Loved this, speaking as someone who did not grow up listening to much public radio, but who now works for an NPR affiliate station. There is definitely insider knowledge and lingo that regular NPR listeners all have and which I have slowly had to learn. I actually work more with our music station than our NPR news station, so I am still a little out of touch. I do feel silly when someone assumes I know something about NPR programming, hosts, or general history that I don't. I actually probably heard more conservative talk radio growing up, which I am not particularly nostalgic about, lol. I mostly just remember there was a lot of yelling!
I got into the radio game more for a love of music than of public radio. However, having worked in a lot of commercial radio, I am a much bigger fan of the public media model, as unstable as it may be sometimes. The de-regulation of the radio industry has yielded such depressing results.
I grew up in rural MN in a very conservative area but with white liberal parents who had white liberal friends, and we 100% listened to NPR on every car ride! One of my "claims to fame" as a child was that we have a photo of Garrison holding me as a baby, because one of my dad's friends happened to be good friends with him. This entire post was like reading about a piece of my childhood that I had almost forgotten. Now I'm off to make my kids listen to "All Things Considered."
My first ex and I used to listen to NPR on long road trips. I so enjoyed and appreciated it. My parents never listened to talk radio, so it was a new experience for me.
I have been thinking about who I’m going to give my preorder copy of your book (since I have an advance reader copy), and had thought maybe the superintendent of my kids’ school district - I will have to see though because I also don’t want to waste it lol - the district is primarily white higher income. In the whole district, there are maybe 2 Black teachers. I was just asked to serve on a parent interview committee for a principal search for the high school!! I hope I’m able to have some influence, and I hope there are candidates other than white males that make it to the interview process…
I grew up on the Canadian side of the border and listened to both NPR and CBC, with a good smattering of Motown and late night experimental college radio (that kid with a flashlight reading books under the covers past midnight is me). It’s been interesting to think about how media doesn’t give me the unfiltered version of culture even when it’s broadcasting versus podcast culture. BTW Car Talk taught me how to identify bad pistons in a used car! And living in California taught me just how white I didn’t know I was (Malcolm Gladwell reportedly experienced a similar racialized “awakening” when he moved to Toronto).
Grew up in Colorado in the late 60s but yup. NPR, the Unitarian church, the causes. Defines who I am today. Imagine my excitement when the late Neal Conan moved to the same small town, down the street from me, here in Hawaiʻi. Canʻt wait to read your book.
We were definitely an NPR in the car listening household. My dad worshipped Garrison Keillor, and we all depended on the news at the top of every hour. In my brain there is an inevitable association with Quaker Meeting and Stainglass Bluegrass, which happened to play on Sunday mornings at the same time we drove to the Meetinghouse every weekend.
My children aren't forced to listen to NPR because when my marriage fell apart I made the decision to move back to town where I wouldn't necessarily have a car commute anymore. And even when we were in the car, our poverty provided us with a crap car with a crap stereo, so I just mostly turned it off. I sometimes feel badly about this, but I don't miss spending so much time in the car, so here we are.
Loved this, speaking as someone who did not grow up listening to much public radio, but who now works for an NPR affiliate station. There is definitely insider knowledge and lingo that regular NPR listeners all have and which I have slowly had to learn. I actually work more with our music station than our NPR news station, so I am still a little out of touch. I do feel silly when someone assumes I know something about NPR programming, hosts, or general history that I don't. I actually probably heard more conservative talk radio growing up, which I am not particularly nostalgic about, lol. I mostly just remember there was a lot of yelling!
I got into the radio game more for a love of music than of public radio. However, having worked in a lot of commercial radio, I am a much bigger fan of the public media model, as unstable as it may be sometimes. The de-regulation of the radio industry has yielded such depressing results.
I grew up in rural MN in a very conservative area but with white liberal parents who had white liberal friends, and we 100% listened to NPR on every car ride! One of my "claims to fame" as a child was that we have a photo of Garrison holding me as a baby, because one of my dad's friends happened to be good friends with him. This entire post was like reading about a piece of my childhood that I had almost forgotten. Now I'm off to make my kids listen to "All Things Considered."
Lovely read, thank you. Yes, we're always transmitting!
Just heard that your book is in the post and on it's way to me :)
My first ex and I used to listen to NPR on long road trips. I so enjoyed and appreciated it. My parents never listened to talk radio, so it was a new experience for me.
I have been thinking about who I’m going to give my preorder copy of your book (since I have an advance reader copy), and had thought maybe the superintendent of my kids’ school district - I will have to see though because I also don’t want to waste it lol - the district is primarily white higher income. In the whole district, there are maybe 2 Black teachers. I was just asked to serve on a parent interview committee for a principal search for the high school!! I hope I’m able to have some influence, and I hope there are candidates other than white males that make it to the interview process…
I grew up on the Canadian side of the border and listened to both NPR and CBC, with a good smattering of Motown and late night experimental college radio (that kid with a flashlight reading books under the covers past midnight is me). It’s been interesting to think about how media doesn’t give me the unfiltered version of culture even when it’s broadcasting versus podcast culture. BTW Car Talk taught me how to identify bad pistons in a used car! And living in California taught me just how white I didn’t know I was (Malcolm Gladwell reportedly experienced a similar racialized “awakening” when he moved to Toronto).
If the upcoming book has these kind of ruminations, count me in! I also love your children’s taste in Eurovision- ahem, I mean, music.
🎵 Hey baby, when you talk to meeee… 🎵
Pea Green Boat!!!
Grew up in Colorado in the late 60s but yup. NPR, the Unitarian church, the causes. Defines who I am today. Imagine my excitement when the late Neal Conan moved to the same small town, down the street from me, here in Hawaiʻi. Canʻt wait to read your book.
We were definitely an NPR in the car listening household. My dad worshipped Garrison Keillor, and we all depended on the news at the top of every hour. In my brain there is an inevitable association with Quaker Meeting and Stainglass Bluegrass, which happened to play on Sunday mornings at the same time we drove to the Meetinghouse every weekend.
My children aren't forced to listen to NPR because when my marriage fell apart I made the decision to move back to town where I wouldn't necessarily have a car commute anymore. And even when we were in the car, our poverty provided us with a crap car with a crap stereo, so I just mostly turned it off. I sometimes feel badly about this, but I don't miss spending so much time in the car, so here we are.