NPR Ombudsman
http://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2010-02-08/npr-ombudsman
Converging technologies raise new questions for public radio -- like taking responsibility for decisions about photos used by affiliate radio stations to illustrate a story online? What Haiti coverage illuminated, and what it didn't. Plus, whether NPR is going 'too easy' on President Obama. Kojo talks with your representative at NPR, Ombudsman Alicia Shepard.
Guests
Alicia Shepard
NPR Ombudsman
Comments
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Regarding reporting the bad stuff , that speaks to our crisis media mentality and the good stuff should be given better coverage. This can be done with out sappy piano music and articles about puppies. Its very important to know what is working and how our objectives have positive results.
Why are the NPR "experts" who appear on NPR and WAMU talk shows (including Kojo and Diane Rheem so antagonistic towards people who call in and ask questions that aren't in line with the "conventional wisdom?"
For example, why was the guy who called Diane this morning asking why toasters can be manufactured in Indiana had his opinion dissed by the economists who appeared on the show? In fact, toasters are selling for more than $100 in DC area department stores.
NPR news should be about reporting TRUTH. You know, because facts matter.
Ms. Shepard's defense of resorting to euphemisms, or of NPR holding their tongues to instead "let the listener decide", instead of calling torture torture is disgusting—indeed, it makes NPR part of the problem.
And when she says that many people think that what we did (that we tortured people) was what needed to happen... It's this kind of twisted logic that Ms. Shepard needs to be called on.
Oh, I see Ms. Shepard, if
A: someone says "we needed to do it", and
B: torture is illegal,
well therefore, what we did couldn't have been torture!
Yay, Shepardian logic at its finest!
Mr. Nmandi:
In your intro to the show, you mention the "using the word looter" issue. When you do, you refer to the person as a looter. Kind of defeats the purpose of the discussion.
In three other parts of the show, you try to frame issues as left/right: Mr. Zinn was a populist first (and in that way has numerous things in common with the tea party movement). Trying to squeeze his important book into the left/right spectrum diminishes the many valuable contributions it makes. When a caller objects to the restriction of ideological political perspective, you again ask if it is both on the left and the right. And when you talk about alternative radio, you say that it has to necessarily needs to be left or right. That kind of dialogue not only limits discussion and solutions, but your own thinking as well.
The tone of your reading of the email at the end suggested that you approved of the writer's objection to the caller Glenn objecting to corporate influence and thus not contributing. What Glenn objected to is the INFLUENCE, not the donations. If the putative firewall were doing its job, I suspect NPR could have both Glenn's donation and the corporations'. Oh, wait; then the corporations wouldn't be able to influence NPR.
And you are right that the easiest part of Ms. Shepard's job is the interviews with you. With so little critical appraisal of what she does, I don't blame her for coming on. Perhaps next time you might start by reviewing with whom she has agreed to do interviews of any kind over the last year and how that fits in with her mandate to be available to the public for interviews.
Thank you.
Tortured logic indeed.
Jack writes:
Oh, I see Ms. Shepard, if
A: someone says "we needed to do it", and
B: torture is illegal,
well therefore, what we did couldn't have been torture!
Yay, Shepardian logic at its finest!
I also listened in 'shock and awe' when Alicia concluded her answer to Nick reminding everyone that the rest of the World believed water boarding to be torture and illegal.
So how could Alicia keep her job and still tell the American Public that the Emperor has no clothes. That would take guts, soul searching and likely a job search as well.
Why is this all important?
I just drove into work listening to a CSPAN interview with Thiessen - a proponent of Water 'techniques' that persuade 'terrorists' (because all we capture are terrorists) to tell their 'interviewer' the truth 'relieving' themselves of the burden of not cooperating.
Alicia and Kojo, you know that line from Burke: "All that's necessary for the forces of evil to win in the world is for enough good men (to agree that torture is not torture and .....) to do nothing."
If you cannot speak against the Thiessen's of this World please do not speak for them - it pains us to hear you.
Regarding reporting the bad stuff , that speaks to our crisis media mentality and the good stuff should be given better coverage. This can be done with out sappy piano music and articles about puppies. Its very important to know what is working and how our objectives have positive results. Health Insurance
Yea they really do need to start emphasizing more on the good things and less on the bad. Then they won't have to worry so much about whether technology is hurting NPR.
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