NPR Check: Q Tips

Monday, August 03, 2009

Q Tips

NPR related comments welcomed.

22 comments:

Woody (Tokin Librul/Rogue Scholar/ Helluvafella!) said...: Consider the list of official misdeeds compiled b in the Tom-gram quoted here.

Can you ever imagine the NPR of the 21st Century promulgating such a list?

(Yeah, right...); 8/3/09, 7:34 AM
Anonymous said...: Woody, Woody, Woody. Can't you see that NPR is way too busy formenting revolution in Iran, ignoring the coup in Houndorus, and justifying the bailout of the banksters and fraudsters, torpedoing single-payer health insurance, and last but not least, providing a comfortable standard of living to people like MEchelle and Steve.

And you want us to find time to list the crimes America has committed? Send some money or buy something!

edk; 8/3/09, 8:51 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Hi guys.

As a public service: Just found out that posting a comment to the (not an)Ombudsman (tm Grumpy Industries International) site that says "while I don't have 30-years of journalism experience" will get your comment deleted faster than using the word "infotainment" in a comment.

P.S. If you haven't visited "Orwell World" lately checkout the (not an)Ombudsman hand wringing about if an NPR reporter be prohibited from Gay Rights parades?

http://www.npr.org/ombudsman/2009/07/ombudsversation_on_marching_in.html; 8/3/09, 8:57 AM
larry, dfh said...: Just saw the above-linked video. Besides being of poor audio and visual (poor lighting and stupidly "artistic" subject placement) quality, it was total B.S. It appears that being dim-witted is a selection factor in determining advancement within npr. The only points of interest were the positions of Le Monde and the Cleveland Plain Dealer, namely, journalists are people and have rights to opinions and privacy. I guess at no-personality-radio automatons are the norm. This helps insure non-introspection on the part of staff in supporting the party line, and guarantees a working climate where intrusion and paternalism reign. Maybe, just maybe, if a couple of their 'reporters' had gone to any anti-war rallies...oh never mind.; 8/3/09, 10:46 AM
Unknown said...: ombudsman + monologue = ombudsmologue
Is Anna Tauzin related to Billy Tauzin?; 8/3/09, 1:51 PM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: Forgive me if this has already been posted.

From Mara Liarsson: Claiming Obama "lost control of the narrative," Liasson and Wallace advance health-care reform falsehoods.; 8/3/09, 2:45 PM
Kevan Smith said...: I saw that, too, Juan, but I gotta call BS on MM on this one.

The falsehood Liasson was supposedly advancing was that Obama's health care reform would cost $1 trillion over ten years.

However, if you read the transcript, Liasson is only saying that that is what people are hearing about it (and that's true -- it's the opposition talking point, even though it is incorrect). She makes no claim that it's true or not. She ignored Wallace's question whether it was true, and that's why MM jumped on it.

I generally like MM. I just think they got it wrong on this one.; 8/3/09, 3:37 PM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 8/3/09, 4:03 PM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: Kevan,

Agreed.

But if you listen to Liasson, and many other journos like her, this is EXACTLY how they advance the talking point -- in order to claim objectivity -- by not copping to it (or debunking it).

So, while I agree that MM presents it a bit inaccurately, the talking point gets advanced just the same. It's floated as some turd in the air, wafting around like so much other misinformation.

-jet; 8/3/09, 4:17 PM
George said...: This morning, NPR provides the republicans and the Insurance industry with a full open forum to blast Obama and the public option. Day after day they stay on the corporatist message.

"It's unfortunate that the Democrats have chosen to demonize the insurance companies..."

Next interview, John Kyl...

NPR's really no different from Fox News now.; 8/4/09, 6:15 AM
Anonymous said...: "There is intellectual acceptance that health care is a problem and that it costs too much. But for most Americans, the confusing babble that's coming out of NPR sounds worse." -- John Q Public

Public Baffled By Health Care Arguments

Obviously, it never occurred to the NPR reporter that NPR and the rest of the mainstream media are at least party responsible for the fact that the American public is "baffled".

Who can expect more with a bunch of buffleheads like those at NPR "educating" us on the issue?

I can probably get more (and more accurate) information from the average tabloid on the issue.; 8/4/09, 7:51 AM
Anonymous said...: "It's unfortunate that the Democrats have chosen to demonize the insurance companies..."

Actually, it IS unfortunate.

It is basically a diversionary tactic.

Pelosi can't admit that it's her own fault for not getting her own "Blue Dogs" (what an apt name -- "dogs") in line so she blames it on the "insurance companies."

Of course, no insurance company is forcing any member of Congress (including Pelosi herself who has willingly taken a couple hundred thousand from the insurance industry over the past two election cycles)

Pelosi is the like the little kid who makes up excuses for why she did not do her homework.

Pelosi is very good at blaming everyone BUT herself. I suspect that that is precisely how she got in the position she is in as Speaker (when there are so many in Congress who would do a much better job than she has done and who would NOT simply make excuses. (Conyers, Woolsey, Waters, etc); 8/4/09, 8:03 AM
Anonymous said...: From Mara Liarsson: Claiming Obama "lost control of the narrative,"

I would argue that Obama never had control of it to begin with.

He never TOOK control.

Eg: he agreed to let people like Baucus make decisions for him (taking single payer "off the table" etc)

Obama is merely "reacting" to each new twist and turn.

In physics, there is a name for it: "random walk."

Molecules do it, but I think most people expect more of their leaders.; 8/4/09, 8:11 AM
larry, dfh said...: So in npr's mind, it's o.k. to be a hoover fellow and a journalist for npr, it's o.k. to cover health care for npr and be on the take from kaiser-permanente, but for someone to walk in a gay-pride parade crosses the line of journalistic ethics. Apparently, that would be like whores giving free-bees, and that's just plain unprofessional.
This is way they get the 'talent' they have: the ultimate selection factor for employment at npr is the ability to not notice, or not care what's going on. And there will always be some sleazy self-server like shephard to further the disingenuous interests of management, at the expense of product integrity.; 8/4/09, 8:43 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Hey, gang! Did you NPR has a new Health Care Blog?

http://http//www.npr.org/blogs/health/

Looks like they actually hired a reporter with real experience in the industry, Scott Hensely.

To welcome him in comment section I posted some tips on NPR's style book to get him up to speed (WWPD: What Would Pharam Do?)

That inspired me so I expanded the idea on my blog (shameless self promotion), if you've got some NPR style book rules feel free to post them.; 8/4/09, 8:54 AM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: GD,

I saw the blog. The young woman who did the story comparing health care to an airline is doing posts for it. Can't remember her name, however.

-jet; 8/4/09, 9:09 AM
Juan "Toss" Ensalada said...: All,

Food blogger, April Fulton, writes fo the new NPR health blog.

http://www.aprilfulton.com/site/Home.html

I like my health care coverage tasty.

-jet; 8/4/09, 9:12 AM
Anonymous said...: RE" NPR health blog

Is there a warning somewhere at the top saying that "Listening to NPR can be hazardous your health"? [especially if you suffer from high blood pressure]; 8/4/09, 9:25 AM
Anonymous said...: "Food blogger, April Fulton, "

That can't be her real name.; 8/4/09, 3:25 PM
boog!poonk!feezy!beeny! said...: ^ Tsk tsk - does that make her the April Fool's Joke that keeps on zingin'?

(still ain't listenin' but ever so happy to rail against); 8/4/09, 6:03 PM
Anonymous said...: Reminds me of the Johnny cash song: "Boy named Sue".

She must just "love" her parents for giving her that name.; 8/4/09, 9:14 PM
Anonymous said...: I'm thinking (imo) Anna Tauzin might be daughter-in-law. I have yet to hear from her when I e-mailed her and asked if she was related.

edk; 8/5/09, 10:31 AM