For years now I have defended the reporting on NPR, National Public Radio. For years, I've endured side looks and snide comments from my friends on the far right.
"How can you stand to listen to those liberals?" is the most common comment.
I admit once you get past the national level reporters, public radio news has a leftist slant. Even at the national level with new reporters, that is a problem. The experienced national crew did a great job of keeping the slant out of the news reporting.
Look up the studies by nonpartisan media watchdogs. NPR spent more time interviewing Reboobicans than Damnocrats. It spent more time covering the Right than the Left.
NPR delivered news and reports I found interesting, fascinating and useful. The reporters covered topics few others did. I had plenty "Driveway moments." A driveway moment is when you are so engrossed in a story, you just sit in your vehicle in your driveway listening to the report.
At the same time, I admit NPR and Georgia Public Radio infuriated me. Some of the shows, like the now-cancelled Tavis Smiley show, engendered the kind of rage that made me quit listening to Rush Limbaugh and other far-right talking heads.
As far as GPR is concerned, if it doesn't happen in Atlanta, Savannah and sometimes Macon or Columbus, it never happened. The Two Georgias are thoroughly evident in GPR's reporting. At the same time, I get that too. The bulk of GPR's listeners are north of fall line. Play to that audience because that's where the money is and it does cost to run radio stations.
TRACKING THE SLANT
For the past two weeks, I've gotten up in the morning and hit the radio button. The reports are nonstop whining about guns and why they have to be taken away. Non. Stop.
I get in the truck. Hit the radio button - more whining about guns.
You may think I'm kidding.
In the past 2 weeks, I've turned on NPR 40+ times. I have kept track.
If the segment airing right then is not whining about guns, gun whining comes on within 2-3 minutes. The exception is for programs like Marketplace, Snap Judgment (awesome!), the weekend shows, the nighttime music shows and others.
Yet when the shows break for the top-of-the-hour news, gun whining.
Radio goes off.
CASTING BREAD ON THE WATER
I do not make a lot of money. I do support causes I care about, when these causes will let me. I cast my bread upon the waters where I believe.
Now, I cannot support NPR. I cannot agree to spend my very limited resources supporting a news organization that has so obviously gone left. Nor will I support right-leaning outfits, in case you don't wonder.
I've never had a "membership" in GPR or NPR. I just sent what I could, when I could. Did it anonymously because I did not want to be inundated with spam.
No more.
That money, as little as it is, will now go to other organizations and services and groups that believe in unbiased reporting. This kinda outfit is getting harder to find, which is another reason they deserve our support.
Your mileage may vary. May your path take you where you need to go, not where you want to go.
We are together on this. Lately I have gritted my teeth but listened. Now I turn It on only when they deliver the news. I too have supported them but I think will part ways with them. I am not a member of the NRA nor will be unless they become less rigid.
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