I was listening to my morning dose of NPR today and it suddenly struck me how wonderfully mellow every host, every guest and even the guys who do the commercials sound on the channel (not that there are very many guys doing commercials, its only just the ones announcing the sponsors for the broadcasts) . There is a certain crisp, musical element in every sound that comes out from within the confines of their studio(s). The even more amazing thing is the perfect harmony between the multitude of sounds that are generated. Even the refreshingly unique snippets of music that they play between broadcasts blend in perfectly with the rest of the show.
Do they really go hunting for people who sound nice to be aired? Maybe. If the hunt were for the hosts themselves. But for guests too? Can't be! They can't afford to pick their guests on the basis of how musical or symphonic they sound!
So now that makes me think, maybe it is not the people or their voices - perhaps it is the actual content of the show - the subjects they pick, the questions they ask(or not ask!), the coverage provided. But then, isn't all that a part of their website too? Now, while I know I respect the web page per se (or even their facebook community), I am not half as fascinated by it as I am by the radio channel itself. So it can't be just the content.
Is it the fact that it is 'radio'? One interesting thing is when I am just 'listening', I am using just one of my 5 senses - my sense of hearing and I, am using it in full-on mode, with all my attentions being focussed on what my one fully functioning sense is receiving, and processing just that and nothing else (other than the data from the road signs and the cars on the road, of course! I don't want to get into trouble with CMPD now!). Hence my ability to dissect what I receive is enhanced many-fold. And considering that NPR already presents some great stuff, the total effect on my mind and body is extremely pleasing to the mind and the body. Kind of like reading.
So it is a combination of these two things that makes my morning rides with NPR extra special - the content of the programming and the fact that it is radio. And now that I have understood this little secret, I think I will appreciate my dates with the channel much, much more :)
Happy tuning in, to NPR!
Interesting...Just when I was sick of my own music collection, I discovered a radio station from New York city..I just love it...and it is probably the exact opposite of NPR...full of opinions, not just facts...tons of negativism, criticism and pessimism..about life, NYC, world, bridges and tolls, income and taxes, current administration, u name it...but presented in a very amusing way..."can you believe this?!!!" is heard every couple minutes...I guess all the pessimism makes the cynical me feel better about myself...but, after reading your account of NPR, I think I am ready for a change...again!
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Surekha I am pretty sure I would enjoy this channel just as much as I enjoy NPR, you know why? Because it seems to have 'character' -just like NPR :). And character goes a long way, I think!
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