Thus Speaketh NPR's New Boss

So, along with news, underwriter announcements are choreographed on NPR. Peter Hart on Common Dreams: "Anyone who listens to NPR has heard plenty of corporate sponsorship announcements, and some listeners have raised substantive questions about whether those financial ties compromise NPR's journalism.... According to the new boss, nothing's going to change–you're just going to hear more about 'brands that matter' because you'll be 'interested' in them."

Here's a part of his interview with On the Media's Bob Garfield (9/5/14):

GARFIELD: You've said you can generate a lot more underwriting revenue than NPR has been getting, that we've essentially been undervaluing our ad inventory, considering the size and affluence of our audience. Which makes perfect sense, but it also infuriates and terrifies some listeners who fear for NPR's independence, and for its very soul. What can you say to talk them down?

MOHN: They're not going to, as a listener, notice anything different. We're not talking about adding more units to each hour. The only thing that I think they might perceive differently is that we're going to be talking about brands that matter a little bit more to them, ones they're interested in. And we're going to ask for larger commitments from these underwriters…. The audience is growing. It's not just affluent, it's a smart audience and it's very engaged. What more could a brand want than this type of audience?

Can Journalism Be Saved?

If you are troubled by the downward spiral of print, television and radio journalism, listen to this presentation by Robert McChesney and John Nichols at PULSE - Can Journalism Be Saved?

Today is World Press Freedom Day

May 3rd is World Press Freedom Day, with special focus on freedom of information and the right to know. Here's Jonathan Groubert's conversation on Radio Netherlands' program, The State We're In, with Mike Bonanno (real name Igor Vamos) of the Yes
Men, the culture jamming duo who pull elaborate, funny and sometimes
disgusting stunts on international corporations to draw attention to
injustices.

"The question is: Does NPR deserve underwriting support from thinking and feeling people?"

Not if you listened on Thursday to NPR's All Things Considered's disgusting and disrespectful "remembrance" of Howard Zinn, who died the day before.

Fairness & Accuracy in Media & Reporting (FAIR) has issued an important Action Alert asking people to contact the NPR ombud to ask why "All Things Considered" brought on David Horowitz to trash Howard Zinn saying, "There is absolutely nothing in Howard Zinn's intellectual output that is worthy of any kind of respect." ... Details for how to contact NPR are here.

Here's my letter to Alicia Shephard, the NPR ombud:

David Horowitz ruthlessly and verbally attacked Dr Zinn on public radio a day following his death, when people were mourning. That is disgusting behaviour for a guest on ATC and your Ms Keyes should have called him on it. As a commenter wrote on this ATC story, "The question is: Does NPR deserve underwriting support from thinking and feeling people?" A very good question, especially since Vermont Public Radio and North Country Public Radio tell us continually that their listeners are sensitive and caring people – they donate generously to underwrite NPR programming! I am writing the management at those stations, demanding them to consider dropping your expensive programming.

I included the above in my letters to VPR and NCPR management, adding,

"I urge also that you contact Ms. Shepard, Vivian Schiller [NPR's President and CEO], and Ellen McDonnell [NPR's Executive Director of News Programming] and demand NPR issue an apology to Dr Zinn's family - in national print media and broadcast it on NPR and the local stations.

Recommended: NPRCheck, a blog that monitors NPR's news programs.

Cross posted at Antemedius.

George Jellinek 1909-2010

The history of a people is found in its songs. - George Jellinek

R.I.P. George Jellinek
His contributions to our listening pleasure as well as informing us about opera and opera singers are what made WQXR an exemplary station in NYC and our nation!

WXQR obituary.

Jellinek created The Vocal Scene program in 1969, a year after he became WQXR’s music director. The weekly, one-hour show was devoted to opera and great opera singers. The show continued for 36 years, and was syndicated on classical stations around the country.

George Jellinek interviewed Virginia Zeani in 1993 for "The Vocal Scene." It's in three parts; here is Part I:

Local: Radiator Departure

Haik Bedrosian in BurlingtonPol

Dear Radiator Friends,

It's been a great experience, but I have to suspend my show indefinitely. My wife has picked up work on Saturday mornings, which means I have to take care of our kids at that time from now on. I thought about moving the show to another slot, but after more than a year of doing the show on Saturday mornings, and with everything else going on in my life, it feels more right to just end it gracefully.

It has been a privilege to be a part The Radiator as one of the founding on-air hosts. I will continue to be listener and supporter out here in radio land and wish all the best to everyone involved- past present and future. Thanks for making this awesome little radio station a reality.

Go Radiator!

COMMENT: While I was by no means a regular listener to Haik's Saturday morning program, somtimes I'd phone in to rant and rave about something on my mind or just to shoot the bull. And that's what was so attractive about the show: Haik's unabashed welcome to all political persuasions, a rarity in Burlington's commerical radio scene. *Sigh*

More on McKinney's Burlington Appearance

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post
"An Evening with Cynthia McKinney in Burlington":

A fundraising reception for McKinney will be held at 884 S. Prospect Street in Burlington from 5:30-6:30 P.M. before the event with a required minimum donation of $25.

From the Green Party of Vermont press release I received, announcing the event and reception:

Nationwide Greens are holding fundraisers for McKinney to help retire the campaign debt accrued from her 2006 congressional run for office and are hopeful she will
seek the Green Party nomination for President in 2008.

So, the $25 (or more) requested donation will help defray those costs. Dig deep, folks!

More from the press release -

On May 25, McKinney participated in a 23-minute
interview on Radio Station WBAI. The hosts asked her
about the possibility that she may seek the Green
Party presidential nomination. She said, “With the
failure of the Democratic Congress to repeal the
Patriot Act, the Secret Evidence Act, the Military
Tribunals Act, I have to seriously question my
relationship with the Democratic Party. The idea has
not been ruled out. All the current Democrats running
for president support the principle of potential
military action against Iran; none of them is for
impeachment of the President. They can’t speak for me.
I am open to a lot of ideas in 2008.”

LISTEN TO THE INTERVIEW - for only 6 days from today - You can download or play that archived WBAI interview here. Scroll down to Rise Up Radio - Friday, May 25, 2007 11:00 am Once you click on play, move your cursor up to 26:26 to listen to Cynthia. But you may just want to download it. The woman has soul.

Check out All Things Cynthia McKinney.

Daylight Come Harry Belafonte at 80

BBC World Service - Harry Belafonte talks to Stephen Evans on The Interview.

I recommend you listen to the whole interview. It's brilliant. He certainly has not sold out his humanity. He praises Fidel Castro, of course. Says he knows him well and has had heated debates with him. Of course, but I daresay, Habañeros don't get that chance.

BBC News - Harry Belafonte at 80 has a real story to tell.

He dismisses the appointment of Condoleezza Rice and before her, Colin Powell, to positions of genuine power in George W Bush's administration.

He has described them as "house slaves", and doesn't feel their presence has helped his cause in any way.

"He puts them there in the service of power. They are quite powerless - powerless - powerless," he says.

"They are extensions of George W Bush, Condoleezza Rice is revered nowhere. She has influence over a nothingness."

Does she not make even one millimetre of difference, I asked. "She makes a difference for the worse," Belafonte replied.

Harry Belafonte, despite the rhetoric, does not come over like an ideologue but as a man with righteous anger. He's open to argument. His mind remains alert and curious. Intelligence, curiosity and openness to argument shine out. He's up for disagreement and debate.

NPR's Crossing the Divide

NPR has been running a series, Crossing the Divide, examining (*gulp*) the Pros, Cons of Bipartisanship. I guess they took the lead from GW. Heh.

On Monday morning there was an announcement about an upcoming segment in the series that would look at "unaffiliated voters." Gosh, I thought, they'll talk about third parties! By Tuesday, still promoting the same segment, listeners were told that the focus would be on "independents." But what they gave us was a report on voter registration, specifically, "Unaffiliated Voters on the Rise in California" - More California voters are registering not as Republicans or Democrats, but as "decline to state," indicating no party preference. The ranks of the major parties are affected. Will this become a national trend?

Independent voters seem to be increasing. The Pew Center says 32% of voters are among that group.

NPR interviewed Gary South, Democratic campaign strategist for former California Gov. Grey Davis. The very last voters to make up their minds are independents. Says South...

One of the reasons why they are late deciders in campaigns is because...frankly a lot of them think both candidates are liars and you couldn't believe a single thing either one of them said if they told you that the sun was coming up the next morning, and a lot of them, in the final analysis, don't vote.

You have to appeal to them as centrists, says South, although their opinion on individual issues may be anything but. South, again...

Independent voters in this state tend to be moderate to conservative on the fiscal side, and on the social side they tend to be liberal to libertarian.

I think he's got it all wrong - talking about 'both candidates' (read: DemRepubs)being distrusted. As if there is no other candidate choice.

NPR interviewed Curtis Gans, the Director of the Center for the Study of the American Electorate, which has an interesting study here, showing the rise if independents and third party voters.

But there was scant mention of third parties in the NPR segment. So I sent 'em a comment:

Independents are not the only citizen voters unaffiliated with the two major parties. Why didn't you talk about members of the third parties? Haven't you ever heard of the Green Party?

A Vermont Christmas

Harvesting a Christmas Tree in Vermont: National Public Radio (US) has this good story on how one Vermonter cut down his family's Christmas tree this year.

Are you an Eeyore or a Tigger?

Yesterday, BBC Radio 4's Off the Page discussed The Power of Positive Thinking - Does looking on the bright side bring you good luck? Is 'Seize the Day' the proper motto for a satisfying life? Or should we accept our limitations and embrace negativity?

Psychologist Richard Wiseman, philosopher Julian Baggini and journalist Lucy Cavendish explore whether the glass is half full or half empty. Dominic Arkwright chairs the discussion.

A Handful of Dust

If you liked Evelyn Waugh's Brideshead Revisited, you'll love A Handful of Dust. Waugh's delicious classic portrait of a society marriage brought low by a tawdry affair is on BBC Radio 4 Book at Bedtime this week. The readings started last Monday (12/13), so click that day TODAY to listen. (It's on for seven days after broadcast.) Quick, click, like a bunny! :-P

Link: Time's review: Melofarce. In 1934, the harcover sold for $2.50! - A Handful of Dust is a cunningly contrived cinema of cold wit, tender humor, impersonal satire, shameless, but effective hokum. Only a rare reader will be able to sit it through unmoved either to a smile or a sigh. The total effect is sinister. Author Waugh must be credited with having written a novel truly representative of an age which is partly melodrama, partly farce.