Mapping the NPR-Lisa Simeone manufactured controversy

So, you've probably heard about the NPR-Lisa Simeone flap by now, which is basically another manufactured controversy. I won't recount the details because they're convoluted but you can get the gist of the story from this HuffPo post.

However, I did produce a Venn diagram to try to illustrate the incredibly tangential relationship between NPR and Lisa Simeone. So why did NPR react to this at all? They could have stayed silent and let the individual parties work this out. It's because NPR did what they always do -- they panicked and wanted to show that they were Very Serious People handling "the situation" very seriously. It's no coincidence either that these controversies always erupt either in the midst of, or right around, member station pledge time.


Note: The only relationship between NPR and Soundprint was that Soundprint adopted NPR's ethics code. NPR did not distribute Soundprint. NPR did distribute World of Opera, but WoO is not a news program so NPR's ethics code wouldn't apply.

NPR is a real letdown these days.

I'm thinking of WNYC's On The Media and Radiolab, WILL's Media Matters, WAMC's Media Project (yeah, I'm kind o a media wonk), WBEZ's This American Life, my own public radio station's Meet the Music (local musicians), Little Brother Radio (free form radio at its best) and too many others to name.

First, they came for The Goodnight Show lady, and I didn't speak-up...
http://journals.democraticunderground.com/Ian%20David/9183

They denied the right a chance to have a field day.

Of course, I don't know how many wingnuts routinely listen to "World of Opera" but I'll bet it's not many...

Fear.

NPR is now going overboard to show that they are 'non-partisan', which in all reality, only censors those voices coming from the Left.

The thing is, we can take NPR back from the ground up by becoming involved with our local NPR member stations. Believe me, the right already is.

MotherJones Mother Jones
RT @IanDavidB Mapping the #NPR-Lisa Simeone manufactured controversy tinyurl.com/5tklwjh
http://twitter.com/#!/MotherJones/status/128163195872493568

Now I wish I had posted it on my blog. :D