pubwic wadio (1 Viewer)

I'm back. So sit stiw and wisten up. I have a question about pubwic wadio.

I'd wike to know how someone wike Iwa Gwass gets a radio show, is a celebrated pubwic wadio star, when his speech impediment makes him the exact opposite of the kind of voice you want on radio (ie, unwistenable).

In this wink, Tewy Gwoss, the worst interviewer on radio, tosses softbawl questions to Iwa Gwass and avoids the issue of his speech impediment (and his inarticuwate bad-wadio rewiance on the word "wike").

Expwain this pwease.

MC

Another good reason to stay away from NPR.

Here's an idea. Listen to the shows you want to hear and don't listen to the ones you don't want to hear.

Public Radio has always been more about content than form. I am sure Diane Rehm would have no chance of being on-air on a commercial station, but I love her program.

I've never had a problem with Ira Glass's voice and once again, he has a good program. Terry Gross has a very radio ready voice, but I don't think she's the strongest interviewer there is. I still think you get more real content in any one half hour of Public Radio than most full days on other stations.

Too each his own.

Hence, the reason I stay away from NPR.

OK... This is the buzzkill. It assumes that I would drown looking up in a rain storm; that I don't know enough not to listen to stuff that is stupid.

In fact, I do. Sometimes, tho, I am so fascinated -- by stuff like Speech Impediment Radio -- that I can't tear myself away. And I want to share that, maybe find some kindred spirits here at the HTF that I love so much, and have fun ranting and raving.

I mean, you seen the rants and raves here in the "After Hours" forum? They are about NONSENSE mostly. And I want in. So I'm ranting and raving. I haven't in a while (I was feeling the buzzkill), but I needed to get this out. I figured someone would get a laugh out of this, just another bit of madness in this mad mad mad mad world of ours.

Of course you know I could have said, "Here's an idea. Read the threads you want to read and don't read the ones you don't want to read." But that didn't make much sense. So, I didn't.

Oh well. Another thread down the drain.

MC

I often had similar thoughts about former White House "spokesman" Marlin Fitzwater.

And that anchor chick on CNN who sounds like she has permanent laryngitis.

Are you thinking of Rita Cosby? She used to be with FOX NEWS and is now with MSNBC. Oh, man, she is AWFUL to listen to.

Sorry. I honestly don't have any problems with "This American Life." Perhaps, I'm not listening for a speech impediment. Perhaps I simply don't have a Masters in Speech Impedimentology from Case Western. I listen when I get a chance-- the stations keep moving it around.

Yep, that's her. I couldn't remember which channel she was on now.

Why hire an anchor, someone who talks constantly, with a voice like that?

Then again, I'm also mystified that the stammering, stuttering Anderson Cooper is still employed, as well.

Because she sexes her way into exclusive interviews with key figures involved with the least important stories of the day.

Still better than Nancy Grace.

The variety of voices on NPR is nice compared to the relentlessly upbeat and aggressive tone of most other radio.

NPR's production values exposed!. It's probably worth listening to the segment-- the transcript doesn't quite convey the sheer artifice.

That lady bugs me to no end.

I really like Bob Garfield and his NPR show. I have a background in radio, so I can usually pick up the "unhearable" edits here and there when I'm listening. And I don't usually mind cut-tape edits. I mostly mind bad radio, which to me is announcers with obvious speech impediments or bad delivery.

Anyone remember Scott Muni? Gah, he was unlistenable! Here in Baltimore there's an old guy, Ken Jackson, who does a short jazz show on YPR on Friday nights. He does a great show, and he's very knowledgable. But, he needs to stop talking and play more music. He's impossible to listen to.

MC

What's to explain: Ira Glass hosts the engaging and unique "This American Life". In the few episodes I've heard, he crafts unique and highly interesting stories, mini-documentaries, about novel-yet-average slices of American Life. Is there another show like it on radio, let alone nationally syndicated radio? As for the speech impediment, I've never noticed it. He doesn't have the ultra-bass-boosted voice of morning DJs, which to me is a very good thing.

Terry Gross, the worst interviewer on air? Her velvety voice is reason enough to listen, even if she asked pablum questions. But her interviews usually are intelligent and interesting, at least to me. What qualifies her as "worst" in your estimation? To whom do you compare her?

NPR may not be your cup of tea. And many dislike it for perceived or real biases. But I've never heard it slighted based on production values or overall radio quality.

I scanned this quickly. I'll have to listen later at home. That's pretty interesting. But should I be bothered? It seems NPR crafts their programs, their interviews, in the same way magazines edit text, paraphrase quotes, condense interviews and extract quotes to present the style and erudition they want. Or the way TV will add B-roll to color emotion, edit video clips to provide the best quote, etc.

It's informative, to learn how it's done on radio. But is it really an issue? Is this a negative?

No. No bother, Dave. In fact, don't bother, Dave. It's not worth it.

Is this thread dead yet? The buzzkill is overwhelming.

...MC

I vote for Mary Cliff, host of "Traditions", a folk music show. Now, I'm not into folk music, but it used to follow a Prairie Home Companion. Once, I left the radio on, and she was delivering a news piece about some massacre in Darfur in exactly the same sort of cheery voice that normally says "so and so is playing at the Thistle in Shamrock on Tuesday". Just weird.

While I disagree with the stated opinions of the OP, I certainly think he should be allowed to post them. Your statement smacks of "how dare he criticize public radio." If he was posting in the Movies section about a movie he didn't like, would you say "avoid the movies you don't like"? It's going to be boring around here if we can only discuss what we like.

That being said, Public Radio is an oasis in vast arid wasteland that most of the other stations are.