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Not Just Your Grandpa's Radio Station...

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Not Just Your Grandpa's Radio Station...

04.26.04 (2:09 am) [edit]

When I mention to people that I listen to [url=www.npr.org]NPR[/url] , their next remark usually has something to do with the arrival of my next social security check. (Apparently, everyone I know is a smartass). However, I have found that NPR is actually a great place to learn about new music. Not only do they feature relatively obscure bands as the transitional pieces between news programs such as [url=http://www.npr.org/programs/m...]Morning Edition [/url] and [url=http://www.npr.org/programs/a...]All Things Considered[/url] , but they also tend to provide air time to new and unknown artists in the form of in depth interviews and live impromptu performances ~ something that mainstream/top 40 format FM radio NEVER does. ([url=http://freshair.npr.org/]Fresh Air[/url] in particular is a good spot for this type of reporting). However, what really makes NPR a great resource for those of us who hunger for new music is their [url=http://www.npr.org/programs/a...]All Songs Considered [/url] website (and corresponding CDs). This page, coupled with the archives and open mic pages, provides a WEALTH of information about many bands that would otherwise go unnoticed by most of America. Here you can read reviews, listen to tracks/interviews and begin your foray into the world of independent music. This is the music that you will never hear on mainstream radio because it is not owned by some corporate conglomerate.

Let me explain...

Over 1,200 radio stations and nearly 40 television stations, nationwide are owned by Clear Channel Entertainment. They also own over 200 global stations as well as over 200 music venues in the US alone. In fact, Clear Channel owns a majority of the stations in 248 of the top 250 radio markets, controlling 60% of all rock programming. They outright own the touring rights of numerous top 40 musicians as well as the network which airs AM talk radio giants such as Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura. And as if that wasn't enough, they also own the Fox Sports Radio Network. Are you beginning to see a conflict of interest here? With their fingers in so many pieces of the musical pie, Clear Channel runs their empire in a purely cyclical (and undeniably profitable) manner... requiring disk jockeys at their stations to rotate songs by artists they promote and who play at their venues more frequently than others, etc. Thus, you hear the music they want you to hear... and, if all goes according to plan, buy the music they want you to buy.

Of course, Clear Channel is only one example. There are other corporate giants who control the airways... but essentially, the bottom line is that no matter what station you turn to, the music you hear is filtered through systems motivated by economics and not based on musical innovation or even on a reflection of what most people *say* they want to hear.

NPR provides a great alternative to corporate radio. Even if [url=http://www.npr.org/about/peop...]Bob Edwards[/url] isn't your cup of tea, (and I simply can't imagine why he wouldn't be), at least NPR provides its listeners with an opportunity to discover and even support music that exists without the aid (or burden) of big corporate monies.

And I think that's just yummy.

posted by: siddharth (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (4:35 am)

r u by any chance an amb. for them? heard it and thought it was nice. (some of it anyway)

posted by: chicalookate (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (4:42 am)

I love NPR and the music they play. So maybe I should be looking for my S.S. check. I have always wanted to have a research job with them. That or the job of picking the music to play.

posted by: juniperflux (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (4:52 am)

Reply to: siddharth

Sorry I do not understand your question. Am I an amb. for them?

Amb?

ambulance?
amber?
ambiguous?
ambidextrous?
ambisol?
ambivalent?
amble?
ambo?
ambulent?

I'm afraid you'll need to be just a bit more specific. :)

posted by: juniperflux (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (4:52 am)

Reply to: chicalookate

Apparently we both need walkers. :)

You're right. It would be seriously cool to work for them.

posted by: siddharth (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (4:59 am)

i mean ambassador...

posted by: juniperflux (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (5:01 am)

Reply to: siddharth

doh! i should have figured that out. :)

Anyway in response to your question, no... I hold no position with NPR other than regular listener.

posted by: lynne (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (5:54 am)

Oh man. I *love* NPR. I listen to it almost every morning. I love Bob Edwards and I am really bummed that this is his last week as host of Morning Edition. I wake up to his soothing fatherly voice. Now who am I going to wake up to?

posted by: DrForbush (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (10:46 am)

I listen to NPR all day long. I am addicted to the information as well as the music.

But, if you want some of the music they air on NPR you can buy a series of CDs called: "I Heard it On NPR."

http://shop.npr.org/catalog/Product.jhtml;jsessionid=LMAU423LYSGPHLA5AJSSFFA?CATID=&PRODID=prod360004

You can also listen to some very funny stuff, like "Car Talk," and "A Prarie Home Companion."

posted by: juniperflux (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (11:34 am)

Great info! Thanks! :)

posted by: cmaze (reply)
post date: 04.26.04 (2:28 pm)

i agree 100 percent! i LOVE npr!

posted by: jenxer (reply)
post date: 04.28.04 (9:11 am)

I listen to Morning Edition and Fresh Air the most. And I get to listen to excellent jazz between 9 and 3. Love NPR. The only thing I don't like about Morning Edition is the bias reporting sometimes. Most of the time I feel they are fair, but sometimes the firewall between fact and opinion is broken. They often have excellent stories on music/musicians/indie bands. Lovin NPR. I am glad to know I am not alone. Nobody I know around home listens to it other than myself.

posted by: SheSpecies (reply)
post date: 04.28.04 (6:52 pm)

I love NPR. I used to listen to it on the way to high school...back in the day. (Hmmm a comment like that definitely means I'm getting "up there," doesn't it?) They have some really good news on there and I like the music. Shoot...sometimes I just keep the station going after their show...but then again, I really enjoy classical music.

posted by: juniperflux (reply)
post date: 04.29.04 (3:38 am)

Reply to: SheSpecies

I do to... one of these days I need to blog about classical music and freak everybody out. :) As for NPR ~ I have to admit that "back in the day" (I graduated from H.S. in 1989) I was not a HUGE fan. I listened to it occasionally, but would have been far to embarrassed to admit it. Now, however, I couldn't live without it!

Thanks for the comments.

posted by: SheSpecies (reply)
post date: 04.29.04 (9:10 pm)

Reply to: juniperflux
:-) I probably didn't admit liking NPR too much in high school either (Class of '95). I was a band nerd for a good part of my life though (so that kind of made me officially uncool on several levels, I'm sure. Hahaha)...and also, my Senior year I was taking Music History & Literature as an elective course. I found that listening to 88.7 FM (great classical music station in Houston, TX) was a great accompaniment to my morning to prime me up for class!