DH and I were discussing her this morning. He's a former newsman and thinks she's a solid reporter however, we both can't stand her voice at all. It is apparent that she has received some training in the past few months and she is a bit better but with all the other great radio voices out there, certainly NPR could do better.

Our other complaint recently is that ALL the new reporters have extreme and atrocious vocal fry - both women and men. They need to have their own training seminars for EVERY new hire at this point.

I wonder if it's impacting their revenue yet? It will.

Mary Louise Kelly would be best to pursue a silent career, like writing books. Her voice is just atrocious!!!!! How did she get the job which requires a pleasant voice????? Agggggghhhhh. Just can't stand her deep unpleasant voice

I listen if I'm driving then and I think it's fine. Otherwise I download the stories I want to hear using the NPR app and kind of create my own show. Since I'm sick of politics, I stick more to arts, tech and health, and that coverage is quite good, I think. I usually listen to that while I exercise.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR is peddling one sided ideas, not news. Bad bad bad!!!!

No, it's not. I listen all the time and they make more effort than most anyone to present multiple opinions.

Like how?

They consistently have multiple points of view on their shows. I know that the listenership skews liberal but I consistently find that they do the best job of explaining multiple points of view. Also there is research that shows that NPR listeners tend to be some of the best-informed people, while Fox News viewers have the most factually incorrect beliefs. I so wish my Fox News loving parents would give NPR a try, because it really does do a good job covering the facts.

Agreed. I think people get stuck on the fact that many of the non-news shows skew liberal. I also like listening to the BBC Newshour that comes on at 9 am on WAMU. It's really interesting to hear the news from a completely different point of view.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR is peddling one sided ideas, not news. Bad bad bad!!!!

No, it's not. I listen all the time and they make more effort than most anyone to present multiple opinions.

Like how?

They consistently have multiple points of view on their shows. I know that the listenership skews liberal but I consistently find that they do the best job of explaining multiple points of view. Also there is research that shows that NPR listeners tend to be some of the best-informed people, while Fox News viewers have the most factually incorrect beliefs. I so wish my Fox News loving parents would give NPR a try, because it really does do a good job covering the facts.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR is peddling one sided ideas, not news. Bad bad bad!!!!

You'll be able to enjoy it, once you understand that they offer wonderful music and interesting, informed opinions. Just don't go into it thinking it's unbiased news.

NP but the music is the worst part of NPR.

It's the best. I've found out about so many amazing artists. That and Tiny Desk Concerts are incredible!!!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michelle Martin: smart but smug.

I liked her Tell Me Now.

I LOVE Michele Martin! I miss her and Tell Me More. I always miss Weekend Edition.

I've given up on listening to NPR "live" for all the reasons listed above. I only listen to news via podcasts now.

Noticing a lot of vocal fry which is also incredibly annoying and still can't get used to ML Kelly's voice. She's truly driving listeners away.

I'm really disliking things as well right now. IMO the host should not interrrupt the field reporters w/ chatty inanities that ruin the flow of their planned story. And the conversational tone is too chatty overall.

I really want straightforward, non-biased, professional reporting. I hate that it is getting so difficult to find. NPR was one of my remaining outlets but in the last couple of weeks I've been increasingly turned off by the new morning host's approach. I have to think she's driving the field reporters batty also.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Michelle Martin: smart but smug.

I liked her Tell Me Now.

+1
I liked her.

Me too- she's on the weekends now. I think she is a great interviewer.

Another +1. I thought Tell Me Now covered things no other show really covered. And I like her on-air personality very much. NPR should give her a more prominent weekday role.
I do get the animosity toward Mary Louise Kelly's voice (I can't learn to like it either) but she's a first-rate reporter and that's what should count. At least her issue isn't vocal fry, which a lot of the younger-sounding reporters seem to have.

Anonymous wrote:Audie Cornish needs to be on every single broadcast on NPR. She is the best!!!! Smart, sounds awesome, all around great journalist and broadcaster. The broke the mold with her.

+2

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR is peddling one sided ideas, not news. Bad bad bad!!!!

No, it's not. I listen all the time and they make more effort than most anyone to present multiple opinions.

Like how?

Mary Louise Kelly's sneering, condescending on-air presence suffocate my appetite for the day. Cease and desist...please!!!!

Anonymous wrote:NPR is peddling one sided ideas, not news. Bad bad bad!!!!

No, it's not. I listen all the time and they make more effort than most anyone to present multiple opinions.