# What's your favorite NPR show? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 18, 2008, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363 "2008-06-18T17:08:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/21 "2008-06-18T19:25:51Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] I also like the jazz show on Sunday afternoons. [/QUOTE] Jazz show? Jazz show? ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/22 "2008-06-18T20:26:33Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Jazz show? Jazz show? [/QUOTE] Yeah, jazz show. With the old guy who sounds like he’s straight out of 1930s radio, playing jazz from the era up to the 50s, maybe. Or maybe this is just a local thing? ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/23 "2008-06-18T20:28:46Z")
My favorites: **Radio Lab** and **This American Life** (though it’s past its prime). **Says You** is also past its prime, I don’t think the new hour-long format suits it (pity they can’t do 45-minute shows), and they promulgate linguistic myths. Nonetheless, I enjoy it quite a bit, and I’ve actually had quizzes used on the air. **Marketplace** is excellent. **Wait, Wait** is an enjoyable way to spend part of Saturday morning, but it’s not a can’t-miss show for me. I feel the same way about **Car Talk**. And I’ll take the opportunity to be the first person to point out that most of these shows may air on an NPR member station, but they’re not produced by NPR – PRI and American Public Media produce most of the outstanding public radio shows in the US. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/24 "2008-06-18T20:31:46Z")
Oh, I forgot, I really like **Re:sound** with Gwen Macsai a lot, as well. (I think this one may be a Chicago Public Radio thing.) I don’t recognize a lot of these shows. What are **Radio Lab** , **Says You** , and **The Infinite Mind**? ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/25 "2008-06-18T20:46:41Z")
[Radio Lab](http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/) is a very well done science-for-the-layman kind of show, produced by WNYC. Interesting questions, and excellent use of radio as a medium. Says You is described upthread, but you can [check out their website](http://saysyou.org/) for more info. ---
**Author:** ![Mycroft\_H](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/898d66/32.png) [@Mycroft\_H](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mycroft_H)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/26 "2008-06-18T20:51:45Z")
As with most replies, for me it is _Car Talk_ and _Wait… Wait…_ as equal firsts _Splendid Table_ _Sound Money_ _Prairie Home Companion_ I also love _Radio Lab_ and _Science Friday_ but rarely get to listen to them as they’re on during work hours. I used to love _The Savvy Traveler_ when it was on. I listen to a lot more, but those are my favorites. _Says You_ sounds interesting but I guess it is not available in Minnesota. ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/27 "2008-06-18T20:53:56Z")
[The Infinite Mind](http://lcmedia.stores.yahoo.net/infinitemind.html) is a show dealing with all aspects of psychology. It is pretty interesting and they really cover a broad range of topics. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/28 "2008-06-18T21:25:19Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Yeah, jazz show…Or maybe this is just a local thing? [/QUOTE] Find [it, man.](http://www.npr.org/programs/) Find it! 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/29 "2008-06-18T21:30:56Z")
[QUOTE=Mycroft H.] _Says You_ sounds interesting but I guess it is not available in Minnesota. [/QUOTE] _Says You!_ is on locally at 8:00 p.m. on Saturdays, but if I miss it, I go to [kclu.org](http://kclu.org) and listen over the net at 10:00 (7:00 California time). The show’s website has a list of stations, along with the day and time they air it; and it seems everybody is streaming their broadcast onto the web these days. Convert to local time and you’re in business. **Interrobang!?** , when I was talking to Richard Sher, he said he was having trouble editing one of the show tapes down to 30 minutes. It wasn’t long after that that the show went to an hour. The local station used to run two shows back-to-back, so the pace seems a little slower now. Do you mind sharing what questions of yours was used? For those who haven’t heard it, it’s a panel type of quiz show. It’s usually the same six panelists, in two teams of three, and the questions are mainly wordplay and trivia. ---
**Author:** ![Interrobang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/interrobang/32/17463_2.png) [@Interrobang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Interrobang)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/30 "2008-06-18T21:37:08Z")
That’s why I think a 45-minute version would be ideal. The half hour shows were a little too short – I know they often cut segments – but the hour-long show feels slack more often than not. It’s been a few seasons since my questions were used – I’ll see if I can dig 'em up. I know I contributed some Melded Movies, and one or two words for the Bluffing Round, and I’m pretty sure there must have been something else that I’m not thinking of. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/31 "2008-06-18T21:38:16Z")
[QUOTE=carnivorousplant] Find [it, man.](http://www.npr.org/programs/) Find it! 🙂 [/QUOTE] It is local, from what I can see. It’s [Dick Buckley.](http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Program_DB.aspx) He looks younger in that picture, but from looking at his bio, I guess he’s 82. ---
**Author:** ![Kyrie\_Eleison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kyrie_eleison/32/7682_2.png) [@Kyrie\_Eleison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyrie_Eleison)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/32 "2008-06-18T21:41:03Z")
My current order: [ul] [li]_Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me_[/li][li]_All Things Considered_/_Marketplace_[/li][li]_Science Friday with Ira Flatow_[/li][li]_A Prarie Home Companion_[/li][li]_Car Talk_[/li][/ul] I have to group _Marketplace_ and _All Things Considered_ because they’re both drive-time shows for me, and while listening, I don’t distinguish between them enough to rank them separately. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/33 "2008-06-18T21:42:52Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] Yeah, jazz show. With the old guy who sounds like he’s straight out of 1930s radio, playing jazz from the era up to the 50s, maybe. Or maybe this is just a local thing? [/QUOTE] No, I’ve heard it, too. Don’t know what it’s called, but it really is great - goes well with a glass of good scotch and a book. Or, a glass of good scotch and a dame whom you know damn well is trouble from the minute she walks in the door. But those are harder to come by. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Excellent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f19dbf/32.png) [@Mr.Excellent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Excellent)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/34 "2008-06-18T21:44:03Z")
[QUOTE=Interrobang!?] **Marketplace** is excellent. [/QUOTE] The great thing about Marketplace is that it seems to be produced by people who’ve grown to embrace and love their inner economics nerd. It’s not just that they’re informative - they seem to think that what they’re talking about is really, really _cool_. And I agree. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Prox](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/da6949/32.png) [@Prox](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prox)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/35 "2008-06-18T21:45:28Z")
_This American Life_ is one of my favorites, too. I don’t have much chance to listen to them on the radio, but I recently found out you can download a show during the week after it airs, so I’ve been keeping up that way. I also like _Science Friday_, which for some reason doesn’t look so popular around here. I try to listen to it every week. I have an almost love/hate relationship with _The Diane Rehm_ - I like the show, especially on Fridays, but Rehm’s voice drives me nuts sometimes. I think it hasn’t gotten better lately, though. I like _Market Place_ as well, but usually forget about it until I happen upon it. A few years ago, I didn’t have cable or internet, so most my time at home was spent listening to NPR. Probably most informed I’ve been. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/36 "2008-06-19T01:11:39Z")
Diane Rehm’s News Round-up on Fridays. Also like: This American Life Wait…Wait… All Things Considered and Weekend Edition Morning Edition PHC ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/37 "2008-06-19T01:14:07Z")
[QUOTE=pulykamell] It is local, from what I can see. It’s [Dick Buckley.](http://www.chicagopublicradio.org/Program_DB.aspx) He looks younger in that picture, but from looking at his bio, I guess he’s 82. [/QUOTE] Ah well. Our local NPR affiliate carries [this guy late at night.](http://www.jazzwithbobparlocha.com/) Thanks! ---
**Author:** ![zamboniracer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e9a140/32.png) [@zamboniracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zamboniracer)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/38 "2008-06-19T01:22:20Z")
Weekend Edition Saturday w/Scott Simon Car Talk Whad’ Ya Know Wait, Wait, Don’t Tell Me Fresh Air with Terri Gross But I like just about everything on NPR, except for the jazz. A couple of shows that also deserve mention are the sports program, “Only a Game” and “Harry Shearer’s Le Show.” ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/39 "2008-06-19T01:37:35Z")
1. _Wait Wait_ 2. _On the Media_, a press/broadcast analysis show out of New York, not sure how widely heard it is 3. _Weekend Edition_ ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 19, 2008, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363/40 "2008-06-19T01:41:17Z")
[QUOTE=BrainGlutton] 1. _All Things Considered_ (inclusive of the Morning, Noon and Weekend Editions) 2. _Prairie Home Companion_ 3. There are no other NPR shows. [/QUOTE] To be strictly correct, one of those isn’t even an NPR show. Prairie Home Companion is distributed by [American Public Media](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Public_Media), as is Marketplace, while Michael Feldman’s Whad’Ya Know? and This American Life are distributed by [Public Radio International](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Radio_International) . As for me, my favorites are Wait Wait… Don’t Tell Me! and Car Talk. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-your-favorite-npr-show/453363.md?page=3)