I am confused, how is the goal of focusing on more diverse perspectives suddenly resulting in more limited perspectives? I mean, come on, what did we have before for real?? Mostly one perspective pretending to be one “balanced” voice for all. It reminds me of a time when more diverse faces were starting to be seen on television. When 2 people of color were on one commercial, my so called liberal grandmother said “I think it’s nice, but aren’t they are going a little overboard?” Yeah right, okay. When people start to be uncomfortable with the change, to me they are then finally doing it right.

I used to work in public radio. One of the biggest challenges for NPR is that their Board is largely controlled by local stations that have a vested interest in traditional radio and that made it harder for NPR to aggressively expand into podcasts. Alex Blumberg (who founded Gimlet) wrote a good column about this but I can't find it online.

Also for those of you talking about Kai Ryssdal, he does not work for NPR, although his show is on local public radio stations. Similarly The Daily is now on WAMU but it is not an NPR show.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Npr went from being a thoughtful, intelligent platform that was great for learning about nuanced topics to a whiny woke mouthpiece for obscure grievance politics. I'm totally sick of it and have moved on to podcasts.

+1 Amen

+2. Can you imagine Car Talk being green-lit today?

Yes. Why would Car Talk not be greenlit?

Because it’s not grievance politics oriented, too male.

+1 They were guys who joked with women about themselves, the women, the women's significant others, etc. In today's PC world, someone would have complained that they hurt someone's uber sensitive feelings. Too much laughter, etc etc.

Anonymous wrote:I like most of the programming on Wamu except Morning Edition and ATC. Wamu has lots of regular topics covered on shows like Fresh Air and 1A and On Point. the shows that focus on social justice/race like Code Switch are also good because they generally delve into the issues with nuance & interesting perspective. But yeah, I cannot stand the vapid fake reporting of Morning Edition and ATC.

This is an interesting perspective and I definitely get it. I think I'd almost say the same. I feel like Morning Edition has been better in the last several months. I also don't think they get enough/any credit for interviewing Republicans or conservatives, which they do. Just today they had an interview with an AZ Republican who opposes the 6 week abortion ban. Both parties were respectful of each other. And the host didn't challenge him when he outlined his position, which was basically pro-choice.

Anonymous wrote:It's the quarterly bash NPR thread with the same tired and false talking points! I'm still learning from and enjoying it as much as ever.

Same here! I’ve been listening for decades and I don’t plan to stop!

Anonymous wrote:Kai ryssdal’s voice just really does it for me.

yaaassss. hot tall skinny white guy. my type!

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Anonymous wrote:I think we all need to support the concept and implementation of a NATIONAL PUBLIC RADIO.

It's true that I don't listen to them as much since they've traveled into DEI territory much of the time, with (ironically!), very little diversity of arguments.

But it's important we keep a free and nationally available radio news source! For the good of the public.

Me again. For me their nadir was a year ago when I heard an interviewee, introduced as a Black woman (director of something or other), saying that cryptocurrency was a way for Black people to surmount the inequities of the financial system.

How many Black people lost their savings with that comment? Not too many, I hope.

oh dang, I remember that. that was TERRIBLE.

I like most of the programming on Wamu except Morning Edition and ATC. Wamu has lots of regular topics covered on shows like Fresh Air and 1A and On Point. the shows that focus on social justice/race like Code Switch are also good because they generally delve into the issues with nuance & interesting perspective. But yeah, I cannot stand the vapid fake reporting of Morning Edition and ATC.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Npr went from being a thoughtful, intelligent platform that was great for learning about nuanced topics to a whiny woke mouthpiece for obscure grievance politics. I'm totally sick of it and have moved on to podcasts.

+1 Amen

+2. Can you imagine Car Talk being green-lit today?

Yes. Why would Car Talk not be greenlit?

Because it’s not grievance politics oriented, too male.

Too male, too white, and not everyone can afford a car so you better not talk about them.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Npr went from being a thoughtful, intelligent platform that was great for learning about nuanced topics to a whiny woke mouthpiece for obscure grievance politics. I'm totally sick of it and have moved on to podcasts.

+1 Amen

+2. Can you imagine Car Talk being green-lit today?

Yes. Why would Car Talk not be greenlit?

Because it’s not grievance politics oriented, too male.

it doesn't center fat black trans teens lived experiences

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Npr went from being a thoughtful, intelligent platform that was great for learning about nuanced topics to a whiny woke mouthpiece for obscure grievance politics. I'm totally sick of it and have moved on to podcasts.

+1 Amen

+2. Can you imagine Car Talk being green-lit today?

Yes. Why would Car Talk not be greenlit?

Because it’s not grievance politics oriented, too male.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I agree, sadly. We were nonstop NPR listeners in our house and cars until after Trump won. It just got so obviously biased. (And we are super liberal!) Painful.

Same. I used to start my day with the Up First podcast. I replaced it with The Economist's morning podcast because I was tried of the predictable stories and wanted a fairer portrayal of the news that wasn't trapped in the DC bubble. I also stopped listening to the NPR Politics podcast because its coverage is borderline snarky in its leftist point of view. The only one with a reasonable take is Mara Liasson. And, like the PP, I'm quite liberal!

So I'm looking through the 3 topics on the recent Up First podcasts - sorry, I'm not seeing anything "unfair." https://www.npr.org/podcasts/510318/up-first
The Economist is going to give you a more global focus so I guess that's what you're looking for?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Npr went from being a thoughtful, intelligent platform that was great for learning about nuanced topics to a whiny woke mouthpiece for obscure grievance politics. I'm totally sick of it and have moved on to podcasts.

+1 Amen

+2. Can you imagine Car Talk being green-lit today?

Yes. Why would Car Talk not be greenlit?

Anonymous wrote:I agree, sadly. We were nonstop NPR listeners in our house and cars until after Trump won. It just got so obviously biased. (And we are super liberal!) Painful.

Same. I used to start my day with the Up First podcast. I replaced it with The Economist's morning podcast because I was tried of the predictable stories and wanted a fairer portrayal of the news that wasn't trapped in the DC bubble. I also stopped listening to the NPR Politics podcast because its coverage is borderline snarky in its leftist point of view. The only one with a reasonable take is Mara Liasson. And, like the PP, I'm quite liberal!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I think people regardless of their political standing and preferred outlet feel the same the across the board

Nope.

I don’t find some of these posts credible. Some were made by people who clearly don’t listen.

1+. Agree. A gaggle of “I’m a card carrying Democrat but…” trolls.

DP. Way to demonstrate why NPR is losing audience but can’t/won’t figure out why or take any steps to turn things around.

I’m a firm believer in public radio. I’m a Dem who lives in TPK, whether you believe it or not.

Sure, there’s at least one MAGA on this thread. But you can’t write the rest of us off as fake Dem trolls. And is it really credible that all of us who are trying to give NPR another chance happen to tune in for yet another navel gazing, finger wagging piece, so yeah, that must have been the same piece for all of us because the rest of their programming is totally different?

What do you think you’re gaining with this head-in-the-sand attitude? Do you think NPR is grateful to you? Do you work for NPR?