Sunday, May 4, 2014

NPR, sheesh

From the sublime to the not-sublime: NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday had a segment this morning announcing the winner of a contest run by Bleeding Fingers Custom Music Shop, a company that supplies music to reality-television shows, “everything from Duck Dynasty to Survivor.” The prize: a job as a staff composer at Bleeding Fingers. No irony here, just Rachel Martin’s cheerfulness. Speaking to the winner: “I imagine you have to be kind of thrilled, right?”

NPR, what’s going on?

Other cranky NPR posts
NPR speaking
A yucky Wednesday on NPR

comments: 3

Slywy said...

NPR posted this to Facebook, where the quality of the writing received some pretty pointed criticisms.

http://www.npr.org/blogs/krulwich/2014/05/04/309038580/listen-to-these-lovely-cats-no-actually-don-t

"Stop with these bloggers, go back to journalistic reporting with integrity"

"Who is Robert kulwich and why are you letting such poor journalism represent NPR. Are you guys using the script from Idiocracy as your new guideline for content?"

"Shame on NPR. Have to go and anthropomorphize the natural characteristics of another species?! Ugh. Stick to real science."

"Cats always make weird sounds in a face off. Sorry to say but posts from NPR are going downhill lately."

I think they've picked up this awful style from Slate, Upworthy, and other link baiting sites.

(The video is interesting. The writing is terrible. Yes, clearly two cats posturing over territory to avoid a physical confrontation that could leave them injured.)

Michael Leddy said...

Sean from Contrapuntalism had a similar thought about what’s happening to the NPR website.

As you and I both know, some “bloggers” write with considerable grace and intelligence. People like Robert Krulwich are journalists.

Slywy said...

Yeah, I was struck by the number of comments from people who liked the video but not the story. I don't think I commented. As for Mr. Kulwich, he's probably stuck doing what the overlords require.