The NPR Conundrum
Soon, I'm sure, the multiple public radio stations of which I am a member will begin their next pledge drives. For more than 15 years, I've lived in areas with multiple NPR member stations, and I've been a member of multiple stations for some time.
Which is why I'm saddened and confused by what I perceive as a pronounce rightward slide in the editorial decisions at NPR's signature news programs, a slide that has gotten worse since the election. This week, it seemed they could barely hide their opposition to the stimulus bill in Congress, for example. This week they had a hard time even living up to the "nice, polite" part of the epithet "Nice, Polite Republican" radio.
But the strangest example came this morning on Weekend Edition Saturday, when host Scott Simon discussed the week's news with Joe Scarborough.
Joe Scarborough was a Florida Congressman for several years in the 90s, coming into office as part of the 'Gingrich Revolution'. In recent years, however, Scarborough is better known as a TV talk show host on cable news. He hosts a daily morning program on MSNBC, called Morning Joe.
As you might guess, I'm not a fan of Joe Scarborough. He doesn't infuriate me, in the way that many GOP media figures do, but I don't think Scarborough is very insightful, and he likes the sound of his own voice too much for my taste. His perspective is reliably GOP-biased, as this morning when he seemed to ascribe the failure of bipartisanship in DC first to "something in this town", then to Obama's advisors, and finally complained of GOP legislators being mocked for their "legitimate" problems with the stimulus bill.
But more importantly, Joe Scarborough has his own show on TV for three hours a day, five days a week! Anyone who enjoys Scarborough, or is interested in his take on the events in Washington, already has plenty of opportunity to hear from him during those 15 hours.
Why should NPR give him more air time? Why should NPR bring me his perspective on the Obama nominees who were withdrawn this week, the stimulus bill, or anything else? Wasn't there anyone else they could have chosen to talk to Scott about the week in politics?
I'm sure there are former Congressmen from the 90s who aren't already on the air 15 hours a week. Many of them are also Republicans. Or, for a shocking alternative, NPR could have gone with a Democrat! Imagine. (Though why they needed another segment talking about the week in Washington at all, when they already have one with Daniel Schorr and another with (Fox News's) Juan Williams I don't understand.)
ThinkProgress has reported that coverage of the stimulus bill on cable news has predominantly featured Republicans. At the end of the week, pundits were openly discussing how thoroughly the GOP had taken control of the debate (as if the pundits, and hosts like Scarborough, weren't themselves integral to that process). The idea that the Republicans have been dominating the discussion this week is widely acknowledged.
So why the editorial decision at Weekend Edition Saturday that what best served listeners this morning was to hear yet another GOP perspective, particularly one that has its own TV show?
I'm already paying a hefty cable TV bill, for which Comcast gives me access to the 15 hours of Scarborough a week. So the question becomes, why should I donate to my local public radio station if NPR is just going to repackage MSNBC's content? I expect public radio to provide me with voices and perspectives that AREN'T in the mainstream commercial media, at all, much less there for 15 hours a week.
Perhaps the worst thing about Scarborough's segment this morning was that it came right after the regular news analysis segment with veteran newsman Daniel Schorr. I grant that Schorr isn't always insightful, but he is in his 90s, for goodness sake. He's the last living link to the famous Murrow Boys, he's reported from all over the world, he was on Nixon's Enemy List, and his wealth of experience makes him a voice worth listening to. He is a national treasure, who does NPR credit.
That Weekend Edition would follow him with the partisan bloviations of a jumped-up young Congressman turned TV talk show host is a perfect example of what's gone wrong with NPR.
Which is why I'm saddened and confused by what I perceive as a pronounce rightward slide in the editorial decisions at NPR's signature news programs, a slide that has gotten worse since the election. This week, it seemed they could barely hide their opposition to the stimulus bill in Congress, for example. This week they had a hard time even living up to the "nice, polite" part of the epithet "Nice, Polite Republican" radio.
But the strangest example came this morning on Weekend Edition Saturday, when host Scott Simon discussed the week's news with Joe Scarborough.
Joe Scarborough was a Florida Congressman for several years in the 90s, coming into office as part of the 'Gingrich Revolution'. In recent years, however, Scarborough is better known as a TV talk show host on cable news. He hosts a daily morning program on MSNBC, called Morning Joe.
As you might guess, I'm not a fan of Joe Scarborough. He doesn't infuriate me, in the way that many GOP media figures do, but I don't think Scarborough is very insightful, and he likes the sound of his own voice too much for my taste. His perspective is reliably GOP-biased, as this morning when he seemed to ascribe the failure of bipartisanship in DC first to "something in this town", then to Obama's advisors, and finally complained of GOP legislators being mocked for their "legitimate" problems with the stimulus bill.
But more importantly, Joe Scarborough has his own show on TV for three hours a day, five days a week! Anyone who enjoys Scarborough, or is interested in his take on the events in Washington, already has plenty of opportunity to hear from him during those 15 hours.
Why should NPR give him more air time? Why should NPR bring me his perspective on the Obama nominees who were withdrawn this week, the stimulus bill, or anything else? Wasn't there anyone else they could have chosen to talk to Scott about the week in politics?
I'm sure there are former Congressmen from the 90s who aren't already on the air 15 hours a week. Many of them are also Republicans. Or, for a shocking alternative, NPR could have gone with a Democrat! Imagine. (Though why they needed another segment talking about the week in Washington at all, when they already have one with Daniel Schorr and another with (Fox News's) Juan Williams I don't understand.)
ThinkProgress has reported that coverage of the stimulus bill on cable news has predominantly featured Republicans. At the end of the week, pundits were openly discussing how thoroughly the GOP had taken control of the debate (as if the pundits, and hosts like Scarborough, weren't themselves integral to that process). The idea that the Republicans have been dominating the discussion this week is widely acknowledged.
So why the editorial decision at Weekend Edition Saturday that what best served listeners this morning was to hear yet another GOP perspective, particularly one that has its own TV show?
I'm already paying a hefty cable TV bill, for which Comcast gives me access to the 15 hours of Scarborough a week. So the question becomes, why should I donate to my local public radio station if NPR is just going to repackage MSNBC's content? I expect public radio to provide me with voices and perspectives that AREN'T in the mainstream commercial media, at all, much less there for 15 hours a week.
Perhaps the worst thing about Scarborough's segment this morning was that it came right after the regular news analysis segment with veteran newsman Daniel Schorr. I grant that Schorr isn't always insightful, but he is in his 90s, for goodness sake. He's the last living link to the famous Murrow Boys, he's reported from all over the world, he was on Nixon's Enemy List, and his wealth of experience makes him a voice worth listening to. He is a national treasure, who does NPR credit.
That Weekend Edition would follow him with the partisan bloviations of a jumped-up young Congressman turned TV talk show host is a perfect example of what's gone wrong with NPR.
posted by Paul at 7:38 AM |
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