GeekSugar

NPR Listeners: Stodgy, Whiney, Insufferable Snobs?

Annie Scudder — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 02:00:00 PST

As a dedicated NPR listener (I can't really manage to get any other channel on my shower radio), I appreciate that the station balances hard and sometimes depressing news coverage with lighter pieces on pop culture. But the more vocal listeners of public radio hate it, leaving some to wonder if they're just a bunch of complaining snobs.

In a piece for Slate, noninsufferable NPR listener Farhad Manjoo goes through NPR's archive for letters to the editor proving that people writing them are "the stodgiest, whiniest, most self-importantly insufferable snobs of all time." Some of the best complaints:

On a story about children using iPads: "Hopefully, this will be followed up by an uplifting story about the great things that are happening to children in the realm of outdoor play and unhooking from screen time."
On a story about Mel Gibson: "Mel Gibson's voice in a phone conversation is entirely outside what NPR has always been about. Shame on the producers of ATC for allowing such a scrape at the very bottom of the barrel."
On Levi Johnston: "This is not news or newsworthy. Please do not air this type of article again. We do not care about this subject. It is not our business or concern, and we do not want to know."
On coverage about Gov. Mark Sanford's extramarital affair: "And I am very disappointed that NPR has spent airtime reporting the story. Can't NPR reporters find more important events going on in the world?"

What got Farhad most upset was the negative reaction to NPR's mere mention of Michael Jackson's death, the biggest pop culture event of 2009. One disgruntled listener wrote in: "What about 'Uyghur unrest in China, fighting in Mogadishu and dozens of deaths in Afghanistan?'" Don't worry! I'm sure NPR followed up its MJ story with death and unrest right after the commercial break. Oh wait, there are no commercials on NPR. Appreciate what you have, people! I have a feeling the silent majority does.

Source: Flickr User gesika22

Would You Listen to a Radio Cooking Show?

Susannah Chen — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:36:51 PST

This past weekend, right around the same time that Hungry Girl debuted on the Cooking Channel, the popular show America's Test Kitchen had a little premiere of its own - over the airwaves, that is. According to its creators, America's Test Kitchen Radio "applies the no-nonsense, first-hand testing approach of our TV show to the wide world of food, dining, and cooking - with your voices thrown into the mix." I gave the show's online stream a try, but without the visuals of a cookbook or a TV show, I couldn't get into the food and cooking. Can radio be a successful medium for food and cooking shows? Would you listen to America's Test Kitchen Radio?

Source

The App That Made My Day: KEXP

GeekSugar — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 13:10:20 PST

If you recall, I'm a big fan of the Seattle-based KEXP radio station (you know, the one with DJs who actually pick their own playlists), and you can often find me at my desk with my headphones on, rocking out. Although I can sometimes catch KEXP on Ootunes (which in itself is a great app but a big battery drainer), I was ever so happy when I discovered that KEXP has its very own iPhone app now!

Streaming the station's great music at 128k and 35k speeds, the app keeps me entertained all day long. And of course, the KEXP app is totally free, which is just like them - allowing us to discover new favorites without selling our souls to "the man."

Daily Tech: The Pure Sensia Touchscreen Radio With WiFi

GeekSugar — Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:10:15 PDT

The Pure Sensia radio offers a touchscreen, social networking apps, WiFi, an on-screen keyboard, and it will cost around $406 - Slashgear
Griffin's new kid-friendly headphones include volume-limiting settings to protect them from hearing loss - Popgadget
President Barack Obama is worried about people getting their information from blogs and not newspapers - The Silicon Alley Insider
Check out this solar-powered Bluetooth headset that is juiced up from the sun's rays - Gizmodo
Tweet Scenes designs customized Twitter backgrounds for $129 - TechCrunch
It's giveaway and game time on GeekSugar! Be sure to log in and play our Best Video Game ever bracket! - GeekSugar

Stripper Music Radio Station - Hilarious or Horrifying?

TresSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 04:00:00 PDT

Alternative, hip-hop, country, rock, and now: lap dance. A radio station in Denver recently underwent a format change to become 101.5 The Pole, devoted to "classic nonstop stripper hits" from the '80s and beyond. Though it may just be a temporary stunt while the station transitions to an actual new format, The Pole is indeed spinning strip-centric hits until further notice. Do you think it's funny or foul?

Did You Ever Tune In For Casey Kasem's Weekly Radio Show?

BuzzSugar — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 14:30:04 PDT

As a kid, I used to tune into Casey Kasem's weekly Top 40 radio show every single week, always so anxious to find out what the No. 1 song was that week. It all seems quaint now, sitting excitedly by a radio as a kid, so maybe that's why I felt a little pang of nostalgia-fueled sadness when I learned that Casey Kasem has "officially said goodbye" completely to his radio show. The man's friendly voice could be heard listing off top tunes in some way or another for a whopping 39 years. Wow!

Do you also have fond memories of listening to Casey Kasem's radio shows?

6 Great Radio Apps to Keep You Rocking

GeekSugar — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 05:50:13 PDT

Although I don't listen to the radio much, I like to keep up on what the kids are listening to these days. After finding a ton of radio tuners in the App Store, I finally settled on one of these six tuners to install on my iPhone so I can rock out to the top 40 (or listen to some good talk radio) wherever I happen to be. Check out my faves in this slideshow.

Debuting Today: Bobby Flay Radio

YumSugar — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 12:30:57 PST

Celebrity chefdom sure is far-reaching. Rachael Ray does daytime TV, Paula Deen dips candles, and now Bobby Flay is hosting a radio show.

Bobby Flay Radio debuts today on Sirius Satellite Radio. On the talk show, the chef will offer advice to men on dating and dressing, talk sports, and discuss current affairs. Oh, and talk about food. Explained the show's host:

Food transcends so much now. It's become so much part of lifestyle. How you eat, plate it, how you dress, and how you live all have a lot to do with one another.

Flay's wife, actress Stephanie March, will also make occasional cameos on the show.

Are you looking forward to another extension of Bobby Flay's brand, or do you think the chef, restaurateur, TV host, and food personality has a little too much on his plate?

Source

NetWorks Radio Packs a Big Punch in a Tiny Package

GeekSugar — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 13:35:59 PST

Not only am I obsessed with online music sites like Pandora, but I also like to stream my favorite radio stations from various parts of the country. I feel like it gives me a real insight about what new music is out there. My computer is totally convenient, since I can do both from anywhere, but I think the NetWorks Radio is a very cool alternative . . . if you have a "few" extra hundred dollars lying around.

The NetWorks radio is tiny - only nine inches high and five inches wide - but unlike other simple iPod docks, it not only plays music from your MP3 player, but it can stream music from the Internet and even pick up AM/FM radio signals from all over the world. Plus, it can tap into your computer's music folder via a wireless signal, and play that music, too. Seriously, this thing is a music monster fit for the radio heads out there - and the $650 price tag totally reflects that. Naturally.

Do You Listen to Internet Radio?

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:45:00 PDT

I have a lot of friends who are distraught about the news that Pandora may be going under due to overwhelming royalty fees. The popular Internet radio service doesn't just stream music online, but becomes attuned to your listening habits and creates customized stations for you. I love Pandora for an alternative to my own music library, so I'd be disappointed to see it disappear however many imitators there may be.

But Pandora's not my only Internet music service that I enjoy; I have a few stations that I'm partial to when my play list doesn't cut it anymore. Never mind whether you still listen to old-school AM/FM radio anymore - do you listen to Internet radio?