ON LISTENING TO NPR

For years I've felt that national NPR news is really National Propaganda Radio. But what to do? I live in Vermont and (trying not to sound too elitist) the only "sophisticated" radio stations for listening in my car are out of northern New York and Vermont. North Country Public Radio is scruffier than Vermont Public Radio. I just like the down-home feel of NCPR's music programs and its in depth local news reports. (Although Jane Lindholm's Vermont Edition has been tackling some serious topics lately.) Both stations just completed fundraisers. NCPR's was true to its laid back style; VPR's, however, was fucking sanctimonious and geared for those localvore-consuming-faux-socialists. Maybe it's just their Vermont reserve I find annoying, but if I have to hear any more of Isn't Vermont heaven on Earth? shit, I'll start to vomit.

Richard Estes/American Leftist has a great post on why he doesn't listen to NPR! I would have to agree with his reasons for avoiding NPR for years. He provides links from a recent FAIR critique on the coverage on the fifth anniversary of the Iraq war and an article by Norman Soloman on how NPR just repeats the official Washington scripts. Richard makes an excellent point about NPR's avoiding discomforting news stories. I try to avoid to Day to Day when driving my car. That show should be called Dumbed Down Radio!