NPR & Talk Radio in NWA

[jiggyK]

Hello. I'm a new poster but have been dropping in for a while now. I recently moved back to Fayetteville after a two year stint in Chapel Hill, NC. Before my move, I listened to KUAF when the news was on (Morning Addition and All Things Considered). Once in Chapel Hill, I quickly found the local NPR station and was amazed at the difference. Instead of just having the news in the morning and afternoon (plus Terri Gross), the Chapel Hill station had news programs all day long; such as Talk of the Nation, the Dian Rehm Show, BBC news hour, Day to Day, etc. I immediatly felt not only connected to the community of Chapel Hill, but more connected to the nation and world as a whole. Now that I'm back in Fayetteville, however, I feel more isolated and disconnected from my community, country and world. I just don't get the classical music thing. Besides there being classical music on kuaf from 9am to 3pm, there are two or three other classical stations in the area, I believe. I'm a huge music fan and appreciate classical music, but I believe NPR should offer news and political discussion, not classical music. Plus, I think it's a sign of a of a healthy metro to have a well developed NPR station and other talk radio alternatives.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on the matter.

[johnnydr87]

Hello. I'm a new poster but have been dropping in for a while now. I recently moved back to Fayetteville after a two year stint in Chapel Hill, NC. Before my move, I listened to KUAF when the news was on (Morning Addition and All Things Considered). Once in Chapel Hill, I quickly found the local NPR station and was amazed at the difference. Instead of just having the news in the morning and afternoon (plus Terri Gross), the Chapel Hill station had news programs all day long; such as Talk of the Nation, the Dian Rehm Show, BBC news hour, Day to Day, etc. I immediatly felt not only connected to the community of Chapel Hill, but more connected to the nation and world as a whole. Now that I'm back in Fayetteville, however, I feel more isolated and disconnected from my community, country and world. I just don't get the classical music thing. Besides there being classical music on kuaf from 9am to 3pm, there are two or three other classical stations in the area, I believe. I'm a huge music fan and appreciate classical music, but I believe NPR should offer news and political discussion, not classical music. Plus, I think it's a sign of a of a healthy metro to have a well developed NPR station and other talk radio alternatives.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on the matter.

KUAR in Little Rock does have Talk of the Nation, Diane Rehms (sp?), etc. There is a completely separate station (90.5 FM) for classical music, based out of UALR.

So, I can't feel your pain. .... All I know is that if I turn on the radio between 6:00 AM and 7 PM, it will probably be some news and news shows............and after that, probably some jazz.

I agree with you, putting classical music right in the middle of the day is not a good idea. I wonder if it has anything to do with licensing costs of the shows or something?

[masons_dad1]

Hello. I'm a new poster but have been dropping in for a while now. I recently moved back to Fayetteville after a two year stint in Chapel Hill, NC. Before my move, I listened to KUAF when the news was on (Morning Addition and All Things Considered). Once in Chapel Hill, I quickly found the local NPR station and was amazed at the difference. Instead of just having the news in the morning and afternoon (plus Terri Gross), the Chapel Hill station had news programs all day long; such as Talk of the Nation, the Dian Rehm Show, BBC news hour, Day to Day, etc. I immediatly felt not only connected to the community of Chapel Hill, but more connected to the nation and world as a whole. Now that I'm back in Fayetteville, however, I feel more isolated and disconnected from my community, country and world. I just don't get the classical music thing. Besides there being classical music on kuaf from 9am to 3pm, there are two or three other classical stations in the area, I believe. I'm a huge music fan and appreciate classical music, but I believe NPR should offer news and political discussion, not classical music. Plus, I think it's a sign of a of a healthy metro to have a well developed NPR station and other talk radio alternatives.

I would appreciate anyone's thoughts on the matter.

NPR in Fayetteville has been having a lot of financial problems over the years and as far as I know a lot of the news programs are no longer aired. I used to love "All Things Considered", but I'm not even sure if it's still being aired. I also enjoyed "Film Score Fridays", but I believe that went away too. To be honest I gave up listening to NPR for the simple reasons that they didn't have any good broadcasts anymore and I could barely get a clear signal in Benton County.

Oh an also welcome to UP and the NWA Forum jiggyK and thanks for posting!

[KJW]

NPR in Fayetteville has been having a lot of financial problems over the years and as far as I know a lot of the news programs are no longer aired. I used to love "All Things Considered", but I'm not even sure if it's still being aired. I also enjoyed "Film Score Fridays", but I believe that went away too. To be honest I gave up listening to NPR for the simple reasons that they didn't have any good broadcasts anymore and I could barely get a clear signal in Benton County.

Oh an also welcome to UP and the NWA Forum jiggyK and thanks for posting!

jiggyK, for awhile KUAF even had billboards on I-540 (the art was a world which looked like a jigsaw puzzle with a slogan: "We don't just break the news...we put it all together."

Even the AM station which carries Rush Limbaugh (KFAY) doesn't have that strong of a signal, and it's in Fayetteville. I don't know if there's a Benton County affiliate which carries conservative hosts.

Sooner or later, this market also is going to need a news radio (and television) station with traffic helicopter reports.

[Mith242]

Welcome to the forum jiggyk. Granted things aren't quite the same here as Chapel Hill, but you would think there has been enough growth in the area to better support things like this. I guess all I can say is try to be patient and hopefully things will change soon.

[jiggyK]

NPR in Fayetteville has been having a lot of financial problems over the years and as far as I know a lot of the news programs are no longer aired. I used to love "All Things Considered", but I'm not even sure if it's still being aired. I also enjoyed "Film Score Fridays", but I believe that went away too. To be honest I gave up listening to NPR for the simple reasons that they didn't have any good broadcasts anymore and I could barely get a clear signal in Benton County.

Oh an also welcome to UP and the NWA Forum jiggyK and thanks for posting!

KUAF still airs "All Things Considered" that begins at 3 p.m. and "Film Score Fridays." I can completely understand giving up on NPR when KUAF is your only option-- especially if you can't even get a clear signal. There are great programs on NPR these days, just not so much on our local station.

[masons_dad1]

KUAF still airs "All Things Considered" that begins at 3 p.m. and "Film Score Fridays." I can completely understand giving up on NPR when KUAF is your only option-- especially if you can't even get a clear signal. There are great programs on NPR these days, just not so much on our local station.

It's good to hear those programs are still being aired and I wish I could get a good signal up here. I wonder if an antenna booster might help. I guess since NPR is supported by it's listeners if enough people showed interest ($$$) they would get some better programming. You would think with the size of our university they would get the funding they need.