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That's kind of gross. Rich white people have enough without getting free radio targeted to their interests.

by sukilot 10y ago

Ericson2314 10y ago
I think the joke is more that they wish it wasn't so; going by the very name "National Public Radio", demographic skew is quite unfortunate.
dredmorbius 10y ago
It's not particularly intentional, and NPR mention this in large part as a way of drawing attention to the fact and seeking broader diversity. NPR grew out of the public broadcasting movement that was emerging in the 1960s (though its roots go deeper), as well as the Baby Boom generation and the democratisation of higher education which had occurred after the 2nd World War. Stir in the Kennedys, Vietnam, the Apollo program, Civil Rights, and Nixon, and you had much of the initial foment from which the project emerged. NPR has had its largest followings on the coasts -- Boston, New York, Washington, DC, for obvious reasons, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle. These are all still flagship stations and regions (though there are many others). There are also, and I say this as someone who's driven across and through the US several times, many local stations and "translators", which serve rural and outlying areas, which are a fantastic relief from what's otherwise the monotony of rural radio: Christian broadcasting, bad country-western, and increasingly, Spanish-language radio. (And if you think NPR panders to its audience, you should try listening to these for a change.) The problem of getting a high-concept, intelligence-oriented, limited-budget network to appeal to what have been its underserved communities: African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and other segments, is difficult, but you're seeing this. There are programs which try to bridge that divide as well as reach out to younger audiences (how successfully is another question). Latino USA, Glynn Washington's Snap Judgement, and The Moth come to mind. Arguably, Car Talk was a crossover show for a long time, bringing in the shade-tree / garage mechanic contingent (though I feel it overstayed its welcome). I'm aware that that program had a huge draw from an otherwise atypical audience though, which probably explains its longevity even into reruns. And finally: NPR is freely available to all. In an age of podcasts and iPhones, all you need is a cheap radio to pick it up, no subscriptions, no fancy hardware, no malware, no surveillance (though yes, those are availble through the various NPR, PRI, PRX, MPR, etc., podcasts, websites, and other online experiences). It's far less, IMO, that NPR targets its core audience as that that's the group to which it appeals and is known. The information provided is certainly democratic and would benefit most. And as I've noted, the network (and its public broadcasting kin) are actively seeking to extend both reach and relevance. Rather than dismiss this with a smear as you have, what would you see done differently, what do you find missing, and why do (or don't) you listen to public bradcasting?
- massysett 10y ago
  NPR certainly targets its core audience. Listen to most stories on higher education, for example. They talk about how hard it is to get into college and how competitive it is. They typically forget that relatively few Americans attend highly selective institutions, with a large number not even attending four-year universities. The NY Times falls into this same trap. Another example is religion, or lack thereof. America is a religious place, but NPR reports little on religion. However I might reluctantly grant you that NPR does not "target" its listeners. The truth might be even more concerning: they are not even aware of their upper-middle-class bias, so they think it is perfectly normal for all high school kids to worry about getting into Harvard.
  - justinlardinois 10y ago
    > they think it is perfectly normal for all high school kids to worry about getting into Harvard. Many public institutions are highly competitive. But I guess "University of Texas" doesn't sound as elitist as Harvard.
- jevinskie 10y ago
  I've always felt that part of Car Talk's popularity was their eagerness (and perhaps determined effort, I'm not sure of the demographics) to include female callers in their shows, as equals to males. Honestly, their inclusion of females, to me, has been unmatched by other shows, especially programs relating to historically male-dominant subjects. Their broadcasts have always been a wonderfully enjoyable and enriching part of my road trips.

That's kind of gross. Rich white people have enough without getting free radio targeted to their interests.

by sukilot 10y ago

That's kind of gross. Rich white people have enough without getting free radio targeted to their interests.

I think the joke is more that they wish it wasn't so; going by the very name "National Public Radio", demographic skew is quite unfortunate.

dredmorbius 10y ago

It's not particularly intentional, and NPR mention this in large part as a way of drawing attention to the fact and seeking broader diversity. NPR grew out of the public broadcasting movement that was emerging in the 1960s (though its roots go deeper), as well as the Baby Boom generation and the democratisation of higher education which had occurred after the 2nd World War. Stir in the Kennedys, Vietnam, the Apollo program, Civil Rights, and Nixon, and you had much of the initial foment from which the project emerged. NPR has had its largest followings on the coasts -- Boston, New York, Washington, DC, for obvious reasons, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Seattle. These are all still flagship stations and regions (though there are many others). There are also, and I say this as someone who's driven across and through the US several times, many local stations and "translators", which serve rural and outlying areas, which are a fantastic relief from what's otherwise the monotony of rural radio: Christian broadcasting, bad country-western, and increasingly, Spanish-language radio. (And if you think NPR panders to its audience, you should try listening to these for a change.) The problem of getting a high-concept, intelligence-oriented, limited-budget network to appeal to what have been its underserved communities: African-American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, and other segments, is difficult, but you're seeing this. There are programs which try to bridge that divide as well as reach out to younger audiences (how successfully is another question). Latino USA, Glynn Washington's Snap Judgement, and The Moth come to mind. Arguably, Car Talk was a crossover show for a long time, bringing in the shade-tree / garage mechanic contingent (though I feel it overstayed its welcome). I'm aware that that program had a huge draw from an otherwise atypical audience though, which probably explains its longevity even into reruns. And finally: NPR is freely available to all. In an age of podcasts and iPhones, all you need is a cheap radio to pick it up, no subscriptions, no fancy hardware, no malware, no surveillance (though yes, those are availble through the various NPR, PRI, PRX, MPR, etc., podcasts, websites, and other online experiences). It's far less, IMO, that NPR targets its core audience as that that's the group to which it appeals and is known. The information provided is certainly democratic and would benefit most. And as I've noted, the network (and its public broadcasting kin) are actively seeking to extend both reach and relevance. Rather than dismiss this with a smear as you have, what would you see done differently, what do you find missing, and why do (or don't) you listen to public bradcasting?

massysett 10y ago
NPR certainly targets its core audience. Listen to most stories on higher education, for example. They talk about how hard it is to get into college and how competitive it is. They typically forget that relatively few Americans attend highly selective institutions, with a large number not even attending four-year universities. The NY Times falls into this same trap. Another example is religion, or lack thereof. America is a religious place, but NPR reports little on religion. However I might reluctantly grant you that NPR does not "target" its listeners. The truth might be even more concerning: they are not even aware of their upper-middle-class bias, so they think it is perfectly normal for all high school kids to worry about getting into Harvard.
- justinlardinois 10y ago
  > they think it is perfectly normal for all high school kids to worry about getting into Harvard. Many public institutions are highly competitive. But I guess "University of Texas" doesn't sound as elitist as Harvard.
jevinskie 10y ago
I've always felt that part of Car Talk's popularity was their eagerness (and perhaps determined effort, I'm not sure of the demographics) to include female callers in their shows, as equals to males. Honestly, their inclusion of females, to me, has been unmatched by other shows, especially programs relating to historically male-dominant subjects. Their broadcasts have always been a wonderfully enjoyable and enriching part of my road trips.