tavis Smiley(sp?) on Sunday, so that's a plus.

yeah, it really depends on what your local station carries...which is often determined by what they can afford. I haven't heard of "It's all Politics," either. Don't remember it from WUNC, Chicago station, and KQED out here in the Bay Area.

WUNC has a poor man's version of "Say's You," where the word and puzzle games are horribly easy, and the panel seems too stupid to ever get them. So embarrassing.

 

[Vic Vega]

http://youtu.be/6Re-OdWBCRs

 

[UglyCasanova]

I hear it via podcast, not actually over my local station, although Ken Rudin also appears on Talk of the Nation (political junkie segment).

 

[Pocatello]

Good to see commie radio programs going away.

 

[Doppel]

yeah, lots of great shows going away. Losing Talk of the Nation is insane.

I think this all boils down to rural communities overrun by teabagging dodoheads have been convinced by their corporate handlers that NPR is a commie news network, so the funds are starting to dry up.

I think there must be some of that. Somebody I know who's shamefully right wing things NPR is very far leaning left, which is total shit. I get news from a bunch of sources and NPR is about the most trustworthy one there is. To pretend it is in the same vein as MSNBC is a downright shame.

 

[AlienCraft]

The creeping influence of Politically infused dollars from the uber $$.

 

[I Saw OJ]

I liked Talk of the Nation. Neal Conan was always a pleasure to listen to.

 

[Ruptga]

I think there must be some of that. Somebody I know who's shamefully right wing things NPR is very far leaning left, which is total shit. I get news from a bunch of sources and NPR is about the most trustworthy one there is. To pretend it is in the same vein as MSNBC is a downright shame.

Naturally, everything appears far left when you're far right. Teabaggers think moderates are pinkos, and just as bad as those bastards trying to gay-ify American child. Bra-burning hippies think moderates are corporate shills, and just as bad as the oppressive puppetmasters themselves. It is just perspective.

 

[IronWing]

Shorter stories, dumbed down interviews, more fluff pieces, NPR is where private news was in the 80s.

 

[lxskllr]

Naturally, everything appears far left when you're far right. Teabaggers think moderates are pinkos, and just as bad as those bastards trying to gay-ify American child. Bra-burning hippies think moderates are corporate shills, and just as bad as the oppressive puppetmasters themselves. It is just perspective.

I'm so far right the left is in front me, and I like NPR :^D

It's good news, and though tends to lean left, especially with the commentary, and listener demographics, they give a good balanced overview of what's going on in the world.

 

[unokitty]

First they cancelled one of my favorite shows, "Talk of the Nation". I was just listening to one of my other favorites, "It's All Politics", and they announced that it too was being cancelled. One of the best political shows out there. Smart, funny, level headed, fair. Of course it has to go...

I frequently browse the NPR site, and they do have some good stuff on there, but more and more it just seems to be filled with either fluff or articles with a very blatant and obvious agenda. Neither of which should be up to NPR standards, but unfortunately that is what we are getting more and more of.

So long Ken and Ron.

Whatever their problems are, they don't seem to lack for money.

NPR just opened a new $200 million dollar headquarters in DC complete with "soaring ceilings, a 24 hour wellness center, capable of simple medical procedures, a fitness center, which is staffed by a trainer, and a cafe, which utilizes the same catering company as Google." See NPR flaunts its wealth as MSM struggles. For NPR, DC bestowed $40 million worth of tax abatements and froze property taxes for 20 years."

Having said that, our two public radio stations are still my go to radio stations. Though, I seem to be spending more time on the public classical station and less time on the public news station.

Uno

 

[angminas]

http://snapjudgment.org/

 

[Craig234]

The funny thing is the real crisis with CPB was when Bush appointed a terrible right-wing hack, who appointed more of the same, to go to war against CPB.

He later had to resign in disgrace, but some of his people remained.

Funny that unpopular cancellations are happening now.

 

[Ksyder]

I can't stand the way Neal Conan talks, too many inflections if that makes sense.

That said, he seems like a nice guy and I heard on Ken Rudin say that Conan was starting a macadamia nut farm in Hawaii now that he is retired.

 

[glenn1]

I don't listen to the show mentioned, but to me the worse loss for NPR is that the guys who did Car Talk retired. IMHO, it was easily the best show on NPR.

And if there's anything to rightfully complain about NPR it's that the network retains Diane Rehm whose voice makes me change the channel any time she's on. Why they didn't forcibly retire her considering she now sounds 500 years old is beyond me; she's utterly unlistenable.

 

[evident]

I'm not a big fan of tell me more, but most of npr programming is pretty great

 

[Incorruptible]

NPR were the ones that fired Juan Williams for refusing to pander to political correctness. They also received money from GEORGE SORROS which tells a lot about what is going on with them.

 

[Codewiz]

I don't listen to the show mentioned, but to me the worse loss for NPR is that the guys who did Car Talk retired. IMHO, it was easily the best show on NPR.

And if there's anything to rightfully complain about NPR it's that the network retains Diane Rehm whose voice makes me change the channel any time she's on. Why they didn't forcibly retire her considering she now sounds 500 years old is beyond me; she's utterly unlistenable.

Yep, loved the car talk guys. As for Diane Rehm, the good thing is that she is doing less and less talking. So it is more of the following:

Diane Rehm: Welcome everyone, we have xyz on the show today to discuss topics in his recent book zyx. xyz, what do you think about blah.

xyz: 5 minute monologue about the subject

Diane Rehm: 20 second question

xyz: 5 minute monologue

Diane Rehm: Caller J, welcome to the show

Caller J: 2 minute question

xyz: 5 minute monologue


So I do suffer through her terrible voice because she does get some good guests.

 

[clamum]

I don't listen to the show mentioned, but to me the worse loss for NPR is that the guys who did Car Talk retired. IMHO, it was easily the best show on NPR.

And if there's anything to rightfully complain about NPR it's that the network retains Diane Rehm whose voice makes me change the channel any time she's on. Why they didn't forcibly retire her considering she now sounds 500 years old is beyond me; she's utterly unlistenable.

lol, yeah I hate to say it but I can't stand listening to her either. I respect that she's still working and doing a show but her voice and how slow she talks just turns me off. Sorry Diane.

Fucking sucks "Talk of the Nation" is cancelled. Why cancel that, but leave that bullshit show on during the weekends (not sure if it's Saturday, Sunday, or both)? I forget the name of it, but it's an old guy in front of a live audience and it's supposed to be comedy but I don't find the guy funny in any sense of the word whatsoever.

 

[lxskllr]

Why cancel that, but leave that bullshit show on during the weekends (not sure if it's Saturday, Sunday, or both)? I forget the name of it, but it's an old guy in front of a live audience and it's supposed to be comedy but I don't find the guy funny in any sense of the word whatsoever.

Prairie Home Companion? I like that show. My daughter does too. We both like the corniness, and she especially likes the homemade sound effects.

 

[UglyCasanova]

Another good show still on the air (although I'm probably jinxing it by saying this) is KCRW's "To The Point". Also, "Left, Right, and Center". Both of which are intelligent, balanced shows on news, politics, etc without all of the shouting and talking over one another that has become the mainstream way of news delivery.

Also love Wait Wait Don't Tell Me...

There is still good stuff on at NPR, but I think there is some bad stuff in their water. The institution as a whole appears to be heading in the wrong direction (and I guess arguably has been for a good while now). They appear to be purposefully dumbing down their programming as well as peddling an obvious political agenda. Meh.

 

[zinfamous]

I hear it via podcast, not actually over my local station, although Ken Rudin also appears on Talk of the Nation (political junkie segment).

Oh, Ken Rudin does that show? cool