21–30 of 42 posts
I actually like the more casual, conversational storytelling that NPR is known for. I find the NPR style of delivery to be innovative and calling this "NPR Voice" might just be a negative dig from media traditionalists. Ira Glass is one of the most recognizable NPR reporters and explains it like this, from the linked article: “Back when we were kids, authority came from enunciation, precision,” Mr. Glass said. “But a…
"_____bbbbbBillion"
It's not a big number any more. ;-)
Earlier quoted context omitted.
There must be some acceptable middle ground. Have you ever listened to BBC news radio? It's dry as chalk.
The BBC news I listen to (the News Hour they play on my local NPR station every morning) is much more emotional than NPR. This is especially true in the interviews, where they hit hard and are not afraid to ask uncomfortable questions, whereas NPR interviewers tend to be very accommodating and mostly exist to set up the interviewee to say what they want to say.
Not entirely taken over, only on the left-wing stations. Right wing stations have an entirely different vocal style, and you can tell within seconds what sort of station you've just tuned into.
I have referred to NPR, for some time now, as the Bureau of Silly Voices (in homage to Monty Python's Bureau of Silly Walks).
My favorite part of NPR interviews is when they do it out in the field ... ie walking over a bunch of fallen leaves with the soundguy putting his mic near their feet to pick up the crunch, crunch. That happens every ... single ... time they do an interview. I mainly just listen to find out what the soundguy did to get a weird sound.
A result is the suggestion of spontaneous speech and unadulterated emotion. The irony is that such presentations are highly rehearsed, with each caesura calculated and every syllable stressed in advance. This is actually a major problem with the entire TV and radio age. People who seem awkward or fake in front of a camera are actually normal people. It is simply not natural to talk directly to a camera lens as if it…
It occurs to me that a decent segment of the public figure that politicians and public figures have acting skills. Can you expand on why acting authentic, and the authentic seeming the opposite, in front of the camera is "a major problem with the entire TV and radio age"?
There's a 1987 movie called Broadcast News which touches on the issues of how reporters portray the news and what can happen, and why it might be considered unethical to add touches and flourishes that add authenticity to inauthentic events.
NPR Voice is attractive, I enjoy listening to it, but what else can they sell me while they use that voice?
If NPR Voice is not spontaneous but heavily practiced, rehearsed and edited, how is it different from propaganda?
I have referred to NPR, for some time now, as the Bureau of Silly Voices (in homage to Monty Python's Bureau of Silly Walks).
Not to mention Silly Names. Looking at you, Sunari Glinton, Neda Ulaby, and Olfebia Quist-Arcton. Speaking of names, why do the anchors pronounce the Egypt-based correspondent's name "Layla Fadel" while she pronounces her own name "Layla Faldin"? This irritates me no end!
It's a product of accent. Her last name is فضل . The anchors are producing the Arabic letter ض as [d], whereas Leila herself is pronouncing it as the Lebanese do: [dˤ]. The pharyngealization of the voiced alveolar stop has an effect on the next letter, pulling it from the alveolar lateral approximant [l] to something closer to to the retroflex lateral approximant, [ɭ]. Because we don't have [ɭ] in English (or whatever language/s you speak), you hear what's closest to that, the alveolar nasal [n]. The same goes for the phantom [l] you hear before the d: pharyngealization changes your perception of those sounds.
I have referred to NPR, for some time now, as the Bureau of Silly Voices (in homage to Monty Python's Bureau of Silly Walks).
Not to mention Silly Names. Looking at you, Sunari Glinton, Neda Ulaby, and Olfebia Quist-Arcton. Speaking of names, why do the anchors pronounce the Egypt-based correspondent's name "Layla Fadel" while she pronounces her own name "Layla Faldin"? This irritates me no end!
I actually like the more casual, conversational storytelling that NPR is known for. I find the NPR style of delivery to be innovative and calling this "NPR Voice" might just be a negative dig from media traditionalists. Ira Glass is one of the most recognizable NPR reporters and explains it like this, from the linked article: “Back when we were kids, authority came from enunciation, precision,” Mr. Glass said. “But a…
I mean, it's as if every human story on NPR has an implicit call to action. I don't want your propaganda (nor Fox's or MSNBC's etc.) I just want you to present news and I can maker up my mind if it's terrible good, indifferent or somewhere in between.