NPR VERSUS COMMERCIAL RADIO NEWS
This is an extra credit assignment. The assignment should be about 3-5 pages double spaced.
The extra credit assignment is worth 10 points.
Please note that students may complete a maximum of two extra credit assignments over the semester.
OVERVIEW
Think about the following question: Why should taxpayer money support National Public Radio (through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting – which was discussed in the textbook) in the United States when it could probably be supported solely by corporate sponsorship and private donations?
In this Critical Process exercise, you’ll compare newscasts of NPR’s Morning Edition or All Things Considered and those of their affiliates with morning and afternoon newscasts of commercial radio stations in the same market.
To begin, find 1) your local NPR affiliate (check www.npr.org to find a nearby station) and 2) a local news/talk station (usually on the AM dial). (Or you may find it online, if available, to stream). Compare and contrast the stations’ coverage by listening to the same hour on the same day.
Now, please apply the critical process.
Please number your responses. (Assignment should be 3 – 5 pages, double spaced, with 1 inch margins)
Description. Develop a profile of a full hour of news from each station, including the total time of news versus commercials/promotions/corporate sponsorships; the number and length of news stories; and the news-story topics.
Analysis. What are the major differences between the news programs of the NPR affiliate and those of the commercial news stations? Look for patterns.
Interpretation. Do you think the fact that it is nonprofit and publicly supported makes a difference in the content and length of a station’s news stories? Were longer stories more comprehensive and thoughtful? What do the differences mean?
Evaluation. Morning Edition and All Things Considered draw three to four million listeners a day, more than twice the number of people who read the Wall Street Journal or USA Today. Based on these news programs, does NPR deserve some kind of public-funding mechanism that could keep it free of advertising? Do you think there is a difference in the kind of news and delivery provided by a noncommercial program versus a commercial one?
