NPR Check: Q Tips - Midsummer

Saturday, July 09, 2011

Q Tips - Midsummer

NPR related comments welcomed and encouraged.

130 comments:

gDog said...: Moist Flushable waxes egomaniacal by [inventing?] quoting a listener who is upset that he can't hear the Tidy Wiper while grinding his coffee? Excuse me while exhaust my supply of Bounty sopping up the puke.; 7/9/11, 2:47 PM
gDog said...: while [I] I,I,I!; 7/9/11, 2:49 PM
Anonymous said...: The folks at NPR (Scott Simon is a perfect example) are really enough to make a person despise Marconi for ever inventing radio.

And to despise God for creating radio waves.; 7/9/11, 8:23 PM
Anonymous said...: Now that denial of the severity of the nuclear problem at Fukushima has shown to be, well, problematic for NPR (they spent months downplaying the risks of what even the Japanse utility is now admitting was a full-blown meltdown of all the reactors), NPR (Richard Harris) has now transitioned to trying to put the blame for the Japanese nuclear meltdown on the workers...

IE. it's not the nuclear plants themselves that were the problem, just the damned idiots running them.

What's the evidence?

That the workers "hesitated" a few hours before making the decision to flood the reactors and spent fuel pools with seawater.

Harris quotes a nuclear "expert" (ie,nuclear industry hack), who makes the unsubstantiated claim, "It's quite likely that if the injection of seawater had been initiated earlier, the damage of fuel could have been limited greatly or even prevented," Peterson says. "So I think there are possible pathways by which the severity of the accident could have been substantially less."

Harris is not stupid so I can only conclude that he is dishonest in his one sided presentation of this.

I used to think Harris' coverage of science was fairly good.

I was a fool.

IE, Harris is just another NPR hack.; 7/11/11, 8:11 AM
Anonymous said...: some day, some one will tell me where this great "partisan divide" myth that has been manufactured by the PTB and their enablers, the "media" exists. There is no real "divide" between the partiers (sorry meant parties maybe a fraudian Slip lol) as evidenced by the so-called "Great Recession" the illegal war on Iraq, the continuing occupation and funding of Afghanistan and Iraq, torture, the debt "crisis", the need to bail out "the Market" . . . and on and on.

edk; 7/11/11, 8:38 AM
Anonymous said...: Scottie is in deep trouble. I heard an advertisement for Preparation H "disposables" on NPR. Hope the denizens of NPR Land don't get confused and reach for the wrong one.

edk; 7/11/11, 8:39 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Nothing new, but still sad on Morning Edition this AM another "Drones are awsome!" report from nPR, the only thing missing the a chorus of
"America F*** Yeah!:

I posted the following comment:

When did it become ethical to kill terrorists' wives, children, neighbors, residents of the town they live in, and other innocent by standers? At on time collective punishment of civilians or individual act was considered immoral and a war crime.

Another uncritical, pro-Pentagon, pro-defense industry, pro-war story from the nPR Pentagon cheerleaders.

It's a SOP for nPR, ere's a nice history of nPR'a past "drones are awesome" coverage that sees no dead civilians, hears no cries of the families of dead civilians, and report on dead civilians:

http://nprcheck.blogspot.com/search/label/drones

Why does nPR routinely ignore civilian deaths?

I think I have the answer. nPR having normalized a state permanent war and normalized torture as US policy is now proudly working at normalizing the systematic killing of innocent civilians.

I'm truly afraid of what the next act of deviancy against innocent civilians nPR will be attempting to normalize next.

Makes me proud I stopping pledging when nPR became a pro-Iraq invasion Bush/Cheney lite version of FOX & Friends.

Maybe Inskeep can interview Scott "The Bloody Quaker" Simon, who can explain why killing civilians is OK?; 7/11/11, 9:10 AM
Anonymous said...: Yes, Grump Demo, NPR seems to be peddling the innocuousness of "drones". The other day I caught Diane Rehm's awful "discussion" on the subject between 4 pro-drone beltway insiders.
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2011-07-06/drones-and-counterterrorism
As usual, the accompanying blog (more interesting and informative than the actual program itself) underscored the dismay of the inquiring listener. I particularly love the
"the US has got it all under perfect control" angle -- promoted by NPR on that "show", and
I also heard similar NPR drivel this morning along the lines of "each US drone attack is preceded by months of work by all manner of and hundreds of US personnel including US "analysts" and -- yes "lawyers" (!!!!). Well, in that case, I inquired, why is it every other time I get real news from Afghanistan (ie not NPR) there is a fresh report of a US drone "mistakenly" attacking a wedding party?
The wanton US murder revealed by WikiLeaks would seem to be closer to the reality.

One wonders "How many mistaken Afghan drone attacks on wedding parties in Peoria would it take to win US hearts and minds?"

The words of Nobel Laureate Harold Pinter regarding politicians could equally well be applied to NPR "journalists" and their complacent "guests" who have no connection to
or responsibility for the mayhem and murder that they promote:
"
I'll tell you what I really think about politicians.
The other night I watched some politicians on television talking about Vietnam. I wanted very much to burst through the screen with a flame thrower and burn their eyes out and their balls off and then inquire from them how they would assess the action from a political point of view."; 7/11/11, 2:57 PM
informedveteran said...: I guess there won't be any more "Karzai Talk" on LeShow. Who would ever guess that a drug lord would get assassinated?; 7/12/11, 8:29 AM
Anonymous said...: informed: I wonder where Seal Team 6 was in the last three days? I'm just saying.

edk; 7/12/11, 9:32 AM
Anonymous said...: one possibility for NPR lovin 'em some drones? Unysis is both a sponsor and a maker/marketeer of drones. I'll drop a quick one to the ombud and see if he can explain the "firewall" to us all again.

edk; 7/12/11, 9:34 AM
Anonymous said...: Months of careful analysis to decide on targets, my ass.

The targeting process is only as good as the weakest link.

I remember reading an article (I think it was in Wired) about how they ACTUALLY "tag" the targets for drones.

The article was about an Afghani who had been given the job of planting "homing" devices (essentially a GPS device that broadcasts its location to the drone) in the buildings that were to be targeted.

The guy said he ended up putting the devices in lots of places that had no "legitimate" reason to be targeted BECAUSE HE GOT PAID BY THE NUMBER HE PLANTED.

You also have to wonder how many are planted (at wedding parties?) based on personal vendettas or on knocking out the competition in drug turf wars.

of course, NPR does not report this stuff because NPR's CEO gets paid over half of million dollars a year in salary to keep this kind of stuff OFF the air.; 7/12/11, 12:12 PM
Anonymous said...: NPR has become a mouthpiece for the Libyan "resistance".

Instead of reporting on how Obama is conducting an illegal war, NPR is effectively urging the US to donate to the Libyan Rebel cause.

Rebels In Libya's Western Mountains Face Shortages
by Lourdes Garcia-Navarro"

Yeah? Well who cares?

let therm eat dirt, for all i care.

I have no idea who these "Libyan Rebels" even are (they could all be child rapists for all I know) and I suspect that neither does Garcia-Navarro.

But I KNOW that I don't want a SINGLE dime of my taxes going to finance yet another illegal war.

Garcia-Navarro is not a journalist.

Like so many others at NPR (Torturee interviewer" extraordinaire Anne Garrels, "'Splainer of why NPR refuses to use the word Torture" Alicia Shepard etc) she's a war facilitator.

Little more than a cheerleader for whoever happens to be in power in the Oval Office.; 7/12/11, 12:40 PM
Anonymous said...: Dean Baker listening to Morning Edition so we don't have to.

http://www.cepr.net/index.php/blogs/beat-the-press/morning-edition-spreads-nonsense-on-investment-and-innovation#comments; 7/13/11, 5:17 PM
gDog said...: ¡debtageddon! If I hear one more time just how awful it would be if the unthinkable happened, I'm going to explode. The agenda is so obvious: we are all to be extremely thankful that the worst that happened was that the Social Security trust fund was used to enrich bankers, pundits and politicians and that Medicare and Medicaid were ended, as we knew them. Wow, thank goodness for Obama - just think how bad it might have been! We could have been unable to fund unilateral agression, secret prisons and torture. Phew!; 7/14/11, 11:06 AM
Boulder Dude said...: New Ombot on the radio says he is only concerned about Left Wing bias at NPR.

http://www.wvxu.org/schedule/program.asp?id=37; 7/15/11, 8:27 AM
Patrick Lynch said...: This morning I had the unhappy experience of listening to Tom Gjelten and Rachel Martin achieve orgasms yapping about the latest Pentagon news that everything everywhere is a war zone and today's installment is cyberspace.

Clean up on aisle four.

Today's word verification is: gazest; 7/15/11, 9:47 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Shouting into the nPR well, day after Bastille Day edition:

I decided to send the (alos not an)Ombudsman the following inquiry:

It appears you intend to ignore and not engage the NPR listerners who are posting comments on you blog.
You also don't see particularly responsive of your Face Book page.

Is it your intention to not engage in conversation NPR's listeners?

How can you represent us if you won't talk to us?

Just asking,

I don't expect a reply, but it did make me feel better.; 7/15/11, 1:11 PM
Anonymous said...: New Ombot on the radio

RadiO BOT

ROBOT

The old ROBOT was there nearly 4 years, which by my calculations, means she sucked down nearly $600,000 in salary (12,000 pledges of $50 each) and probably another $100,000 in benefits.

Not bad for a gig where all you have to do is brag about how you are so "independent" and "critical" when it comes to NPR (ie, write a bunch of stupid blog posts about why it's OK for NPR to avoid using the word torture, etc)

If you want to know where all the money goes for "public" radio, you need look no further than the salaries of some of the folks working at NPR. (the CEO gets $600,000 PER YEAR and many of the hosts get several hundred thousand per year); 7/17/11, 7:46 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: BEST COMMENTER EVER!

At ME story about the smearing of Arab American college professor.

"Terrorism Training Casts Pall Over Muslim Employee"
http://www.npr.org/templates/transcript/transcript.php?storyId=137712352

Diana Temple(of Fear Mongering) Raston's main source the this US citizen
pals around with terrorists was John Guandolo.

Here's an nPR listener calling out her sloppy and lazy work:

"This is the same John Guandolo who compromised a high-profile investigation when he had an extramarital affair with the star witness in the case. Mr. Guandolo resigned from the FBI shortly afterwards instead of facing a professional ethics board. (http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2009/09/post_4.html)."; 7/18/11, 6:43 PM
bee.pee.eff.bee. said...: ^ Thanks, Grumps! That's well worth changing into my "8-Ball" disguise and thumbin' it up!

"ovelet"; 7/19/11, 7:54 AM
D.O. said...: Michele Norris does another puff piece, this one on Michele Bachmann, with help from a seeming fan of hers, Larry Jacobs, director of the Center for the Study of Politics and Governance at the University of Minnesota. During the love feast they discuss briefly Bachmann's reported migraines, but not a word about her being actually crazy. Not even any reference to her bizarre statements over the years.

Get out your hot-air sickness bag, here it is:

http://www.npr.org/2011/07/20/138555785/a-look-at-rep-bachmann; 7/20/11, 4:09 PM
bpfb said...: ^ Heh. Thanks. But I'll have to pass. At least for sake of keeping lunch where it was meant to be contained and processed.

npr. always on... the crapper.

"kesiessc" (??); 7/20/11, 5:03 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Juan Williams will be on the Diane Rehm Show Thursday 7/21 to lecture we liberals on free speech.

Juan Williams: "Muzzled" | The Diane Rehm Show from WAMU and NPR: "he sees as a much-needed discussion about the state of political debate in America. Williams says censorship and political correctness are undermining our ability to have meaningful conversations and to solve big problems. Diane talks with Juan Williams."

This is a man that was forced to leave The Washington Post after he publicly apologized for his inappropriate behavior toward his women co-workers.
I'm sure he learned a lot about civility at FOX, wonder why Rupert has yet to give Juan his own show yet, as promised?

Why is she hosting a man who smeared her fellow NPR employee?; 7/20/11, 9:40 PM
gDog said...: "Michele Bachmann has always been at war with the Republican leadership and the reason is, she's faced continual pressure to conform to what the Republican leaders see as necessary to win elections," said University of Minnesota political science professor Larry Jacobs.
From the Pittsburg Post Gazette:

"For Michele Bachmann winning is important, but the policy principles and positions she takes are as important or perhaps even more important. She's a genuine true believer."

Which, of course, Jacobs makes sound like a good thing. Never mind that these beliefs include:

1. Teaching of intelligent design in public school science classes...that evolution is a theory that has never been proven one way or the other. As if you can prove scientific theories the way you can prove mathematical theorems.

2. Increasing domestic drilling of oil and natural gas, and nuclear power.

3. Phasing out Social Security and Medicare.

4. Nuking Iran.

5. Hayek, Hiser, Friedman, Rand and Lafer.

To be fair, she cares about our Country and worries deeply about impending shortages. To wit, "We're running out of rich people in this country."; 7/20/11, 10:17 PM
miranda said...: I heard the Bachmann puff piece -- NPR has been on a real Bachmann love-fest lately; one wonders why. Yes, she is so misunderstood and misunderestimated.; 7/21/11, 7:06 AM
Anonymous said...: All,

From Naked Capitalism:

Quelle Surprise! The Banks Lied and Robosigning Lives!

And, who is STILL breaking the law? nPR's BFF GMAC Mortgage, aka "Ally Bank."

Read about it here:
http://tinyurl.com/4x7k6b9

So it goes...

Don Q. Public; 7/21/11, 12:57 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: OH NOZ, nPR underwriter and TARP Bailout recipient does it again to the public. Yet no one is prosecuted?

Will anyone on the Planet notice? Probably not, since it would be tacit acknowledgement that blacklisted Elizabeth Warren was right and Adam Davidson will never do that.

Anyway, here's how an nPR undewriterr serves the public, who do they think they are Ally Bank?

"Wells Fargo & Co. (WFC), the largest U.S. home lender, agreed to pay a record $85 million fine to settle Federal Reserve claims it steered borrowers into costlier loans and falsified data in mortgage applications.

Employees at Wells Fargo Financial, the lender’s consumer- finance unit, pushed customers who may have been eligible for prime interest rates into loans carrying higher rates intended for riskier borrowers, the Fed said today in a statement announcing the settlement. Separately, sales personnel used false documents to make it appear borrowers qualified for loans when their incomes made them ineligible."

Wells Fargo Will Pay $85 Million Fine to Settle Fed’s Subprime-Loan Claims - Bloomberg; 7/21/11, 6:16 PM
Anonymous said...: wonder when NPR will stop accepting advertising from Fox which appears to be nothing less than a Continuing Criminal Enterprise?

edk; 7/22/11, 7:45 AM
Patrick Lynch said...: I tilted again at the Salon windmill trying to get NPRbots to see what their precious "schwety balls" network is really like. The piece is another of one of those execrable things written by Alex Pareene on the subject of Juan Williams latest milking of his firing. I put a link back to here in my sig at the end of the piece. I post there as nativekentuckian.; 7/22/11, 9:14 AM
gDog said...: You know, I keep hoping that public radio will revert more to local control and that, while there is certainly a need for national news, national news tends to feed the needs of the pentagon/finance propaganda machine and what people need more is some way of discussing local issues like school boards and police policy, etc. But today's KCRW (Santa Monica) local news was not encouraging all about how the founder of Mattel has died and all about how Barbie and Ken were actually the names of his children...this followed by Arnold Schwarzenegger's 13-year-old son's surfing accident. This amidst the most horrific melt down of state government funding in living memory.; 7/22/11, 7:06 PM
Anonymous said...: Today's NPR ATC broadcast led off with the "collapse in negotiations:" between Boehner and Obama, and started the 11-day countdown clock ticker. Yay! Americans love countdown tickers! Then NPR took its time - and the time of its listeners - to get around to the Oslo bombing. Then back to the collapse.

We need a PBS check too.

In business-as-usual, NewsHour on Weds. introduced one guest as a member of a "left-wing" think tank and his debating opponent, from the US Chamber, with no prejudicial preamble at all. Not 'rabid-right,' nor 'psycho-capitalist,' but just here-he-is, without comment.

I guess the almighty dollar speaks loudly enough for itself. Hacks all.; 7/22/11, 7:10 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/23/11, 9:19 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: When the National Catholic Report says you suck, . . . you really, really suck.

"When was the last time you heard anything except the most pedestrian conventional wisdom issue from Juan Williams? He shouldn't have been fired from NPR because he said something impolitic. I do think he should have been offered the chance to quit Fox or quit NPR. But, I also have no idea why he was hired in the first place and paid for all those years when his commentary is so stale and boring. And, why would anyone buy his book?"

Juan Williams: Muzzle Him Some More | National Catholic Reporter: "It was a mistake for NPR to fire Juan Williams because of something he said while serving as a commentator on Fox News. It was a bigger mistake to hire Williams in the first place.; 7/23/11, 9:23 AM
Anonymous said...: antric
whyen thwe heat wave breaks and the shuttle gets to Houston I think NPR news will shutter their doors.

and if you want to hear how local station (whyy) uses their clout within NPR to broadcast an even worse version of NPR be wary of what you wish for.

edk; 7/23/11, 10:39 AM
gDog said...: Moist Flushable Wipe Says we should cut Rupert Murdoch's sensational tabloid crap some slack, citing the "hijinks" of Ben Hecht

It is 6 hours since this bit of insipid drivel dripped out of the radio, and yet my comment is the only one on his precious web page:

And Scott Simon impersonates a reporter to earn a ridiculously high salary to bathe his audience in milquetoast pablum.; 7/23/11, 12:36 PM
bpfb said...: ^ Score one for the LudicrousMeanie~

"poidesti"; 7/25/11, 7:13 AM
Anonymous said...: Steve Inskeep is either pretending to be the dumbest man in the world, or he is. The interview with the liberal Muslim writer was shameful. I don't know what history Inskeep has studied but Christianity was noverre founded on the principle of the separation of Church and a
State.; 7/25/11, 7:41 AM
Boulder Dude said...: http://www.npr.org/2011/07/25/138668640/faa-in-limbo-after-congress-misses-deadline

Once again NPR fails to do its job and report the facts and instead just catapults FOX news and GOP propaganda.

The reason that the FAA bill failed to pass is because the GOP wants to eliminate federal workers (FAA and Amtrak) right to organize. The little bit that John Naylor did mention is actually true, John Mica (R-FL) did introduce the cutting of funding or rural airports in Dem leadership districts and states. It is not just some sort of schoolyard tactics, it is very much the prime example of the total dysfunction of or government.
Please report the facts and not just what the GOP tells you to report.

http://thinkprogress.org/economy/2011/07/20/274238/faa-shutdown-union/

http://crooksandliars.com/john-amato/tea-party-crazy-dominated-gop-threaten-

This yet another example of the standard level of laziness in reporting that NPR has been lowered itself to in the past 16 years. Instead of doing any sort of research, or talking to anyone on the left, John Naylor either just made stuff up, reported what he had been hearing on the sunday talk shows, or what had been hearing at te DC Villager cocktail parties over the weekend.

Please report the facts on this story.; 7/25/11, 8:51 AM
gDog said...: Here is the spectrum of coverage on the debtageddon this ME: Andrea Seabrook to Cokie Roberts. Everybody knows Cokie is a Republican cookie monster. But Seabrook is perhaps a less known lying spinner. Contrary to her reassurance to the Tea monsters, Some of the freshmen Tea Baggers are definitely in trouble.

word: "balloot"; 7/25/11, 11:50 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/25/11, 1:05 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: NPR's uncrital media critic David FolkenFOX was in town hawking a book he's editor of:

The Changing News Business | Think | KERA

" How is the news business changing and how are traditional news organizations coping with these changes? We’ll talk this hour with David Folkenflik, NPR’s media correspondent and editor of “Page One: Inside The New York Times and the Future of Journalism” (PublicAffairs, 2011) – a companion guide to the new Magnolia Pictures and Participant Media documentary “Page One: Inside the New York
Times.”

I got to be his first caller, I wanted to know why he alway went soft on FOX.

Exhibit A: Fox Exec Admits To 'Mischievous' Remarks About Obama : NPR

I asked him why a repeated violation of basic journalism ethics repeatedly, "Obama was a socialist" by FOX was just "Mischievous" I also pointed out the he had four quotes by the FOX exec but none by a critic. He claimed he was "tough" on FOX.

Second question was why did he report that Roger Aeils had "apologized" to nPR when in fact he didn't and the he didn't include Aiels follow up statement that nPR was "Nasty Inflexible Bigot[s]." Also, Folkenflik only interviewed FOX and former FOX employess and didn't quote a critic.

I closed with "If nPR won't defend itself from FOX why should we listeners?"

Lost of truthiness followed.

He denied the facts claimed he's tough on FOX, then changed the subject after stating the FOX was a "major news organization."

Check you're local listing and join the fun.; 7/25/11, 1:06 PM
Comrade Rutherford said...: July 25, 2011 - 5 PM news update.

Bryan Nail-her read GOP talking points on the air tonight regarding the GOP forced shutdown of the FAA at a cost of $200M income per week.

NailHer carefully stuck to the GOP script by blaming the entire thing of the rural airport subsidy portion, which is the only story the right wing will allow US media outlets to report.

If NPR were actually 'Liberal Media', NailHer might have mentioned that the far-far-far right anti-Americans in Congress wrote an ALEC-isnpired Union Busting clause into the bill.

But then again, even 'liberals' today are Moderate Republicans (for more 'liberal' right-wingers, see Obama, Pelosi, Reid, DNC, etc). NPR would have to get all the way left to Amy Goodman to dare report to their listeners about the class warfare perpetrated by the insane right against Americans that actually WORK for a living.; 7/25/11, 4:11 PM
D.O. said...: Mara Liasson does it again! Her "analysis" of the Dems vs. Repugs on the debt limit on today's Morning Edition was yet another example of Mara's rightwing leanings disguised as journalism.

The Party of No is in complete disarray, they're way down in the polls and their obstruction and disinformation only make matters worse for them. And from this Mara Liasson finds a winner?? She says the Dems win the "debate" but the Repugs win the "argument"? Say what? Listeners can only wonder what Mara is thinking here and from where she gets her talking points.; 7/26/11, 7:43 AM
Anonymous said...: I asked Ombud at "what point would NPR refuse contributions from Fox". No reply.

Andrea reports on her "colleagues" and really is not going to endanger her access. No way, no how!

edk; 7/26/11, 8:36 AM
Steve H said...: I'm so sick of NPR's political reporting. Take last night's address by Obama on the debt limit, followed by Boehner's rebuttal. What do we get in terms of balanced coverage? Fox News pundit Mara Liasson and Cokie Roberts, the mouthpiece for the Washington center-right establishment. So that's what my public radio donations go to support -- the "full range of political thought" from center-right to far right. Gee, thanks, NPR.; 7/26/11, 10:36 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Shepard citing, . . .

Over at Poynert.org nPR's former (not an)Ombudsman, writes about her former emplyer: Former NPR Ombud fact checks new Juan Williams book, ‘Muzzled’ | Poynter: "NPR selectively used its ethics code with him."

It's curious, and sad, that Ms. Shepard waits until after she is no longer on the nPR payroll, to act like an Ombudsman:

"Sometimes I was told that because he was a contractor, NPR’s ethics code didn’t apply. Other times, I was told he had more leeway with the ethics code because he was a senior news analyst."

"NPR selectively used its ethics code with him."

These two facts where never shared by Ms. Shepard with any of nPR's listners. While the "listeners' representative" to nPR she steadfastly defended nPR's management, with the exception of minor mistakes and ignored listeners' repeated inquiries about Mr. Williams' unprofessional behavior. I know, I was one of the listeners she ignored.

I wrote to Ms. Shepard repeatedly asking for an explanation of why Mr. Williams was permitted violate nPR's Code of Ethics and never got anything but a form email back. Numerous times, I formally requested on her blog an explanation citing the specific sections that Williams (and Mara Liasson) were clearly violating.

Perhaps in her next column she can explain why she defended nPR's Management unprofessional and unethical treatment of Harry Shearer? While also ignoring Mr. Shearer's direct questions:

<a href=http://www.npr.org/templates/community/persona.php?uid=5935964

I guess the most important thing you learn after "years of journalism" is keep management happy.

I won't be torturing, er "harshly interrogating" myself waiting for an answer.; 7/26/11, 1:31 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/26/11, 1:33 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Oops here's the link:

Former NPR Ombud fact checks new Juan Williams book, ‘Muzzled’ | Poynter.; 7/26/11, 1:35 PM
Anonymous said...: No links to hand, sadly, but Inskeep keeps referring to Anders Breivik as a "madman" and implying that he was just another lone gunman. You know, not a terrorist, because them's all Moozlimz.; 7/26/11, 4:24 PM
Don Pasqueda said...: GD,
I responded to your post on Poynter
DQP; 7/26/11, 9:49 PM
Popepepe said...: Anyone else hear the love fest between Steve Inskeep and (I believe) Rep. Tom Cole from Oklahoma this morning? Compare that to the drubbing and interview with Bill Daley, the White House Chief of Staff, from about a half hour before. It was like night and day.; 7/27/11, 5:55 AM
Don Pasqueda said...: NPR takes the money...
ProPublic does the journalism...

Internal Doc Reveals GMAC Filed False Document in Bid to Foreclose

http://tinyurl.com/3ckqnf2; 7/27/11, 12:49 PM
gDog said...: Searching the NPR site for "Libya" brings up 4 AP articles at the top of the list and then Libyan Diplomat Yadayada by VOA verteran spook, Michele Kelemen. It's all about Ghadafi and whether he stays or goes - nothing about NATO bombing of hospitals and civilians, etc. For more authentic reporting compare this with Flashpoints reporting.; 7/27/11, 1:18 PM
Patrick Lynch said...: Brief but interesting post about NPR coverage by a diary writer at Firedoglake.

Why is All of the Media Saying; 7/28/11, 9:23 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: OFFICIAL LOUDEST DRUNK IN THE BAR ALERT!

I joined twitter yesterday, it's a great environment for me, sarcasm is best served short, and with the character limit, fewer opportunities for typos.

This morning I was looking at the feeds I got from the various overpaid "parachuting" nPR journalists. I notice the reply button and started, got a response from David FolkenFOX.

Take a look Grumpy Demo (Grumpy_Demo) on Twitter, he wasn't happy with my comment.

In reference to him promoting his post on nPR's "reporting from nowhere", I replied: "How meta, a journalist that's the human incarnation of "he said, she said" reporting writing about "voice from nowhere" - he wasn't to happy.

Looks like nPR may have left a window open for direct contact to your "favorite" nPR personalities .

Open a six pack and enjoy the fun.

What shall I say to the Ombudsman?; 7/28/11, 9:26 AM
Patrick Lynch said...: @Grumpy Demo: Well played, sir!

@gDog: Your despair at local coverage being as bad as the NPR big shots is noted and shared. WEKU this morning had a ridiculous and mercifully brief "story" about what we did before air conditioning. They had a University of Kentucky professor say people were uncomfortable before air conditioning and that's pretty much it.

With regards to the fake debt crisis, NPR has apparently got permission to spew nothing but unfettered, undisguised complete and total B.S. propaganda. I can listen to it only for a minute or two at at time before my hackles seriously raise.; 7/28/11, 11:06 AM
Nate Bowman said...: Hey Grumpy

Is that you, Gustave, on facebook?

I like what you wrote to the ombud there and that he can run but he can't hide.; 7/28/11, 11:38 AM
Nate Bowman said...: Grumps

Posted at Poynter.; 7/28/11, 1:05 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 7/28/11, 3:53 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Yep that's me on Facebook, I'm Gustavo Demo, it was the only thing that fb would let me use.

Since I'm a career banker in Dallas, TX being a Democrat is almost as bad for my career as not playing golf. Hence I prefer anonymity much like the Federalist Papers and other writers who are far more talented than I.

Over at the npr.org playground I'm the Modest Egotist because they killed Grumpy Demo during the great NPR Liberal Purge of 2009. Which might have been the result of Right Wing hacking (stay tuned for link).

I've been playing with Chrome and using it widgets for fb, Blogger, and this AM started with Twitter.

As two decade Mac fan boy, I find Twitter's interface awful and counter intuitive.

Wow, I wrote a post without an nPR snark?

We're having a 27th consecutive day of 100+ temps, I've gotta go get some beer, I hope where everyone else resides it's cooler. GD; 7/28/11, 4:21 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Here's the link I referenced above about comments getting killed by hacking at nPR.org. It's from December 2010"

The Comment Police | American Journalism Review

"NPR also saw an increase in the number of hackers writing scripts to remove comment threads altogether. "People were trying to gauge exactly when we weren't monitoring [the threads]," he says, and using these patterns to exploit employees' work habits and delete comments. This angered readers, who accused NPR of censorship when it was actually hackers who had done the damage. "These are humans," Carvin says. "Very savvy ones."

Here's where I think they talking a boulder dude:

"He adds that once in a while, a user will petition a blocked comment, meaning the author wants to appeal the decision to jettison his or her comment. This results in a similar review process, after which the comment may or may not be unblocked. "It's often more art than science," Carvin says."

On to the beer!; 7/28/11, 4:29 PM
Don Pasqueda said...: Democrat, banker, beer and wine drinker, nPR critic, non-golfer...

GD, are you a superhero too?; 7/28/11, 6:56 PM
gDog said...: Grumpy Demo: Able to tweak pompous pundits with a single tweet.; 7/29/11, 12:37 AM
Popepepe said...: I did ever so enjoy spending the day with the freshman Republican Congressman from Arizona! Thank you NPR for allowing us access to such thrilling "news" as the levels of humidity in the air, hearing nothing of substance and not questioning ANY of the logic thrown out in the story.

The level of intelligence out forth by the good Congressman? While addressing a group of Young Republicans, he asks, "How many of you have had a government class? Do you think that reality is much different from what you get from your books?"

NOW I can see why they chose to follow him. Good work!; 7/29/11, 5:11 AM
Anonymous said...: some "early adaptors" i like. I assume GD is not a paid flack for twitter. Follow NPR tea baggers and enjoy it.

edk; 7/29/11, 8:29 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: "GD, are you a superhero too?"

As a matter of fact, yes I am. Unfortunately, my sole super power is creating typos, . . .

I'm got my resume submitted to Team Venture, . . .; 7/29/11, 8:36 AM
Don Pasqueda said...: More evidence of NPR letting the younger know-nothings earn their journalist stripes by blogging.

For your consideration: Zoe Chace.

Her profile on Transom.

Her work for WGBH.

Her most recent nPR story.

Other notable nPR work.
*Boulder Dude will surly remember this one.

And, a link to real financial blogging on the subject, from Felix Salmon.

Zoe Chace reminds me a lot of April Fulton; nPRs food blogger turned health care journalist. Remember her?; 7/29/11, 1:58 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: nPR's Planet (worship the)Money sole sponsor exposed for fraudulent business practices:

ProPublica Catches Ally Financial Making It Up : CJR

Wonder if nPR will report on this story or ignore it like the other negative reports on Ally?; 7/29/11, 3:03 PM
Don Pasqueda said...: GD,

I posted that GMAC/Ally story here 2 days ago. Nothing from the nPR Ombot yet. He will just ignore it.

DQP; 7/29/11, 3:21 PM
Anonymous said...: Why is NPR committed to the murderous rebels in Libya?

Patrick Cockburn: Why the West is committed to the murderous rebels in Libya; 7/31/11, 12:25 PM
JayV said...: Here are some inspiring words - part of a series of 'pocket paradigm' from Sam Smith, writing in his blog, Undernews.

"The first rule of media survival is use it ; don't let it use you. We must ignore the role the media has prescribed for us -- audience, consumer, addict -- and treat it much as the trout treats a stream, a medium in which to swim and not to drown. The trick is to stop the media from happening to you and to treat it literally as a medium -- an environment, a carrier. Then you can cease being a consumer or a victim and become a hunter and a gatherer, foraging for signs that are good and messages that are important and data you can use. Then the zapper and the mouse become tools and weapons and not addictions. Then you turn the TV off not because it is evil but because you have gotten whatever it has to offer and now must look somewhere else."

http://prorevnews.blogspot.com/2011/06/pocket-paradigms_30.html; 7/31/11, 5:47 PM
gDog said...: Nice couple of posts above, Sam Smith's words of wisdom and Cockburn's expose on the absurd Libya crimes.

Also check out Peter Dale Scott on The US-Al Qaeda Alliance: Bosnia, Kosovo and Now Libya. Washington’s On-Going Collusion with Terrorists; 8/1/11, 1:42 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: This Twitter thing is fun, it's a direct pipeline to the reporters (until they, inevitably block you).

Currently in pissing match with Daivd FolkenFOX about him re-tweeting a beltway smear of VP Biden. It claimed Diden was charging FBI $22K in rent for use of cottage, fact is it's $2K a month market rate.

I replied: "Can't get you #FOX Talking points straight, wouldn't be easier just to re-tweet Hannity or Beck? #nprFOXY"

He didn't like that one bit.; 8/2/11, 9:19 AM
Patrick Lynch said...: In the I don't know what's worse department: Ridiculous story about the FBI's methods or the methods being "reported".

Ridiculous FBI story

Surely I cannot be expected to believe that if the FBI doesn't want to be seen picking the lock on your front door that they actually go to the trouble of putting up a giant photograph of your house in front of it. Wouldn't someone notice the act of putting up a giant photograph of your house in front of your house?; 8/2/11, 9:27 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Looks like his must be my week to piss off nPR employees, check out Inskeep response to me on his GOP Rep. Drier wet kiss:

Debt Deal: A Republican's Perspective : NPR

"It ain't bragging if you can do it." Well in my case it bragging, over maybe after years of being ignored I happy the nPR Spinx speaks.

Reality calls, today forecast calls for high 106.; 8/2/11, 9:50 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Nice deconstruction of nPR's fake balance and how it protects extremist and crack pots. Liz Spikol with The Philly Post:

Who Really Runs NPR—Liberals? Right-Wingers? Dollar Signs? | The Philly Post: "In the report “Can Therapy Change Sexual Orientation?” NPR’s Alix Spiegel said she was presenting “two sides of a debate that’s been raging,” but that is utterly specious. The debate is not raging. On the one side are people, gay and straight, who believe that such sham therapy is, at best, completely ridiculous and hugely damaging at worst. On the other “side” are people motivated by hate (of others or of self)."; 8/2/11, 4:13 PM
bpfb said...: Way-go, Cargill!! Is this where those "Risk Management Solutions" come into play, as per that widdle nPR.org sponsor ad splash??

~VICTORY FOR VEGGIES~ (though to paraphrase B. Crimmins... "Archer-Daniels Midland --the innovative folks who have found a way to make vegetarian food bad for you!")

"chlysab"; 8/5/11, 11:08 AM
Popepepe said...: HA! Barney Frank to Inskeep-Please don't ask me complex questions with only five seconds left. Inskeep floats the "entitlement spending > defense" myth, Frank corrects him, Inskeep insists they push that entitlements are too high conceit for the interview. Disingenuous and a poor interview. Inskeep listened to nothing Frank had to say.

In another (and as far as I know, the only so far) segment on the Wisconsin recall elections today, it was all about targeting the poor incumbents and how outside special interest groups are flooding the market with commercials. I could hear the reporter practically "tsk tsking" during the whole thing. Score one for the GOP victimization machine.; 8/9/11, 5:56 AM
Anonymous said...: Popepepe: Heard the Frank/Inskeep charade. This "interview" encapsulates, for me, the REAL NPR. I started to wonder where these questions come from. Was it "Lone Wolf" Steve Inskeep or an editor or his boss?
And to pour a ton of salt into that wound we were treated to Alan Simpson prescribe cat food for the poor, elderly, and disabled (not to make this too personal lol).

This entire farce is being co-ordinated (imo) by Obama and the right wing of America (both D and R) to destroy the FDR legacy. You would think there was some sort of great partasin "divide" if you listen to NPR but it is closer to a "Grand Bargain" where the banksters and fraudsters will get thiers, the defense/security establihments will take even more, and we, "the People" will get to learn what "cake" tastes like.

edk; 8/9/11, 7:46 AM
Patrick Lynch said...: I didn't hear the Simpson part, but I did hear the Inskreep/Frank part of the "interview" and it was a classic. As edk said, THIS is the real NPR and it was a perfect example of why I hate NPR.; 8/9/11, 8:13 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Yeah, the Inskeep Frank fiasco was classic "Inskeep" loved how Frank made a fool of him and Inskeep ended the interview without letting Frank finish.

Inskeep had a bad morning, here's him carrying water for the Right again later:

Son of Senator Simpson Misrepresents His Plan on NPR | Beat the Press:
"This is not true. Senator Simpson's plan calls for changing the indexation formula for Social Security. Under Simpson's plan benefits would fall by roughly 0.3 percentage points annually compared with the current benefit schedule. After 10 years this would imply a benefit cut of 3 percent, after 20 years the cut would be 6 percent, and after 30 years it would be almost 9 percent."

Wish I got paid six figures to recite GOP talking points in the morning why chuckling like a buffon.; 8/9/11, 10:09 AM
Anonymous said...: Blech. A typical bucket of slop this morning from Nice Polite Republican's favorite Christian apologist: Barbara Bradley Hagerty.

Bold is assembled quotes that summarize the story:

Let's go back to the beginning — all the way to Adam and Eve, and to the question: Did they exist, and did all of humanity descend from that single pair?....But now some conservative scholars are saying publicly that they can no longer believe the Genesis account. Asked how likely it is that we all descended from Adam and Eve, Dennis Venema, a biologist at Trinity Western University, replies: "That would be against all the genomic evidence that we've assembled over the last 20 years, so not likely at all."...."This stuff is unavoidable," says Dan Harlow at Calvin College. "Evangelicals have to either face up to it or they have to stick their head in the sand. And if they do that, they will lose whatever intellectual currency or respectability they have."

"If so, that's simply the price we'll have to pay," says Southern Baptist seminary's Albert Mohler. "The moment you say 'We have to abandon this theology in order to have the respect of the world,' you end up with neither biblical orthodoxy nor the respect of the world."

Mohler and others say if other Protestants want to accommodate science, fine. But they shouldn't be surprised if their faith unravels.

End of story. Leaving hanging the BIG question: Does that happen? Do some go all-in and give up religion entirely after realizing that science doesn't square with literalism? Where's the quote from them, instead of only those who step back from Biblical infallibility to the god of the gaps? I'm not asking for a statistically reliable poll (I'll admit that it's likely that more people go half-way, as much as I'd like it to be otherwise), but it would be nice if she would admit that such people exist, and quote one.

-Scrawny Kayaker; 8/9/11, 9:09 PM
gDog said...: Yeah, Inkycreep was showing his true colors today. I was listening to David Goodman on this morning's DN and heard him describe David Lawrence's reporting on the atomic bombing of Japan this way:

Now, Laurence went on to write a series of 10 articles about the development of the atomic bomb. This is—this and his reporting about the Nagasaki bombing won him the 1946 Pulitzer Prize in reporting. He seems to have been completely unashamed and unrepentant of what was clearly an egregious conflict of interest by any of the most basic canons of journalism ethics. Laurence later wrote in his memoirs about his experience as a paid publicist for the War Department. He wrote, quote, "Mine has been the honor, unique in the history of journalism, of preparing the War Department’s official press release for worldwide distribution. No greater honor could have come to any newspaperman, or anyone else for that matter."

Somehow it seems inescapable that Inskeep is formed in this same mold. In this case, it's the war waged by the elite global super class on the American people, but I'm sure there are plenty of people paying the Screep on the side for all sorts of favors. Nothing else can properly explain his reporting.; 8/9/11, 9:09 PM
Anonymous said...: Are there a lot of days Inscreep doesn't show his true colors? No one gets me reaching for the tuner buttons faster than that smug bastard, except maybe Scott Simon.

As an infrequent reader here, I like these long open threads since it makes it easy to find stuff like last week's comments about Twitter getting directly at these jerks. I may have to reconsider my haughty "I do not tweet" stance, if it means I can rile up Inscreep the next time he asks semi-tough questions of some small fry one day, then performs slobbery fellatio on some guy just back from Davos the next.

-Scrawny Kayaker; 8/9/11, 11:52 PM
Popepepe said...: @Scrawny Kayaker
Thanks for your post on that story. Something didn't sit quite right with me and I couldn't put my finger on it...I mean, aside from the complete lack of "newsworthiness" and "journalism" that was inherent in the piece...; 8/10/11, 6:03 AM
Popepepe said...: NPR-Your source for the biggest secrets in global warming tabloid news...
The lead completely misrepresents and buries the reason for the investigation.
http://www.npr.org/2011/08/10/139276565/polar-bear-scientist-faces-new-questions
Reading through the transcript, I picked up on how much misdirection there was exactly.
While this report misses the mark a bit, it's more honest...
http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory?id=14209382; 8/10/11, 6:50 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Yesterday's NPR's All Things (Right) Considered on August 11th, was a classic of their fetish for DC Beltway Insider and role as a Right Wing memory hole:

GOP Feels The Influence Of Outside Money Groups : NPR

Only NPR and Peter Overby could do a story about two major corporate funded Astroturf Super PACs and not mention their founders.

Really NPR? A story on American Crossroads and Crossroads GPS without mentioning KARL ROVE is the founder and leader? Did you guys forget who Karl Rove was? He was the Bush White House GOP political adviser for eight years, remember it was in all the newspapers. Covering up Rove's involvement was bad enough but what follows was worse.

You don't mention that Americans for Prosperity is funded by the Koch brothers (who's dad founded the John Birch Society) are pouring millions into promoting an extreme Right Wing agenda?

NPR, see no Koch, hear no Koch, report no Koch.

Lastly, the focus of the story to NPR is that these extremist cooperate funded Super PACS are replacing GOP Washington Beltway insider? Really? Not one concern about corporate control of the US democratic process? Not one comment about Super PACs inherently anti-Democratic nature and their threats to our Republic?

Overby: Incompetent? Coward? or protecting NPR corporate underwriters? Maybe its all of the above.; 8/11/11, 9:40 AM
gDog said...: One long infomercial this ME. AT&T, Netflix, Apple, Amazon and country music...and on and on...; 8/11/11, 10:39 AM
gDog said...: Dean Baker takes on NPR again. The money paragraph is at the end:

This point is important because many political actors, including National Public Radio, are trying to use the debt downgrade as an argument for cutting Social Security and Medicare. Their argument will be furthered if they can claim that the downgrade had enormous consequences for the stock market, since so many people involved in political debates (i.e. columnists, policy wonks, reporters, congressional staffers) have substantial amounts of money invested in the stock market.; 8/11/11, 10:46 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: For a fellow "loudest drunk" here's a link to an NPR online survey about Talk Me More and NPR:
Link to survey

Enjoy shouting down the NPR well, I did.; 8/11/11, 11:22 AM
miranda said...: Yes, America is concerned: can they get the movies they want on Netflix? Who could possibly care? In NPR-land, this is a nation of "consumers," not citizens.; 8/11/11, 3:18 PM
Popepepe said...: Direct from the Heartland...supposed "Liberal Activists" (never interviewed or proven) shouted out criticism and questions to Mitt Romney, playing the everyman at the Iowa State Fair. Not content with focusing on Romeny's positions and responses, because that would be journalism, the reporter interviews an Iowa couple who tsk tsk such dissent and wonders why people can't be more polite...I mean the man she spoke to IS a retired doctor, so he must be respectable and right. Again, rather than move to what Romney actually said to the crowd or question any dissent, NPR moves into a hard hitting journalistic look at...food on a stick. The last portion of that report is so laughable, you'll have to listen to it yourself.

Maybe rather than act as stenographers or turn it into a feel good "state fair piece," NPR should be asking why we as an electorate demand that Presidential candidates have to pretend to kowtow to folks sitting on hay bales, scarfing down said food on a stick. Why we have to have Presidential candidates put on their dog and pony shows and why they can't be more direct with people. Now THAT'S a story I'd like to see.; 8/12/11, 4:34 AM
Boulder Dude said...: So on today’s Morning Edition, Debbie Elliot made an unfounded assertion that the people heckling Mitt Romney were “Liberal Activists”. She offered no proof of this assertion, she did not interview the “Liberal Activists” to find out who they were, or if they were in fact part of an organization. Nope, she instead spent most of the rest of the piece getting some random people in the crowd to apologize for the so called “Liberal Activists” and interviewing fellow NPR employee Don Gonyea as he ate deep fried butter on a stick.

So, let us review.

It was a 3:22 piece in which 1/3 of it was about the speech, 1/3 spent on food and Don Gonyea. Don’t you think that last minute could have been better spent perhaps stalking to these so called “Liberal Activists” and to have found out who they were, what their beliefs and motivations were?

Me, not being a journalist was able to find this out using the power of Google, is Google blocked at NPR, does NPR know how to use Google? We may never know since that would force NPR to do actual reporting.

So, using the Google I was able to find out that the group of “Liberal Activists are a part of Iowa Citizens for Community Improvement, a grassroots organization that is focus on Quality of Life issues for Iowa, while that may seem to be “liberal” to rightwinger DC Villager, it may not be the case for everyone in the rest of the country.

C’mon NPR do your damn job and do real reporting. Don’t just make stuff up and use Journamalism shorthand to paint over in broad brush strokes things that you would rather not report, would cause you to do actual work, or provide listeners with thoughts and ideas that may actually cause them to think.

The news site I found on Google that covered the ICC: http://www.newbottomline.com/romney_faces_angry_crowd_in_iowa

The ICC web site: http://www.iowacci.org/index.htm; 8/12/11, 11:17 AM
Don Pasqueda said...: Nice job, BD.
DQP; 8/12/11, 11:29 AM
gDog said...: BD, That was a gag reflex moment. Perchance NPR will highlight such moments on their fund drives. "Are you overweight? Try new NPR: It'll make you hurl your cookies."

David Dayen has done a piece on the CCI.

Another interesting emerging counterweight to the delirium austerity psychosis of pathological corporatism is The New Bottom Line; 8/12/11, 12:28 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Over at the Center for American Progress, Eric Alterman explains what's wrong with NPR, the problem isn't bias, it's cowardice.

Think Again: NPR: Still Bending Over Backward:

"What is really going on here? Why would NPR, home to so many liberals and, one presumes, quite a few gay people, bend over so far backward to offer credibility to something associated with conservative efforts to discriminate against and persecute gay people? Alas, it’s a familiar syndrome. Journalists have been so cowed by conservative attempts to “work the refs” that they end up writing reports that raise the question of whether President Obama might be a Muslim or whether global warming is a conspiracy of a power-hungry mad scientist.

A particularly egregious example of this tendency occurred last year on NPR when it saw fit to quote the discredited right-wing zealot David Horowitz in an obituary for leftist historian Howard Zinn. 'There is absolutely nothing in Howard Zinn's intellectual output that is worthy of any kind of respect,' he explained."; 8/12/11, 3:07 PM
Nate Bowman said...: Grumps

I think it's worse than that.

Cowardice implies a desire to do something, but lacking the courage to do so.

My take on NPR is that it proudly hails its main-stream-media credentials and willingly pursues these positions in order to pre-emptively please the corporate sponsors whose dollars it openly admits to pursuing.

As Kristofer Petersen-Overton said in relation to John Jay College's attempt to not follow through on its offer of an honorary degree to Tony Kushner and which applies equally to NPR:

"Both my and Kushner's cases point to one of the more threatening crises facing CUNY and American universities generally: corporatisation and the adoption of a boardroom mentality in university administrations. As CUNY relies ever more on private funding and student tuition – already the majority of its budget – this once-great public institution gradually concerns itself primarily with cultivating and protecting a brand image. It seems CUNY no longer has much time for those with views likely to upset the largesse of its donors. This is quite simply poisonous for an institution grounded on the free exchange of ideas."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cifamerica/2011/may/10/tony-kushner-new-york; 8/13/11, 11:35 PM
Nate Bowman said...: In that context, I want to share my last interchange with Alicia Shepard.

My greetings:
"Hi Alicia

I hope your pastures are greener in whatever you move onto.

I hope you find something that requires fewer compromises.

I wish you well.

Nate"

Alicia's response:

"Thanks Nate… what you see as compromises, I see as having a sophisticated and well-honed understanding of journalism as someone w/ thirty years experience. I appreciate your correspondence, but I fear any Ombudsman who understands the realities of journalism will disappoint. Alicia"

My reply:
"Alicia

I am saddened by your response. I was hoping that your behavior was based on the realities of working for corporate media. I see now that bosses found in you someone who already subscribed to their views.

Where you claim sophistication, I see elitism.
Where you claim honing of skills, I see their erosion.
Where you see understanding, I see desecration. (Yes. I do feel that way about journalism.)
Where you claim experience as a badge, I wonder at what has led you to exploit it for the benefit of the powerful.

Your thirty years of experience mean nothing on their own. It’s what you do with that thirty years experience. And you not only have chosen to not grow as a journalist, you pat yourself on the back for the perversion of one of the most basic rights citizens have: to be told what they need to know to make informed decisions. On the contrary, the analysis, research and fact-checking of people with no experience in journalism (commenters) has almost always been superior to yours. And that is evidence enough for me that taking the purpose of journalism seriously is more important than how much experience as a professional one has.

What you see as the realities of journalism I see as the reality of working in a media environment that puts money first and the privilege of furthering journalism’s mission a distant second.

Your claim that would you do is consider the realities of journalism (I assume you mean as opposed to the principles of journalism) is similar to the one some make that the rule of law is supreme in the US, except when it comes to security (or whatever other exception they want to make). The problem is, once you make exceptions, there is no rule of law. Similarly with journalism, once an individual gives themselves the authority to bypass, ignore, subvert, and even abuse the principles and ethics of journalism, they surrender the privilege of calling themselves a journalist.

I have often wondered why your students (past and present) don’t show up on your blog. I’ve wanted to believe that it is because you have a conscience and can see the difference between what you teach and what you practice.

I still wish you well.

Nate"

The key thing for me is the use of the phrase "realities of journalism" to justify the schlocky journalism.; 8/14/11, 12:00 AM
a.m. said...: NPR's idea of a "balanced" discussion on the economy and jobs? Pair Joseph Stiglitz and the reliable lunatic John Taylor, the one voice in Jackie Calmes' fascinating recent NYT piece about criticism from GOP economists of the tea party insurrectionists' "fiscal policy" to uncritically toe the tea party line.; 8/14/11, 9:51 AM
gDog said...: You nailed her, Nate. I especially like your point about exceptionalism - which seems to apply well to the larger American zeitgeist.

Toady's WEATC (oh, did I misspell today? I say go with it...) had a piece on young people's attitude towards investment on WS. Wait, do you people have money to invest on WS? Let's suppose they do - then NPR would leave us with the last bit:

David Green: Not all young people are shunning the market.

Sally Parrot: I think this is one of those situations where if everyone would just calm down, for the most part we would be OK.

DG: Meet Sally Parrot, she's 31 years old and after graduating from college and paying off some debt, she and her husband put money in the stock market. They lost a significant amount of their money during the crash in '08.

SP: And it was pretty freaky because we felt like we were doing the responsible thing. But it didn't turn us off from investing in the stock market. The only way for us to have a chance at having a substantial nest egg by the time retirement comes is to take a risk.

DG: Just a few of the stories of how these times are weighing on the minds of young Americans."

The moral and bottom line from NPR: If you're young, you better gamble on the stock market, it's your only hope. That's some pretty transparent shilling for the underwriters...; 8/14/11, 8:21 PM
Anonymous said...: All of you ROCK! In your own ways, free from the constraints of uncritical thinking, you show over and over what a sham NPR is.

This morning (8/15/12) we were treated to NPR explaining why the melting of Artic sea ice is a good thing. Not only can we expect more oil and gas but defense/security companies stock values will surely increase now the the ice is melting and we can wage war for resources! Maybe the Parrots could invest in such stocks. Or maybe beachfront property in Chambersburg, Pa. might be more their cuppa tea.

Interesting that the disgruntled listener spot discussion is closed. I guess they figured that dastardly, "loud drunk" Boulder Dude would reach the entire 5% and they would you know flood the site.

edk; 8/15/11, 10:15 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: "I fear any Ombudsman who understands the realitie$ of journali$m will disappoint."

Fix it! You're welcome Alicia.

Wish I calmly eviscerate my opponents like Nate can.

Then again, if I wasn't shrill, I won't be having as much fun channeling my id and all, . . .

Always enjoyable to read your work, Nate.; 8/15/11, 10:58 AM
Boulder Dude said...: Goody, a follow up to the focus group post.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/gofigure/2011/08/15/138952468/npr-s-own-myth-of-customer-satisfaction; 8/15/11, 1:23 PM
Don Pasqueda said...: Indeed, we all have different styles. Nate methodically dissected the Ombot. Dexter would be proud!; 8/15/11, 1:51 PM
gDog said...: That Dina Temple Raston is one very serious MF. Out of the blue her stentorian trumpet come blaring from between lesser attempts at propaganda: "And found among the materials at the compound where the Navy Seals killed Bin Laden were clear indications that Al Qaeda were planning a sensational attack for the 10th anniversary of the 911 attacks!" Sheeshoreesha, Dina: we get it. You actually believe the hogwash those alphabet soups feed you and you really want us to believe too. We're trying, we really are - but it's a straw too far. A bridge under water. Like using a pig to pick apples. It ain't workin'.; 8/15/11, 7:43 PM
Nate Bowman said...: Grumps

Though I may read as calm, I am definitely not. That response made me blow my top.

When I compose what I write, I first have to compose myself. And, though the responses (mostly the lack of them) have shown me invariably wrong, I like to fancy that the reader will be more receptive to criticism written that way.

I guess we all have different ways of channeling the anger that results from NPR's behavior. I am not very good at expressing it as creatively and entertainingly as you and some others.

BTW, have you noticed lately that I am joining the dance (of the typos)?; 8/16/11, 8:45 AM
Boulder Dude said...: Got the new survey about NPR advertisers today. It is a sound survey. Small blurb of NPR story, with the ads at the end. You then get a survey about the ads that you remember asking what you think about them.; 8/16/11, 10:43 AM
Boulder Dude said...: Grump and Nate.

Me, I am all snark, snark backed up by facts and we all know how much NPR hates snark and facts. =P

Also, new on the Ombot page is notification of changes to the NPR community and Ombot pages.

And as is par for the course, no real info is given, they just want to "start a discussion".; 8/16/11, 10:46 AM
Boulder Dude said...: ~proudly wears the "Loudest Drunk in the Bar" award~; 8/16/11, 10:47 AM
Nate Bowman said...: bd et al

I think we all have to go out for drinks sometime to see who the loudest drunk in the bar REALLY is.

What I actually think is we are a team after the same goal with different ways of trying to get there.

Me? I'm too serious a lot of the time.

But I AM fun in person. No, really. You'll see when we go out for drinks.

: ); 8/16/11, 11:17 AM
Don Pasqueda said...: I am in Denver, CO. Boulder Dude is in Boulder, CO. I am happy to host drinking at my place. For the rest of you, that might be a bit of a haul.; 8/16/11, 11:20 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Watch out guys, yesterday here in Dallas is was 106 (that's 100+ for 40 of the last 42 days. The Demo brood may be showing up on you door step unannounce any day.

Anyone else notice that NPR election coverage is "nothin but horse race" no coverage of issues, policies, fact checking, and especially omitting the most bat shit crazy stuff (Yeah, I'm looking at you Bachman and Perry) the GOP candidates say?

My iPhone NPR app yesterday told me Gov Perry's crazy talk about the Chair of the Fed being a traitor was "Top Stories" but no coverage from ATC at all and Gonyea (former NPR Bush WH correspondent) is no where to be seen.

Nice way to help normalize the GOP fringe's extremism.

Alo, False Equivalency Alert! Nice catch by Mrs. Congenial Demo, she notice that this AM NPR's false equivalency that a retired Justice, Sandra O'Conner advocacy is suppose to be the same as active Justice Clarence Thomas' multiple violations of judicial ethics.; 8/17/11, 1:26 PM
Popepepe said...: Was it just me or did Nina Totenberg absolve Clarence Thomas of all his sins of failure to disclose and his conflicts of interest?

And then, hey folks it's all ok because, "In the end, Virginia Thomas stepped down from her position at Liberty Central to take another job that was political in nature but less visible."

Whew...at least now we won't know what she's doing so we won't know how bad the Thomas' are fucking the system over.

I guess having a quote from Justice Kennedy balanced out having three conservative activists/"think tanks" give their insight into why the cross pollination of politics, payment and justice is no big deal. I knew Totenberg was a hack, just not one this big.; 8/17/11, 2:53 PM
a.m. said...: Several months ago, NPR ran a story that asked why public skepticism about climate change caused by human activities is on the increase at the same time that scientists become ever more confident about its reality. On today's ATC, newsreader Barbara Klein simply stated that Rick Perry called climate change an unproven theory but did not make the tiny effort (i.e., adding a brief sentence) required to inform listeners that the vast majority of scientists dispute that view. It's not difficult to see why the public is confused about climate change when news organizations like NPR refuse to abide by the most basic journalistic standards on stories like this one.; 8/17/11, 7:11 PM
gDog said...: Yeah, a.m., it's like they're deliberately sewing cognitive dissonance into people's minds to make them give up. Earlier in the broadcast they played the sound of the polar icecap melting. A waterfall.

Waterfall,
Nothing can harm me at all.
My worries seem so very small,
With my waterfall.

I can see
My NPR sheltering me,
Through the labyrinth
Of my waterfall.

Some people say
Hard science is for all the
Guvment funded fools
With nothing else to do.
They want my cash,
A piece of my stash,
I'm the mouth of the monied elite,
And life is sweet,
When you broadcast deceit;
Airing on the street.

Waterfall,
That don't matter at all.
I've got my survivaball,
Oh my waterfall.; 8/17/11, 10:22 PM
JayV said...: @ a.m. What disappoints me is that those top-of-the-hour and half-hour short news bulletins are not archived. Too often their news "facts" are not sourced; too often still it's just she said/he said or even some said without accountability. So, how to question or comment (except here, of course, it's the only way to do that) And that's how listeners get their news! Oy vey!; 8/18/11, 8:21 AM
Nate Bowman said...: Don Q

And Grumps is in Dallas.

I guess the Coasties have some travlin' to do.

Grumps
You inspired me when you said "Nice way to help normalize the GOP fringe's extremism."

New word: excremism
extremism + excrement

I'm even reading typos when they are not there; 8/18/11, 8:33 AM
Anonymous said...: Sorry, I am a non-drinker but . . . if we could all get together in, say, California I'd make the journey!

"But with the Democratic base so disenchanted with President Obama's failed attempts to find a middle ground with Republicans, . . ."

From segment this morning on Murray. Why do they insist there is this great divide when that is a scam. Obama's base (no, not Wall Street and the defense/security apparattus but the alleged "base" of npr style liberals and blue dog Democrats) isn't going away because he couldn't compromise but because he is so eager TO compromise. I think we are being set up for the "Grand Bargain" the two parties will reach via The Great Cat Food Panel 2.0. To sell it, Obama and the rest of the status-qou Democrats will have to appear to have no choice because of this or that and so . . . NPR will breathlessly report the crumbs that fall off the table from the uber-wealthy's massive profit are a fair and "liberal" compromise.

It isn't anger that brought me here. It isn't anger that propels me to post. It is to try to understand how this scam is foisted upon us.

edk; 8/18/11, 8:53 AM
bpfb said...: Haw haw, G-Dawg! Reading your repurposed verse, I had on my imaginary fro, headband, left-handed Strat and a cosmic groove.

uh-heh-uh-heh....~.

"inishru" (!); 8/18/11, 9:11 AM
Anonymous said...: bpfb: Hope you didn't burn your imaginary self when you lit the Strat on fire!

edk; 8/18/11, 9:35 AM
beepeeeffbee said...: ^ Ah, yes - didn't get that incendiary with the flashback. ;-)

"It's just a release, man." (JH explaining his pyromanic tendencies to Dick Cavett)

and on this NoPR-free day (overslept thru the headlines, even - oh, snap!)...

"diboutap" (!); 8/18/11, 11:25 AM
Anonymous said...: Gotta hand it to NPR. Every time you turn the switch there's something to raise your eyebrows. This morning it was planet monkey and David Kestenbaum's "investigation" of the mystery of the position of a bridge in New York. Left this comment on their comment page:
Nice to know that NPR "journalists" still know what investigation is. Now perhaps Mr. Kestenbaum and others at NPR would like to turn their attention to more pressing mysteries such as why the US isn't taking global leadership of sincere efforts to address climate change; why US public monies are poured into illegal, murderous and lunatic wars and stepped-up drone bombing campaigns in Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan; how and why the US is involved in a protracted bombing effort (killing hundreds of Libyan civilians to date) to oust Ghaddafi in Libya on the basis of "protecting civilians"; how and why the US "lawmakers" would rather create phony financial crises as a pretext to shifting costs to the poor than address head-on the real problem of massive unemployment in the US.
In other words, there are plenty of real "mystery" stories to cover, but NPR -- like the rest of the fawning corporate media would rather fiddle while Rome burns.; 8/19/11, 8:29 AM
Anonymous said...: Ah -- Stop press!!!
My comments on the NPR website have just been noticed and removed because they don't meet the NPR.org discussion rules (off subject probably -- a late lbw decision there by the NPR umpires).
That's the way it goes at NPR. Anything really critical doesn't survive long. Interesting, though -- it was up for over 2 hours (what took them so long???) and I'm very glad to see that it had been recommended multiple times. So that suggests there are a lot of confused and angry folk out there -- just like me. Puts me in mind of a comment Noam Chomsky once made about viable third political parties in this country -- along the lines of ... even if the candidate just dropped from Mars they'd probably win afair election ...; 8/19/11, 10:01 AM
bpfb said...: ^ That'll learn ya, Anon.

Their discussion rules evidently are to a) post something disguistingly fawning about the "personalities" and b) don't criticize their oh-so-informative reporting. Hurts their delicate sensitivities, y'know.

"grenessi" (?!); 8/19/11, 10:21 AM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: I don't know how I missed this?

Ten Things NPR Got Wrong Defending The Falsely Balanced Ex-Gay Story | ThinkProgress

They're taking NPR Ombot to task for his lame defense of their awful anti-science story on Gay "conversion" therapy.

It's a laundry list of NPR sucksiness:

1. Toscano’s remarks misrepresented
2. Listeners blamed for bad reporting
3. More false balance – the debate exists
4. No new data provided on ex-gays
5. “fascinating stories” can do harm
6. Religious belief used as crutch for harm
7. No “blurry line” between conversion therapy and regular treatment
8. Religion and sexual orientation can be reconciled
9. Ex-gays are most definitely anti-gay
10. More false balance – wyler and toscano both profit; 8/19/11, 11:07 AM
Anonymous said...: Did you see this?

http://www.npr.org/2011/08/16/139651077/study-are-cohabiting-parents-bad-for-kids

Newsflash: Right-wing fundie organization claims that cohabitation is bad for Teh Chyldrun. Dozens of disgusted commenters point out that (a) correlation != causation, and (b) consider the source.; 8/19/11, 2:11 PM
GRUMPY DEMO said...: Friday flouxsom from NPR's second least popular member of the NPR.org community. (Least pop. would be bd)

This past week NPR, without any comment, repeated Gov. Rick Perry's claim that global warming did not exist and was a plot by scientist to make money. At no time has NPR done any fact checking, critical analysis, or taken any effort to verify this statement.

Yet in prior several stories NPR has reported the 98% of scientists believe that Global warming is real and is happening.

Based on NRP's behavior I can only think of two explanations for their behavior:

1) NPR has so little respect for its' own reporting that it does not believe it's reporters' stories and they are not valid sources of creditable information.

2) When a GOP politician states a clear falsehood, as Perry did, based on NPR's own reporting, and NPR does not challenge or correct that falsehood, that NPR has little concern for the truth or giving it's listener factual and accurate information.

. . . or they could be just spineless wimps with little regard for journalism.

Either way such behavior says more about NPR than they realize.

Any it's 104 at 4PM in Dallas and I'm outta my beverage du jour, so I've gotta make a run.

Stay cool over the weekend everyone enjoy Saturday it's National Radio day, I may twitter some of this blogs greatest hits for fun.

GD; 8/19/11, 4:15 PM
gDog said...: Another so-called liberal-biased news outlet is outed for bald propaganda: the New Yorker. A pitifully easy disection is performed by Russ Baker here: Who–and What–Are Behind the “Official History” of the Bin Laden Raid?; 8/19/11, 8:57 PM
Anonymous said...: bin-laden was dead within days of 911 because he was a "loose end" tha needed to be eliminated.

That would explain why Obama was allowed to kill him 10 years later. Then you need to convince the public of the heroics on display and credit accrues to Obama who is rapidly becoming the Democrats Hoover (forget FDR there's no money there). Second election win (have you seen/heard any of his challengers lol lol) and then the crash (which will be blamed on we, the people). Welcome to Crisis Capitalism suckers.

I'm just sayin'

edk; 8/20/11, 9:56 AM