NPR - Public Storyteller

            After class last week I listened to radio broadcasts a little differently, perhaps due to a “metacognitive state of mind”.  What I realized is that DJ’s are “spinners” of tales and storytellers.  I have always wondered if I missed my calling by not pursuing my first “degree” choice as a freshman in college, Radio Broadcasting.  At the time, I felt that I only had the personality, not the “voice”.  In all honesty, it was a field still dominated by males. In retrospect, I think I would have enjoyed the field, especially a public radio format, not the usual DJ format. 

           One thought lead to another, and as usual I got to thinking about public radio and its future.  With declining ratings and competition from satellite radio and other audio formats, could it be eliminated?  Can it stand out as both an entertainment and information source that comes without direct cost to listeners? I did a little research and found that most industry insiders and observers seem to agree that radio has lost some ground with listeners and needs to make adjustments. First and foremost, broadcast radio should remove the homogenized broadcasts of the 20^th Century.  Gone are the days of male DJ domination with formatting that competes with like minded stations!!!  I guess I still might have a slim opportunity to host a show???
           In the age of subscriber-based media, satellite radio and mobile technology have guided the radio industry by allowing listeners to customize radio to their individual tastes. Like public radio, satellite and mobile technology are commercial free, a huge plus for many weary of the ad-saturated media.  In contrast to public radio, both formats utilize a fee to listeners.  One of our cars has satellite radio as my husband is a huge fan of Howard Stern and loves his “XM Sirius” radio format. He often listens to the show more than the music stations while working and travelling from job site to job site. I enjoy the commercial free music channels.  NPR has joined the ranks of Sirius; nonetheless, the local broadcasted programming remains - local. 
           Again, I this makes me think about what could be done to circumvent this? I suggest podcasting regional programming to promote the progress of local shows such as The Public Storyteller in gaining more listeners and a wider reach. By using the archives as automatic feeds via the Internet, Florida Storytellers could be heard around the world.  This would be a valuable addition to the show and enable all those that missed the broadcast the opportunity to listen via their mobile devices. 
         Check it out my favorite podcast...

With a Happy Heart,

Cynde