Round 2 Entry for April Baer

406 billion + for the war ($368 billion for defense, only 15 billion for reconstruction) "the cost to come: The Congressional Budget Office has attempted to do it for them. Using an extremely conservative model, the agency estimates that if the U.S. remains in Iraq for the next 10 years, even with a drawdown to 40,000 troops by 2011, the tab could be another $400 billion. But expect the actual bill to be much higher. Consider, at least, that expanding the U.S. Army, as President has proposed, could cost an addional $150 billion during the next decade."

Ephanies: Hans Blix:"I was in London with (Brtish Prime Minister) Tony Blair in early 2003 when the inspectors found some empty shells in Iraq that could have been used for chemical weapons. At that point, we asked ourselves, "Is this the tip of iceberg or floes from an iceberg broken up a long time ago?" But as we looked into it, we didn't find anything. They were on a site that had been declared, not a secret site. From there on, the doubts that they had anything grew stronger."

"When the IAEA was given a copy (of the Niger yellowcake contract in February 2003), it took them less than a day to conclude that it was a forgery. And Mohamed (ElBaradei), in our diplomatic style, told the Security Council that it was "not authentic." To me, it was like an explosion. That was before the war broke out, and it was ignored.

"Henry Kissinger, (George) Shultz, (William) Perry, and Sam Nunn wrote an article in January in the Wall Street Journal (calling for a world free of nuclear weapons). I don't know how it was received in the Bush administration, but these guys are not doves. If they can write (that) way, perhaps the idea is not too strange among the policy-conscious, foreign-policy set in the United Sates. That gives me a lot of hope."

As I recall Dick Cheney has stocks in defense, and it would be really simple to take care of those kids, if the government would stop building a tourist theme park for their rich aristocracy over there in the middle east, and spent the money on the people who need it most.

First "off the cuff" segment seemed imbued with sincerity, but the stuff following just seemed competent public radio speak.

Drew
www.budacast.hu
http://www.publicradioquest.com/audio/user/6604

boring.....

Like just about every other NPR host I've ever heard.

Objectification of the "other" groups, like streetkids, and analysis of why they exist.

I don't know, maybe I just don't fit in, or maybe I just found out I am gay, but I think I need less objectification.

She can deliver naturally both off the cuff and reading a rather difficult and wordy script. Polished and professional, but with a good dose of ear-tweaking intonation that keeps me listening. I'd trust what she had to say. And I'd look forward to how her intellect and creativity might mirror the world.

She is very polished. She knows how to read. She has a great sense of timing. She is "on." Unfortunately, she could replace Rene Montaigne and I wouldn't notice a change in style. If this is a contest to find new voices who would bring a fresh approach, then April is a woman who will succeed in the current world, but won't make me want to listen. She sounds so polished it's edging over to insincere.

I don't know this woman. I can tell she's great at her job, but I don't hear a new voice.

Her voice is one that I would be pleased to wake up to.
I believe that the reason she is on the radio and I am not, is that she has a smooth articulate delivery. I agree that she would fit well with other NPR voices.
Perhaps she wouldn't stand out as they say.
but when I want to be entertained, or informed, I want a friend to tell me the story not A high powered ego.

My generation=street kids??? It wasn’t my favorite improv entry, but I listened to the entire thing.

Five stars for sure!!
Charm, intellect, and a dash of sassiness... Portland has a treasure in April Baer. I've listened to all the finalists, and my dear, you take the cake. Top banana. Knock, knock. "Hello April, it's your own NPR show calling."

Part of winning is getting to create a show to shop to radio stations. Do the contestants sound ready? This girl does. First, in "my generation" she didn't talk about herself. I think she would create a show that had value beyond entertaining us with her own (albeit) charming personality. Also, inflection... she sounds like she knows what she's talking about, and she sounds like she knows what people are talking about (especially in the cold reading I had the feeling she'd read "Guns, Germs and Steel" recently), and maybe most importantly, she sounds like the kind of host who could make listeners understand what other people are talking about. She's ready.

April's delivery and inflection are excellent. The billboard about storytelling actually choked me up a little. I too wake up to her voice on a regular basis as she does the morning news here in Portland. Shame on the other portlandperson for going out of their way to be so snarky towards her. (You must work for the Portland Mercury)

Best of luck to April!

April has aced this test compared to the other finalists (though I have one more to listen to). She's consistently smooth and present whether she's improvising or reading copy.

But I agree with several other commenters that she sounds like a "typical" NPR host. And while I do love that sound for its familiarity, I'd like something different to come out of this contest. So I subtracted a star for lack of newness, even though that technically doesn't mean April wouldn't be great at hosting.

I haven't read any contestants' blog posts or other writings, which could sway me. If, as Rich Meitin comments, I knew more about April's experience and values, and the show she's on in Portland, maybe I'd accept her more.

So this is the first round that I'm voting in and in a way it is a bit unfair to April that she is the first person I am listening too. I have to give her a 3 because I'm not sure if I will think someone else is better or much better. However I'll try to keep my scores consistent. April was very articulate and is a voice like many I would expect to hear on NPR.

As a print journalist who listens to April each morning, I can attest to her professionalism, precision and on-air charisma. She's got the chops.

April made WCPN/Cleveland's morning show. It hasn't been the same without her.

sounds very professional ... and like you are very familiar with this radio territory..

would have enjoyed hearin' more about your personal experiences with the word association and the challenge 'my generation' .. you created a wonderful vivid picture with your story-telling .. but kept wonderin' about your generation and you..

i guess that can be good.. makes yah wonder who this chick is? ..

reX. booth
take it to realiTy!
http://www.publicradioquest.com/node/1679
www.rexsworld.com
rex@rexsworld.com

that April Baer was a finalist for this contest, I felt I had no choice but to sign up (a very difficult process indeed!) and offer the perspective of a regular OPB listener who wakes up to this woman almost every morning. Each day, April makes some flub or mispronounces a local name or apologizes as she stumbles over her copy, making me wonder why she's even on public radio. She made a good showing here, among amateurs, but she's certainly nothing to sneeze at. And her comments on the plight of Portland's youth could not be more cliche. The last time I checked, teenagers today aren't part of her generation, so maybe she thought of that one ahead of time and just worked it in to make herself seem gritty. Either way, she doesn't have what it takes.

I am a long-time NPR supporter, however I haven't visited this site until now. I'm about to go through all of the current contestants, and let me say that April is a wonderful start in my process. I was born and raised in the northern suburbs of Chicago, so I'm definitely rooting for the home team. HOWEVER, April is simply AMAZING. She deserves the "Excellent!" rating I gave her.

You have it down, girl.

I'll also preface this by saying I know April. Well enough that I wasn't sure I'd weigh in here. It is fascinating reading, though.

First, I'm glad I didn't have to speak extemporaneously for two minutes on anything. I think the "I wanted to hear ..." comments are pretty funny. Here's your phrase, Go. Tough gig. I was impressed that April didn't talk about herself, which is what I would have done and many others did, and did with great success (Glynn, I'm talking to you). The picture she painted is a true one of Portland. I see it every day, and it doesn't matter how old you are. It's there. I thought it was a gutsy approach.

I thought all three of her challenges were excellent.

And, yeah, she sounds professional. I think that's good. (Opinions may vary.) My idea of a "new voice" is a new approach, or a new way of looking at and thinking of things. The tasks to this point have been pretty basic. I don't feel like I have an idea what a show hosted by any of the contestants might be like (except Mertz, who arrived with a well-developed, and practiced concept).

It'll be interesting in the upcoming rounds to see personalities develop. And obviously I think Ms. Baer should advance.

I find April to be the most radio ready contestant here. Her reading was the most fluid and the only one who got the cadences correctly. Good job April I hope to hear that lovely voice soon!

Sure, it's what you'd expect when you turn on public radio, but that's not a good thing. April sounds like the combination of 4 or 5 other public radio voices, the names of whom I can't (or don't care enough) to remember.

i couldn't find anything--great performance in all three challenges.

No doubt about it, I can already "hear" April as a national public radio host.

Her style is relaxed and smooth, well-organized and structured yet conversational. Definitely the "sitting across from me at the coffee shop" style we've come to expect from the best of our public radio talent.

Of course, as a P.D, I have to offer a couple of critiques. I heard a couple of word slurs and (an old bugaboo) "thishour," spoken as if it was one word. I really don't want to encourage over-articulation but would suggest working on making sure "this hour" comes out as two distinct words.

Go get 'em April. Good work!

John Hingsbergen
Program Director, WMUB-FM

April is very, very competitent and fits into that stable of all NPR voices and commentators who read for the radio. I would like to see/hear more variations on this stamped NPR and APR mold.

Having said that, April is as good as any on the service and could easily stand in for any Weekend America, This American Life, Weekend Edition or ATC reader/reporter and commentator.

Seriously, I don't want to put her down because April would be pleasant to listen to and I'm sure will have a long career in public broadcasting but in this contest, I'd like to see talent emerge that isn't just a carbon copy of everything that is currently on the NPR service.

April does great work, but I'm more interested in hearing someone that doesn't necessarily fit into that NPR niche already. Someone who is going to disturb the subdued and admittedly sublime stratosphere of NPR hosts local and national. Nevertheless, strong work.

April is bloody brilliant. She's one of my favorite voices in radio, and has been since she was in the Dayton area in the 90's.

-Larry Coressel
WDPR Classical 88.1