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When I first moved to the US (Bay Area) and discovered NPR in my first week there I almost couldn’t believe that there was such a source of high quality and tho

When I first moved to the US (Bay Area) and discovered NPR in my first week there I almost couldn’t believe that there was such a source of high quality and thoughtful programming. The value destruction of the last few months has been astonishing.

square_usual 2y ago
Local radio stations are so good. I've been listening to them more in my car because they talk about local news, not the shit you read online. I haven't had a TV in ages, so this is my main way of staying in touch with what's going on around here.
- ethagnawl 2y ago
  There are also plenty that make their programming available online and which is of general interest. It's quite fun, engaging and informative to dip into stations in places you've never been or places you remember fondly. One of my kids recently got a globe and that led to us trying to find Antarctica's ICE 104.5 FM AFAN online last night -- without success, sadly. The elephant in the room is that these stations must be supported. I've been donating to a few stations for many years and have recently donated to others and will continue to do so as long as I'm able. If I somehow wind up with an estate worth anything, I'd also love to be able to will something to one or more stations.
bluGill 2y ago
NPR gets the vast majority of funding (last I checked) from members. So make sure you donate at their next pledge drive.
- lucky_cloud 2y ago
  Same for PBS and its member stations. The only truly worrying part of the EO for me is the "The heads of all agencies shall identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS." Some of the most interesting work we've done has been almost completely funded by the Department of Education. The station I work for has many sources of revenue but I suspect this will harm some smaller stations.
- ThinkingGuy 2y ago
  The largest item on their revenue chart seems to be "corporate sponsorships." You know, the companies in all those totally-not-commercials you hear on your local non-commercial stations. https://www.npr.org/about-npr/178660742/public-radio-finances https://www.npr.org/about-npr/178660742/public-radio-finance...
- 93po 2y ago
  This is simply not true, at all, and NPR themselves deliberately try to obfuscate the truth. "NPR's two largest revenue sources are corporate sponsorships and fees paid by NPR Member organizations" NPR member organizations are government funded, and then that government funding rolls back up to NPR. So, they're mostly funded by ads and the government. Source in other comment.
- consumer451 2y ago
  Earlier today, I mentioned what you commented in another forum, and wise person pointed out to me that that it's the rural stations that will be affected most by this. When you consider the rural media options, this will be a huge shift in those markets if the funding is not replaced.
EasyMark 2y ago
NPR will be fine without public funding. They will have to tighten their belt of course and can always use a donation, but they'll be okay. This is all an issue because they won't straight lie about Trump to the public like fox news does on a regular basis

square_usual 2y ago

Local radio stations are so good. I've been listening to them more in my car because they talk about local news, not the shit you read online. I haven't had a TV in ages, so this is my main way of staying in touch with what's going on around here.

ethagnawl 2y ago
There are also plenty that make their programming available online and which is of general interest. It's quite fun, engaging and informative to dip into stations in places you've never been or places you remember fondly. One of my kids recently got a globe and that led to us trying to find Antarctica's ICE 104.5 FM AFAN online last night -- without success, sadly. The elephant in the room is that these stations must be supported. I've been donating to a few stations for many years and have recently donated to others and will continue to do so as long as I'm able. If I somehow wind up with an estate worth anything, I'd also love to be able to will something to one or more stations.

bluGill 2y ago

NPR gets the vast majority of funding (last I checked) from members. So make sure you donate at their next pledge drive.

lucky_cloud 2y ago
Same for PBS and its member stations. The only truly worrying part of the EO for me is the "The heads of all agencies shall identify and terminate, to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law, any direct or indirect funding of NPR and PBS." Some of the most interesting work we've done has been almost completely funded by the Department of Education. The station I work for has many sources of revenue but I suspect this will harm some smaller stations.
ThinkingGuy 2y ago
The largest item on their revenue chart seems to be "corporate sponsorships." You know, the companies in all those totally-not-commercials you hear on your local non-commercial stations. https://www.npr.org/about-npr/178660742/public-radio-finances https://www.npr.org/about-npr/178660742/public-radio-finance...
93po 2y ago
This is simply not true, at all, and NPR themselves deliberately try to obfuscate the truth. "NPR's two largest revenue sources are corporate sponsorships and fees paid by NPR Member organizations" NPR member organizations are government funded, and then that government funding rolls back up to NPR. So, they're mostly funded by ads and the government. Source in other comment.
consumer451 2y ago
Earlier today, I mentioned what you commented in another forum, and wise person pointed out to me that that it's the rural stations that will be affected most by this. When you consider the rural media options, this will be a huge shift in those markets if the funding is not replaced.

EasyMark 2y ago

NPR will be fine without public funding. They will have to tighten their belt of course and can always use a donation, but they'll be okay. This is all an issue because they won't straight lie about Trump to the public like fox news does on a regular basis