If you haven't already read this blurb about layoffs at National Public Radio, then check it out here. Nice to read in conjuction with news of other layoffs in book publishing and newspapers.
I had a whole mess of analysis and supported opinion on the cancellation of News & Notes. Objective and hopefully thoughtful comments on it's evolution from Tavis Smiley's spot to Farai Chideya's, ratings, cost centers, promo, NPR's endowment & contributions. But ya know, sometimes you gotta shout and stomp to clear the air. Here it comes...
...can we be frank about the disease, and not go 'round about symptoms? We're plain dummer, so why listen to NPR? We're a nation of Ricky Bobbies, Lil'Jons & Flo Ridas , Gossip Girls, Video Vixens, Sarah Palins, Real Housewives, Plaxico Burresses & Mike Vicks, Rush Limbaugh Dittoheads, texting teenagers, et al. So what's Farai's target demo amount to now--5 intelligent people? When folk get their news, "analysis" and investigative reporting from the likes of John Stewart/Stephen Colbert, Sean Hannity and Tom Joyner, is there any reason to have an NPR? For too long we've pandered and lowered the river. Perhaps the infrastructure we need to revive is between our ears!
Whew. I apologize for the rant. But it's time for us to wake the hell up and stop holding our tongues when we do see ignorance simmering. The outlets which keep us smart and care about the truth are dying and all we care about is not sounding "elitist." Lawd...
7 comments:
What a waste. Didn't they get $200M from McDonalds? What's going to happen to Farai?
Just a thought...
Maybe shows like News and Notes were on the chopping block anyway. With the election of Obama, station management feels less guilty about giving these shows the axe.
Like I said, just a thought.
Don't apologize, it ain't wolfing if you're telling the truth. They are just shutting down that expensive ass L.A. office and they need to admit that.
I'm going to give you the benefit of the doubt Nat Turner and guess that you were going to address the Los Angeles (old Tavis show) issue and shows on the chopping block before the wolf tickets on our general culture were sold. (smile)
Still, I agree with the wolfing. But how to deal with the disease?
PS a little wolfing for effect is not a sin!
NPR is showing its true colors.
When I lived in WAMC territory (the NPR affiliate in the Albany area), the head honcho went on and on about the importance of being "cultural" and "intelligent," using the example of playing classical music "even though we know nobody is listening to it on Saturday night." When asked why ,in an area like Albany, he didn't include NPR's more diverse programming, like Tavis, he said that the show wouldn't attract NPR listeners.
So those of us who aren't texting/Hannity/dumb it down OR elitist/racist/vanilla asses are left with...?
SoCal 82Tiger Says:
Professor
If I understand you correctly - The Nuts on the Right have Fox and Salem Radio... The Moderate Nuts In the Middle have most everything else on the air, and the Nuts on the Left have Air America...
Everyone has what he or she wants...
We should all be happy and call it a day!
Perhaps NPR (Like PBS) has become irrelevant in today's market???
With the drop out and illiteracy rate in our big cities at (or over) 50% how can we act surprised that today's young people not only don't enjoy NPR PBS, but also the musings of Buckley, Will, or Prager.
If a message is not presented at 100 plus decibels, peppered with course & foul language, plenty of T & A, Infantile Humor, and an overabundance of pyrotechnics & CGI; then how do you expect modern people to sit still long enough to get the message???
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