July 9, 2009 by @kengeorge
The King of Pop is dead. Long live the King.
Or haven’t you heard?
Okay, I’ll resist the temptation to heavily lather on more snarkiness, despite my reflexive tendency to do just that.
Its just that the other day I heard a reporter, someone whom I greatly respect, inveigh against all the column inches and air time invested in the Jackson death saga. And as NPR’s coverage of the public farewall wafted in from the radio on the other side of the partition, this reporter reminded those in ear-shot (some in diapers when this person was chasing down bad guys in dark alleys), there were other things that perhaps public radio should pay more attention too, like for instance, the American project in Afghanistan, which shows signs it may be on the verge of imploding.
Don’t get me wrong, Jackson’s cultural significance is enormous. And despite all the personal eccentricities — that inexorable devolution into almost supernaturally bizarre behavior — his was a formidable, industry-altering talent. He rightfully deserves a spot in the pantheon.
Still you gotta wonder if all the coverage, especially of that staged-manged, kitsch-drenched (golden coffin!) colossus of a “public” memorial service was a tad excessive, and if public radio all too readily bit at the worm.
What do you think? Do you feel it was appropriate?
Or when it comes to the news, should NPR stick to the vegetables?
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July 1, 2009 by @kengeorge
You don’t need me to remind you of the unseasonably cold and overcast weather, aligned more to the New England temperament at baseline than those sunny, warm days typical this far into the season.
At the station: Lots of sullen looks, sighs, head shakes, and manifestations of odd behavior. Steve Brown opened the door to the patio this afternoon and almost wistfully stared at the downpour. David Boeri barks at the traffic louder than usual during his impossibly long commute home, the first leg of which I share as far as Arlington Heights (which I heretofore thought was intolerably far from the office until David revealed where he calls home). And the lobby now sports an aquarium sans fish. Huh? Continue Reading »
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June 29, 2009 by @kengeorge
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June 26, 2009 by @kengeorge
One of my colleagues is a notional blogger at best. The time spent waiting for his next post is measurable in geological time. And don’t get even get me started on Twitter. I had hair last time he Tweeted me.
This shortcoming of his I all too often forgive after reading his stuff. To wit: “How I Spent My 30th Birthday.”
Naturally my expectations have been tempered since those halcyon days when I first introduced @davidboeri to the miracle that is WordPress. Re-reading my post from that time (approximately six months + change), it is abundantly clear I harbored great—though quite unrealistic—expectations.
David assures me that in the coming months, he plans to increase his output. I hope, foolishly and futilely perhaps, that this will turn out to be the case. He is a journalist full of stories informed by decades walking a beat that has taken him to crime-ridden back alleys and other extreme environments (some literally at the top of the world).
Tell us more, David!
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June 24, 2009 by @kengeorge
Further evidence of our listener’s intelligence, perspicacity, creativity…
Exhibit A: Wahyd Vannoni, polyglot, word traveler, magazine publisher, and regular attendee of the 90.9 Tweet-Ups.
Being the good entrepreneur that he is, Wahyd spies a potential revenue opportunity for public radio stations in his iPod:
If I press again the central button on my iPod, I get the following information on the show:
Continue Reading »
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