(April) Sympathy for the Devil

I've got something to say that's been bugging me since the TQ started. Thank Claggett's comment on my entry page for finally kicking my tail into gear. I want to explain why this contest is important to me.

Yes, me. The kid who's been doing time at local public radio stations for ten years. Yeeeah. Not exactly the outsider candidate.

Among other things, Claggett writes, "NPR is not about being fashionable or new. NPR is about presenting in depth news and information. I am sorely disappointed this contest even exists....I don't think the way one gets to a position of national prominence on a major network should be by way of a game show."

Claggett, judging from other posts on the site, I think you're in the minority. But maybe we're splitting hairs. We talk a lot on this site about How We Can Get More "New". But I think what we mean is How Can We Get More "Good"? We want shows that share the world we recognize, while challenging our beliefs. Hosts that speak truth to power, while not getting wrapped up in their own schtick. Perspectives that haven't been done to death. Hosts that aren't afraid to laugh at themselves. Shows made by people who listen.

Why do we feel the system is not giving us enough of this already? And can the TQ save the day?

First off, there is nothing inherently wrong with the way NPR and PRI develops and picks hosts. Great hosting starts and ends with great reporting skills, and I've seen some world-class people fight their way up. But radio stations and networks are like any other workplace. You don't just walk in and get a break for being cool and interesting. Shows cost money--an hour of daily radio can easily run in the six figures. This is the public's cash, held in trust. And no program director or GM will greenlight a host without a very strong sense of whether that person's going to deliver under the gun. (Incidentally, there are many, many guns awaiting you in the production process, as I suspect we'll see in Round 4.)

You could be Edward R. Murrow reborn in black leather, and unless a producer or program director's willing to go to bat for you, you're not getting in. It can take years to earn that kind of trust.

Consider also: hosts are only one part of the radio-making process (if you're lucky your producer is just as smart and motivated as you are), and it can take years for a good host to get in with the right mix of producers, and techs. That's assuming you're lucky enough to find a place that has money for such things.

One more factor to mash in: stations & networks are under incredible pressure to produce MORE. Fifteen years ago, listeners didn't seem to mind much if radio newsmags ran a day or two behind the New York Times or the Washington Post. But my how our tastes have changed--we want today's news TODAY already! Did you want to wait a few days to hear about Karl Rove's resignation? Of course not. And breaking news is infinitely more expensive than news analysis--just ask your local paper. The stakes are as high as I've ever seen them; it should be no surprise that the road-tested host and reporter types are getting first consideration.

So why do I think Talent Quest will help? The thing you should know is that news directors, program directors, & network admin types really WANT to bring you the hosts and shows you want. But they've got these huge factors I just mentioned weighing them down all the time. Maybe, TQ offers a way to have a conversation about great hosting. Maybe it's even fun. Maybe this would give the Deciders a reason to step back and think about who they're hiring. This whole process has been nerve-wracking, but also fun and provocative. I'm hoping it'll encourage stations and networks to take a chance, look outside the gene pool--or even take a second look in-house at staff not normally considered "hosty". Remember that Ira Glass worked at NPR for 20 years before he stepped out with This American Life. Ira's way too gracious to go around complaining, but I can't help but wonder: how many times was he passed in the hall by people who never dreamed of asking him about his ideas for a show?

Which brings me to me.

I am still slack-jawed with admiration for all the cool people who entered this contest with no pro experience. The system needs you. But the system also needs people like me, who've been working our keisters off and thinking very, very hard about what kind of radio listeners want. We wait patiently, making the donuts, for a chance to show what we can do with sixty minutes and an open mike. Hey, you think anyone who gets up at 3AM for ten years ISN'T committed to public radio?

Yeah, I got news for ya.

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