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NPR One

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Re: NPR One

#171

Post by javaun »

dredmorbius wrote: post #168
javaun wrote: post #128

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I was going to put this into a thread below re: public vs. private NPR APIs, but it seems more relevant here. Content programming fees are NPR's main form of revenue. When your station WXYZ holds a fundraiser, you donate to them, not to NPR. WXYZ pays NPR on a sliding scale. A station with 1 million listeners pays roughly 10x what a station with 100k listeners pay. NPR is actually barred from accepting donations dire…

I'm generally aware of much of this, but it suggests an interesting argument about economics, in general. Pay according to ability, "tent-pole" products (these exist in for-profit services and retail as well), etc.

I love the intention of making the shows affordable and peg costs to a per-user basis. The reality in the U.S. is that big urban markets like NY, Boston, SF, LA, Washington, etc. are flush with cash, while stations in in small rural markets struggle to make ends meet. If federal assistance to CPB dried up, it's these largely underserved rural markets that would go dark, not big cities.

Re: NPR One

#172

Post by rhizome »

skywhopper wrote: post #76
ruytlm wrote: post #43

This is all well and good, but why does everyone need to have their own damn app? This is the biggest problem with audio apps these days - you get everyone trying to make a similar thing, and because they're all competing they all try and lock each other out of their own products. What would be so much better is a content-agnostic platform, that'll let you play whatever the hell you want - whether it's music, talk ra…

I'm not sure I understand your critique. It appears NPR has come up with an interesting approach to allowing discovery of content it has access to in the form of this app, but they understandably aren't planning to get into the business of providing access to all audio content in the world via their app. But you are not restricted to using the NPR app to listen to NPR. Their content is also available in numerous othe…

but they understandably aren't planning to get into the business of providing access to all audio content in the world via their app

Yeah, they aren't iheartradio or anything.

Re: NPR One

#173

Post by jcburns »

Oh please, NPR, take the money you spend on developing fancy misguided apps that supposedly serve up "curated content" and spend it on more reporters' salaries.

Lots more reporters. Lots and LOTS more reporters. The world is a big place, and the list of crucial, complex, reportable issues is growing by the day.

Then we can enjoy the "curation" work of the producers of the fine programs you put on the air and online—have you heard them? They're really a pretty good example of curated content. (Of course, those programs used to simply be called good broadcast journalism.)

Re: NPR One

#174

Post by npunt »

jcburns wrote: post #173

Oh please, NPR, take the money you spend on developing fancy misguided apps that supposedly serve up "curated content" and spend it on more reporters' salaries. Lots more reporters. Lots and LOTS more reporters. The world is a big place, and the list of crucial, complex, reportable issues is growing by the day. Then we can enjoy the "curation" work of the producers of the fine programs you put on the air and online—h…

To hire reporters you need $. To get $ in the digital age, you really should have some control of the distribution of your content. Therefore, an app makes sense, especially at NPRs scale.

Re: NPR One

#175

Post by jcburns »

npunt wrote: post #174
jcburns wrote: post #173

Oh please, NPR, take the money you spend on developing fancy misguided apps that supposedly serve up "curated content" and spend it on more reporters' salaries. Lots more reporters. Lots and LOTS more reporters. The world is a big place, and the list of crucial, complex, reportable issues is growing by the day. Then we can enjoy the "curation" work of the producers of the fine programs you put on the air and online—h…

To hire reporters you need $. To get $ in the digital age, you really should have some control of the distribution of your content. Therefore, an app makes sense, especially at NPRs scale.

NPR has had INTENSE control of their content since the 1970s. They don't need an app for that. They also have staggering amounts of donations and endowment funds. They may, sadly, have more money than they know what to do with.

Re: NPR One

#177

Post by rugbydev »

anigbrowl wrote: post #125

Good stuff, but your feed will be 'hadcrafted'? No it won't. That specifically means a human being involved in structuring your feed at the other end I seriously doubt that's the case. Words have meanings beyond their emotional marketing value, subverting them for commercial ends will eventually erode the trust of your audience.

Fast Co has an interview that talks about this in more detail: http://www.fastcolabs.com/3033672/peeking-under-the-hood-of-...

Re: NPR One

#178

Post by stronglikedan »

endgame wrote: post #169
stronglikedan wrote: post #32

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's not just you. It's an annoying trend. Perhaps it's good for phones and tablets (that's arguable), but I don't think it's good for mouse input. At least this landing page (NPR) has optional buttons on the right side, unlike most pages I've seen like this (Spendee). It's turning "mobile first" into "mobile only", and I am being dragged kicking and screaming into it.

Not only that, but it manages to break the spacebar as a scrolling tool. I'm getting really sick of webapps that are hijacking or breaking keyboard shortcuts!

Oh wow, I hadn't even noticed that! I use the space bar to scroll in "couch mode", because of the lack of scroll wheel on my laptop. Lately, I feel like I'm going to start shaking my fist at clouds.

Re: NPR One

#179

Post by dredmorbius »

javaun wrote: post #171
dredmorbius wrote: post #168

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm generally aware of much of this, but it suggests an interesting argument about economics, in general. Pay according to ability, "tent-pole" products (these exist in for-profit services and retail as well), etc.

I love the intention of making the shows affordable and peg costs to a per-user basis. The reality in the U.S. is that big urban markets like NY, Boston, SF, LA, Washington, etc. are flush with cash, while stations in in small rural markets struggle to make ends meet. If federal assistance to CPB dried up, it's these largely underserved rural markets that would go dark, not big cities.

Truth on the rural markets, though I suspect running those translators is pretty inexpensive. I've got to say, having made more than a few cross-country trips, that finding myself within range of an NPR station rather than just very tired C&W, bible, right-rage-wing talk, or Mexican radio is a blessing.

Re: NPR One

#180

Post by kate_myers »

dredmorbius wrote: post #179
javaun wrote: post #171

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I love the intention of making the shows affordable and peg costs to a per-user basis. The reality in the U.S. is that big urban markets like NY, Boston, SF, LA, Washington, etc. are flush with cash, while stations in in small rural markets struggle to make ends meet. If federal assistance to CPB dried up, it's these largely underserved rural markets that would go dark, not big cities.

Truth on the rural markets, though I suspect running those translators is pretty inexpensive. I've got to say, having made more than a few cross-country trips, that finding myself within range of an NPR station rather than just very tired C&W, bible, right-rage-wing talk, or Mexican radio is a blessing.

Disclosure: I work at NPR.

The cost isn't just for the translators however - most of our stations also produce content themselves that is local, and many produce their own shows as well. Those are not small investments, but a smaller audience in a rural area means fewer people to raise support from. Our Alaska stations actually band together to help keep radio going across Alaska, though population is thinner.

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