Congrats to NPR

[Radknowski]

The audience for NPR shows hit a new high in the Fall book.
The cume of 26.5 million is up 2% from the previous Fall (2005) and up 4% from last Spring. National Public Radio says listenership to its member stations - which buy programming from NPR and other sources, and also produce their own - rose to 30.9 million. NPR can't help noting that "commercial news/talk radio has dropped 7% over the past three years."

Congratulations as well to WNED-AM & WBFO-FM, Buffalo and WXXI-AM Rochester.

A few threads ago, posters wrote about the value of "spoken word" programming. NPR offers the best "spoken word" programming in all of radio. Yes, commercial news-talk radio offers provocative programming, but in many cases, it's formulaic and "less filling" compared to most programs on NPR affiliates.

From programs like Fresh Air, This American Life, Morning Edition and All Things Considered to local news, jazz and blues shows, WNED, WBFO and WXXI offer compelling, provocative and substantive programming. It calls to mind John Hausman's monologue at the beginning of each episode of The Paper Chase, "You come in here with minds of mush... and I teach you to think!"

 

[Mark Giardina]

The audience for NPR shows hit a new high in the Fall book.
The cume of 26.5 million is up 2% from the previous Fall (2005) and up 4% from last Spring. National Public Radio says listenership to its member stations - which buy programming from NPR and other sources, and also produce their own - rose to 30.9 million. NPR can't help noting that "commercial news/talk radio has dropped 7% over the past three years."

Congratulations as well to WNED-AM & WBFO-FM, Buffalo and WXXI-AM Rochester.

A few threads ago, posters wrote about the value of "spoken word" programming. NPR offers the best "spoken word" programming in all of radio. Yes, commercial news-talk radio offers provocative programming, but in many cases, it's formulaic and "less filling" compared to most programs on NPR affiliates.

From programs like Fresh Air, This American Life, Morning Edition and All Things Considered to local news, jazz and blues shows, WNED, WBFO and WXXI offer compelling, provocative and substantive programming. It calls to mind John Hausman's monologue at the beginning of each episode of The Paper Chase, "You come in here with minds of mush... and I teach you to think!"

What will be interesting is to see if the rise in national listenership reflects an audience increase in Buffalo and Rochester.

This might sound like disloyalty coming from someone who worked at WXXI for many years, but I listen to the BBC myself. I find their programming, which is also commercial free, just as stimulating as anything NPR airs. Of course I don't get local news over the BBC but I also don't have to listen to Diane Rehm and the local talk show either.

I will conclude however that people who work for the above mentioned NPR affiliates are very dedicated individuals who put in long hours at sub-standard pay. It would be nice on the part of management to reward these people with more money in a show of appreciation for the hard work they do because without them there would be no local news or the numerous awards these stations have racked up over the years.

 

[alw]

[size=10pt]The audience for NPR shows hit a new high in the Fall book.

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I will conclude however that people who work for the above mentioned NPR affiliates are very dedicated individuals who put in long hours at sub-standard pay. It would be nice on the part of management to reward these people with more money in a show of appreciation for the hard work they do because without them there would be no local news or the numerous awards these stations have racked up over the years.

I Love This Guy! Can I come work for you?

 

[Mark Giardina]

I Love This Guy! Can I come work for you?

Not unless you want to get out of broadcasting. Which by the way March 18th marks my third anniversary having quit the business on a full-time basis. Time flies when you get old.

:

 

[The Voice of Reason]

I will conclude however that people who work for the above mentioned NPR affiliates are very dedicated individuals who put in long hours at sub-standard pay. It would be nice on the part of management to reward these people with more money in a show of appreciation for the hard work they do because without them there would be no local news or the numerous awards these stations have racked up over the years.

While a quite noble suggestion it is highly unlikely that the CEO of WXXI would be willing to risk his six-figure yearly salary, and his expensive SUV the station buys for him every few years, in order to increase the salaries of the people who actually work for a living.

 

[Element9]

NPR provides outstanding programming... but before we get all giddy, commercial radio stations like WBEN, WYRK and 97 Rock still comfortably out-rank WBFO, WNED and WNED-AM in most dayparts. Not that that should be the true measure of a good radio station... although, it's still the standard by which success is measured on the mean streets and killing floors of da biz.

 

[rdcuffpa1]

NPR provides outstanding programming... but before we get all giddy, commercial radio stations like WBEN, WYRK and 97 Rock still comfortably out-rank WBFO, WNED and WNED-AM in most dayparts. Not that that should be the true measure of a good radio station... although, it's still the standard by which success is measured on the mean streets and killing floors of da biz.

I saw a quote the other day...not recent, I don't think...that listening to NPR is like eating vegetables. You know you should, it's good for you...but you never do it enough...

Mr. Giardina, you might also enjoy the offerings of Australia's Radio National and Radio New Zealand's National Radio...both are available live & on-demand. If you listen to the World Service via Sirius satellite radio, consider also the World Radio Network...

Richard in Allentown, PA (ex-East Aurora, NY)

 

[Mark Giardina]

Mr. Giardina, you might also enjoy the offerings of Australia's Radio National and Radio New Zealand's National Radio...both are available live & on-demand. If you listen to the World Service via Sirius satellite radio, consider also the World Radio Network...
Richard in Allentown, PA (ex-East Aurora, NY)

I will check out Australia and Radio New Zealand. Thanks.

BBC World is fine when they run News Hour. When they start with the interview shows during the day is when I stop streaming. Then I just stream Morning Edition and ATC from the NPR web site from the previous day. That way I can hear both shows without interruption.

 

[Element9]

Mr. Giardina, you might also enjoy the offerings of Australia's Radio National and Radio New Zealand's National Radio...both are available live & on-demand. If you listen to the World Service via Sirius satellite radio, consider also the World Radio Network...
Richard in Allentown, PA (ex-East Aurora, NY)

I will check out Australia and Radio New Zealand. Thanks.

BBC World is fine when they run News Hour. When they start with the interview shows during the day is when I stop streaming. Then I just stream Morning Edition and ATC from the NPR web site from the previous day. That way I can hear both shows without interruption.

Don't you guys do any "work" at work? C'mon, one might think you were back in radio!

I keeeeed!

;D

 

[Mark Giardina]

[Don't you guys do any "work" at work? C'mon, one might think you were back in radio!

I keeeeed!

;D

To quote Maynard G Krebs........WORK!!!