Thursday, June 23, 2005

Speechless

My soapbox is about the size of a nickel and worth just about as much. I do however feel the need to impress upon you, my loyal Tie-ites (hmm, need to work on that) the need to shift your gaze for a moment, if only briefly, to the plight of our friends at npr. I use lower case because they do, and it looks better.

Yeah, yeah...every year they go through the same thing. Give, give, give. Just as Nina Totenberg is about to wisk you to our country's legal battlefield or Eric Westervelt reports on the insanity of the real battlefield, you are shocked into the realization that you are in the middle of another dreaded pledge drive.

I know I run the risk of sounding like a demented celebrity pleading for the sake of the Antarctican Eelpout (it's a fish) but without npr, without public broadcasting we would no longer function as a well rounded and educated society with honest, fair and truthful output. Instead we would be forced to suckle the teat of government-influenced and biased reporting fueled by the cash of whatever corporation wants you to hear their spin...or try their car or eat their stinky cheese. Or whatever the case may be.

You don't get any of that with npr. You get honest, frank, frightening, enlightening, humorous, intelligent, profound, accute, eloquent, book smart, street smart, whip smart, artistic, challenging, soothing, oxygenated, textured, always quality broadcasting without the pandering to those with the most money. As a matter of fact, it would be easy for them to take the money..they need it. And most people listen without contributing thinking someone else will give. This isn't the case.

This time, the drive isn't just about money...well it is, but it is more about letting our voices be heard. For or against. Please let someone know how you feel. The House of Representatives has decided to cut $190 million from CPB's budget, that's 45% of its federal funding. 45% is a lot if you are like me and hate math.

I'm as political as Ashlee Simpson and would never force anything down your unwilling gullet. But if you have read this far and have not tuned out like most do during a pledge drive, then you at least have heart. I would then encourage you to follow that heart; that deep seeded desire to preserve the culturally relevant Public Broadcasting system that we all too often do not appreciate.

npr.org
WMFE Orlando

thank you, the nickel has been spent

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't get through the day without hearing "This is NPR News, I'm Ann Taylor..."

Or David Brown on Marketplace. Not as sexy as his voice makes him out to be, incidentally.

Beta Mike said...

I am actually addicted to Corey Flintoff's voice. Have been ever since college. I know what you are saying about Dan Brown...put a bag over his head!!! Or cut his hair, it would make a difference at least.