Public radio called, and I tuned in
During a recent morning drive to Asheville, I felt a yearning to listen to National Public Radio (NPR). Typically my phone automatically connects to Bluetooth and a random song from Spotify plays from the speakers.
Rarely do I take the time to change the output, but something about this particular day made me think of years ago when streaming music wasn’t a thing and all of my morning drives were spent in the pleasant company of those at NPR.
In fact, back in the early 2000s when I was in graduate school at App State and then after, living in Asheville, I was a faithful contributor to WNCW, an NPR affiliate and member-supported radio station operating from Isothermal Community College in Spindale, just down the mountain in Rutherford County. At the time I also had friends who were supporters of Blue Ridge Public Radio. Most of my inner circle were NPR listeners, with special affinities for shows like “Car Talk” and “Wait Wait … Don’t Tell Me!”
Although being an NPR affiliate was an added bonus, the main reason I loved WNCW is because it was the only way I could hear a variety of musicians in the genres I like such as Americana, folk and indie. At the beginning of each donation cycle, contributors would receive a compilation multi-CD set called “Crowd Around the Mic” where all tracks were live recordings from WNCW’s Studio B. These CDs are how I learned about many artists I still love today such as The Wood Brothers, Donna the Buffalo, The Subdudes, Martin Sexton and others. I honestly think listening to those CDs is what fine-tuned my musical preferences and expectations.
I guess once it became easy to listen to these musicians and bands via a music streaming service, I veered from the radio and halted my devotion to the station. Shame on me for that. Not only did it move me away from supporting a local radio station but it also interrupted my routine of listening to NPR.
Back to my morning drive to Asheville and the tug to listen to NPR. It was a Saturday, and when I tuned in around 7:40 a.m., they were playing the end of an episode from “Hidden Brain” Podcast, leading up to Weekend Edition at 8 a.m. Prior to this, I’d never heard of “Hidden Brain” podcast, which is a longtime partnership between NPR and Shankar Vedantam and has apparently been around since 2015.
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I was immediately drawn into the topic of psychological reactivity, which describes how the human brain is naturally contrary and therefore doesn’t respond well to forceful commands. When offered a choice, even if the selection bank is very narrow, humans respond much more amicably and willingly. They then talked about how understanding this concept can greatly benefit all personal and professional relationships. It was a fascinating conversation and if you’re interested, I encourage you to listen to the full episode. It’s called “You’re Not the Boss of Me!”
After the podcast, they moved into NPR’s ever-popular Weekend Edition. At this point, I didn’t have much distance left in my drive, but in the short time that I listened, I heard an interview with DNC Committee Chair Minyon Moore on what to expect in Chicago this week at the convention (Smoky Mountain News Political Editor Cory Vaillancourt is in Chicago covering the convention for our readers) as well as a news brief on the artist Banksy who delighted the folks of London with fun and surprising animal graffiti throughout the city. I’ve been a fan of the elusive Banksy for quite some time so this was a fun tidbit of information to learn.
It’s not just the content I enjoy from public radio or member-supported stations, it’s also the production which is soothing to the ears and psyche. Without the annoyance of commercials, the listener is able to enjoy uninterrupted music and news. Sadly, public radio seems to be on the decline. In a May 2024 article by former New York Times journalist Stephen Regenold, several reasons are offered for this trend. Digital media, video content and independent podcasts are pulling listeners in other directions. Additionally, more people than ever are working from home so with less people commuting, there are less people listening to radio in general. In the comments section of the article, some folks said public radio isn’t balanced.
Despite this, I still see a place for public radio and member-supported stations. My recent experience reminded me how unique it is to listen to these stations, as opposed to a podcast or simply music. I learned several things during that morning drive with NPR. While habit can feel easy and comforting, it very rarely brings any kind of growth or neural firing. All systems of the body perk up a little when we offer them something different, especially when that something is beneficial and sparks interest. I also learned why our inner voice is so wise. I could’ve ignored that internal nudge to switch the output from bluetooth to radio, but I didn’t. I honored it, which made a world of difference, not only that one morning but to my way of thinking going forward.
(Susanna Shetley is writer, editor and digital media specialist. This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
