Favorite... what? (2008)

Originally published as a Facebook Note May 13, 2008.

Source: onlinelabels.com

I've felt something missing in my life recently, and I realized that it was because Facebook has asked me a million questions about pet peeves, TV, movies, music, coffee, &c., but has never asked me about my favorite radio programs.

It is probably anachronistic to notice this oversight, but here goes.

1. "Get It On" (BBC Radio Scotland). Brian Burnett hosts a two-hour show, four days a week, playing music on a common theme. They even used a theme I suggested last Monday (songs with string sections). It reminds me of a show I used to do on my college radio station, except that Burnett's accent is cooler, the BBC music library is bigger, and they get more requests! The show airs 6-8 GMT, which is 12-2 p.m. in Iowa. The BBC Radio Scotland website has a "Listen Again" feature that allows listening at any time, however.

2. "The Diane Rehm Show" (NPR). This show airs live 10-12 ET but is heard only on rebroadcast in Iowa from 9-11 p.m. Her voice takes some getting used to--she has a strange speech impediment--but the panel discussions are informative and always civil. There's no yelling allowed. My favorite day of the show is Friday--one more reason to like Friday!--when they do a review of domestic news stories in the first hour, and cover international news in the second. Callers are invited, but not indulged... obstreperous ones get a "Don't
make a speech" admonition from the hostess.

3. "Speaking of Faith" (NPR). Krista Tippett hosts a show exploring the varieties of religious experience, mainly in the United States. The perspectives are those of participants... in other words, people talk about their religious experiences, rather than analyze those of others. The tone is celebratory, and decidedly non-confrontational. It airs Sunday mornings on Iowa Public Radio, but has podcasts available at www.speakingoffaith.org.

4. "Weekend Edition" (NPR). I like Scott Simon, and his laid-back approach to the usual NPR mix of news and features is refreshing. But I love Daniel Schorr's perspective on the news, which airs just after 8 in Iowa. By Saturday morning we've heard all the stories, but Schorr has an excellent, no-holds-barred way of putting things into perspective. Recently in concession to his advancing age (he's 91) they cut his segment from 10 to 5 minutes, alas.

...and one more! Cubs baseball on WGN radio. Pat Hughes's whimsy and fondness for wordplay mix wonderfully with Ron Santo's passion for the Cubs. I'd given up on major league baseball in the mid-90s but these guys brought me back.

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