OK, so I’m a classical music guy and, of course, I wasn’t happy with the change of format over at WGBH radio. WCRB, that carries the former ‘GBH classical schedule, fades out when I’m in Wayland. But I have other sources for my music mix, so c’est la vie.
The new WGBH radio, however, is an aural disaster. The additional talk, talk, talk shows make the station sound a lot like every other talk, talk, talk station but much worse. Banal, inane, irrelevant, mind-numbing, insipid, and the always-current booooooooooooring. Yesterday, listening in the car, I heard:
–a person say “uh” four times in one sentence
–a person say “absolutely” three times in one minute
–On the “bridal expo scam” gambit, Boston Police Detective Stephen Blair responds to a question from Emily Rooney by saying, “Unfortunately it’s an ongoing criminal investigation and I can’t respond to anything that deals with the investigation.” (The interview goes on for another ten minutes.)
There’s “Fresh Air” at 2 p.m., but that’s hijacked from WBUR where it’s still on at 1 p.m.)
The news portion of the broadcast day ends with a white-hot burst of radio creativity when WGBH broadcasts the audio portion of the “Newshour with Jim Lehrer.” This is in the 7-8 p.m. prime time spot and we get the audio feed from a TV program. So when Ray Suarez narrates a film clip from Afghanistan and we hear “whup, whup, whup” we can guess: Is it a helicopter? A Laundromat? A McCormick reaper? The grim reaper? But we can always ask, “How did Ray Suarez get to do the military stuff?”
But right after the Lehrer audio feed for an hour there’s 9 hours (that’s right, 9) of Jazz to smooth things over until 5 a.m.
As George Bernard Shaw said, “There are some experiences in life which should not be demanded twice from any man, and one of them is listening to the Brahms Requiem.” Also listening to WGBH, 89.7 FM.
against the Brahms Requiem?? One of classical music’s great masterpieces, IMHO.
of the partisan sort.
Laura Carlo’s easy-listening drive-time pastiche is driving me bonkers. I don’t know what’s worse — chopping up pieces or her incessant chirping.
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p>Can we banish her?
… guy and I must say I actually prefer talk and news on my radio. This is because when I put on some music, I tend to gravitate toward concentrating very hard on listening. So putting a radio station on all day that will suck all the mental energy out of me while I’m supposed to be working is problem for me. Seriously, I used to try and listen in the car and I’d miss exits all the time. I actually wind up planning a lot of my listening ahead of time.
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p>But I also fully recognize that I’m the exction: bring back the classical (for everyone else).
MEEKAY the cat, a rescue cat found at WGBH, is a contestant in The Takeaway Cat Show (a new WGBH radio program). Please follow this link and vote for Meekay, who is cat 90!
And how often do we vote for the same candidate?
Seriously.
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p>My wife is a classically trained pianist. When we are at work, we leave the radio on for Meekay Cat. When Meekay is home alone, it’s good to have nice music for her sho she can curl up, take a cat nap, and not be too lonely.
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p>Before the WGBH changes, we had this recurring argument about which station to leave on for the cat. Beloved spouse insisted on WCRB, because it was classical music all day. I thought the WCRB playlist was too restrictive and much too bland, so I would turn on WGBH. Wife didn’t want cat exposed to NPR talk shows at 4:00, or (even worse) jazz after 7:00. (Wife also plays jazz and cabaret, including an annual Scullers gig, but she thinks classical is better for the cat’s psyche.)
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p>Arguments ended with the WGBH jazz moving to 99.5. The quality of music is far more interesting than the old “top 40 easy listening” classical found on commercial WCRB.
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p>However, Emily Rooney has driven me nuts on the radio. She has this way of saying impulsive and inane comments that sound like something I would expect out of Jay Severin. I almost drove off the road when she said local aid was “bloated.”
that the playlist difference between the stations mattered? Hell, even a Rush Limbaugh/Jay Severin mashup would provide company for it. I know, I know, I’m going to wash my mouth out with soap, now.
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p>Regarding Emily Rooney, if you watch her on TV, she makes a lot of faces, and pauses a great deal which seems to work on TV, but doesn’t translate to radio. She is improving, though. She was savaged when Greater Boston first came on, and now it wins awards, so give it some time.
but the poll needs work/missed opportunity.
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p>the format goes something like this….
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p>What is more painful than listening to Lehrer audio for one hour?
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p>1. example involving mike huckabee
2. example involving mayor menino
3. example involving the woman who killed her bro and the bio dept
They could be running the execrable Tom Ashbrook, whose vocal tics and inability to ask questions that don’t run on for three minutes make me want to hurl my radio through the kitchen window.
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p>Bring back Chris Lydon. Please.
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p>Re: Lehrer audio–it cracks me up when the announcer says, “Brought to you by … ” and we get fifteen seconds of silence. Wonder what the sponsors think of that.
While I like the topics he has, his speech style makes it impossible for me to listen to him. Between the tics you mentioned, to the phony inflections, or put on ‘concern’ in his voice, it’s enough that the station loses a potential listener as a result.
One thing he does that drives me nuts is he’ll ask an emotionally charged question that goes absolutely no where. The interviewee ducks it or gives a stock response. Not realizing he’s facing a dead end, Ashbrook will ask the same question again. And yet again.
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p>Another annoyance is the triple framing that often begins the show.
I can’t take blather too early in the morning. I prefer classical, but it fades out between home and work.
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p>Bad enough that I’m driving 75 mph with my brain creeping into second gear…I don’t need to hear talk radio at 150 words per minute.
Gawd, I miss Robert J. Lurtsema…..
I don’t know this Lurtsema guy, but I rather like Laura. There aren’t too many voices I can take first thing in the morning, and yours is one. Shame on you, Sir!
Radio seems to be the ugly stepsister at GBH. With the quality of TV they put out for PBS, you’d think they could do better.
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p>I was one of the CRB listeners acquired in the merger. So I think the merger was good; it saved classical radio in Boston and made it nearly commercial free. I remain neutral on Laura.
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p>What we have no local talent around here? Nothing of interest to talk about? There is no music beyond folk, jazz, and classical? No local news? No creative juices flowing on Western Ave.?
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p>Seriously? Audio of a TV program? That’s best they can do?
having much programming worth listening to around the time that Robert J got sick. PHC was good until it closed down the first time. Since then it’s been in reruns and that’s been nearly 13 years now – longer than it was good.
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p>I’m glad I work at home. I can listen to BBC Radio3.
Miss them too.