J G Miller wrote:

But with all of the talk radio stations available on AM,
should not public radio be offering something different?

I'd normally agree, except that I've heard the state of commercial talkradio
in America and it's sad. It's made up of uninformed callers pontificating
just to hear themselves speak.

And the topics seem to be mostly politics, and worse, the party-bashing subset
of that. And when you get outside the major cities, if you hear any local
talkradio at all it's likely to be some local psychic or a "swap shop" show.

Agree or disagree, but the talk offered by the major non-comm networks, NPR,
PRI, APM, PRX, MPR, and Pacifica is for the most part top quality.

On Aug 8, 10:26*pm, (David Kaye) wrote:
J G Miller wrote:

But with all of the talk radio stations available on AM,
should not public radio be offering something different?

- I'd normally agree, except that I've heard the state
- of commercial talkradio in America and it's sad.
-*It's made up of uninformed callers pontificating
- just to hear themselves speak. *

Most people do like to hear themselves talk and
many/most others like to hear 'other' who talk
and sound like them {parroting} and giving a voice
to their views {self-affirmation}.

The Top 10 & 20 . . . 100 Talk Radio Hosts are
real "Liked" by the cast majority of their Radio
Listeners; and a significant proportion of their
Radio Listeners 'hate' them so much that they
too tune-in everyday : Both Count in the Ratings.

- And the topics seem to be mostly politics,
- and worse, the party-bashing subset of that.

Politics, Sex Religion and Sports

Talk-Radio = Political-Speak Radio

Religious Radio is Most Christian Owned Radio Broadcasters

The New and Hotter Sports Talk 24&7 Radio
with Talk Teams and Games On-the-Air

-*And when you get outside the major cities,
- if you hear any local talkradio at all it's likely
- to be some local psychic or a "swap shop" show.

Local Radio with Local Advertisers in each and
every US Congress District Serving the Needs of
the Voters.

- Agree or disagree, but the talk offered by the major
- non-comm networks, NPR, PRI, APM, PRX, MPR,
- and Pacifica is for the most part top quality.

? Top Quality ? -nah- Slanted and Biased YES !
1st a Liberal Voice to the Topics and Programs
2nd a Moderate Voice that for the most part says 'me too'
3rd lacking a True Conservative Voice to give Voice
to a real opposition viewpoint {Point & Counter-Point}

~ RHF

RHF wrote:

Most people do like to hear themselves talk and
many/most others like to hear 'other' who talk
and sound like them {parroting} and giving a voice
to their views {self-affirmation}.

If that were the case then talkradio would be huge. It isn't. At his peak,
Rush Limbaugh had what, 20 million listeners? 30? According to Premier,
Limbaugh's syndicator, he gets 3.59 million listeners (2008). That's less
than 2% of the U.S. population. That's not much, and he's the biggest radio
talkshow host.

On Aug 9, 12:28*pm, (David Kaye) wrote:
RHF wrote:
Most people do like to hear themselves talk and
many/most others like to hear 'other' who talk
and sound like them {parroting} and giving a voice
to their views {self-affirmation}.

If that were the case then talkradio would be huge. *It isn't. *At his peak,
Rush Limbaugh had what, 20 million listeners? *30? *According to Premier,
Limbaugh's syndicator, he gets 3.59 million listeners (2008). *That's less
than 2% of the U.S. population. *That's not much, and he's the biggest radio
talkshow host. *

The wingnuts know deep down that their thinking is wrong, so they need
their lunacy reinforced by fellow ditto heads. If they wanted facts,
they would tune to NPR.

Radio One (1),,, Dublin,Ireland.The One I sometimes listen, plus quite a
few others.
Radio Telefis Eireann.
Dear Dirty Dublin.

http://www.devilfinder.com
Ragland Road song

(MP3)
cuhulin

" wrote:

The wingnuts know deep down that their thinking is wrong, so they need
their lunacy reinforced by fellow ditto heads. If they wanted facts,
they would tune to NPR.

I'm not arguing the veracity of Rush Limbaugh, but the nature of the whole
commercial talkradio genre. There are a lot of people who do not listen to
commercial radio.

Interesting sidenote: The teenaged son of one of my computer customers and I
were talking the other day. I mentioned various talkshow and magazine show
hosts. He hadn't heard of Ronn Owens, had heard the name Rush Limbaugh but
didn't know much about him. He didn't even know who Ira Glass is, BUT he knew
Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich (hosts of WNYC's Radiolab). We have heard the
future of radio and it is Radiolab. He doesn't listen on the radio, though,
he downloads the podcasts.

On Tue, 10 Aug 2010 07:01:01 +0000, David Kaye wrote:

had heard the name Rush Limbaugh but didn't know much about him.

Fer instance, most people do not know that Rush Limbaugh is deaf.

He didn't even know who Ira Glass is

But has he heard of "This American Life"?

BUT he knew Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich (hosts of WNYC's Radiolab).

They make some excellent documentaries.

On Aug 10, 12:01*am, (David Kaye) wrote:
" wrote:
The wingnuts know deep down that their thinking is wrong, so they need
their lunacy reinforced by fellow ditto heads. If they wanted facts,
they would tune to NPR.

I'm not arguing the veracity of Rush Limbaugh, but the nature of the whole
commercial talkradio genre. *There are a lot of people who do not listen to
commercial radio. *

Interesting sidenote: The teenaged son of one of my computer customers and I
were talking the other day. *I mentioned various talkshow and magazine show
hosts. *He hadn't heard of Ronn Owens, had heard the name Rush Limbaugh but
didn't know much about him. *He didn't even know who Ira Glass is, BUT he knew
Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich (hosts of WNYC's Radiolab). *We have heard the
future of radio and it is Radiolab. *He doesn't listen on the radio, though,
he downloads the podcasts.

Those Radiolab guys are ADHD! Or is that ADD? It's an OK show. Not
must hear radio, but I wouldn't turn it off.

If you see the person again, suggest "Sound of Young America" and
"Sound Opinions."
http://www.pri.org/sound-young-america.html
http://www.soundopinions.org/

I remember hearing the SOYA guy interview Bob Edwards and the
conversation getting to the point where "Garrison Keeler must die" was
uttered. Cracked me up since I'm of the same opinion. Well not die,
but leave radio. The music on PHC is great, but the skits and readings
are just awful.

" wrote:

Those Radiolab guys are ADHD! Or is that ADD? It's an OK show. Not
must hear radio, but I wouldn't turn it off.

They're getting mucho listeners. They've even attracted the attention of Ira
Glass, whoh as run some of their pieces on This American Life.


I remember hearing the SOYA guy interview Bob Edwards and the
conversation getting to the point where "Garrison Keeler must die" was
uttered. Cracked me up since I'm of the same opinion. Well not die,
but leave radio. The music on PHC is great, but the skits and readings
are just awful.

At first I'd always thought that Garrison Keillor was making fun of the
Midwest, so I didn't like him for that. Plus, I preferred Tom Bodet's "End of
the Road" series. Well, I came to tune in "Prairie" from time to time and
found that the skits were sometimes quite fun and sometimes among the worst
drivel I'd ever heard on radio. The music is excellent for the most part, but
why on earth does Keillor sing along with his guests? He's not a good singer,
and the kind harmonies he does (there are many kinds of harmonies) are usually
inappropriate for the kind of song. The fact that KQED runs this program
twice a week is a travesty. But, that appears to be what the listeners want.

On Mon, 09 Aug 2010 05:26:37 +0000, David Kaye wrote:

I'd normally agree, except that I've heard the state of commercial
talkradio in America and it's sad. It's made up of uninformed callers
pontificating just to hear themselves speak.

That is no different from most countries though. Ever had the sad
experience of listening to TalkSport in the UKofGB&NI?

And quite a number of the commercial talkradio presenters in the USofA
and other countries merely pontificate whilst still being uninformed
about the matter on which they are talking.

Agree or disagree, but the talk offered by the major non-comm networks,
NPR, PRI, APM, PRX, MPR, and Pacifica is for the most part top quality.

It is certainly of better quality because the presenters research the
topic which they are presenting, and often it is of a technical nature
eg Science Fridays.

Incidentally, the talk show "The Tavis Smiley Show" did not last
very long on NPR ...