Listen Up!

Sound Reporting: The NPR guide to audio journalism and production is primarily a textbook, however, I think it also deserves a spot on many readers' 'for pleasure' lists.

As intelligible as anything heard on NPR, Sound Reporting (paperback, $20) is a meaty 334 pages, plus a nice glossary and index. (You know I love a good index!)

Jonathan Kern is listed as the author, however, he's quick to share credit with the "hundreds" of NPR reporters and editors who contributed to the book.

Why read it?

Obviously, reporters/writers/journalists of all kinds and wannabes should dive in and start dog-earring the book immediately. As I said, I sure hope it's required reading in many journalism schools.

I sincerely hope it's also assigned reading in high school English classes - particularly those focused on writing. The book does as good a job as any I've read in teaching us how to WRITE WELL and listen/read (to news and other supposedly factual information) critically.

Not surprisingly, the intro was packed with info, mostly about NPR. I was surprised to find out that NPR listeners, numbering about 22 million (each week) are a very diverse bunch! According to "independent surveys,"

the audience self-identifies as 32 percent liberal, 23 percent moderate, and 29 percent conservative. ... And 28 percent of NPR news listeners agree with this statement: Just as the Bible says, the world literally was created in six days.

So far that's the only statement that had me gasping for air.

The biggest takeaway from the book - I think; I have to admit I haven't finished it yet! - is that good journalism must respect its audience. And I guess that would be the most succinct answer I could give to the question, why do you listen to NPR?

NPR stations, for the most part, don't tease their listeners by withholding the lead; they don't try to entertain or surprise so much as they try to impart information in an interesting way. No more, no less. No gimmicks.

And sadly, they have no serious competition.

For example, I simply cannot imagine any Fox News reporter - or even the uber-popular Anderson Cooper, for that matter - allowing the SUBJECT TO BE THE SUBJECT of this exchange, from an All Things Considered interview shortly after Hurricane Katrina:

Belinda Bruce: I really can't explain it, except just say maybe it was for the best.

Michele Norris (host): For the best.

Bruce: Yes, because I'm more happier when I can stay homeless.

Norris: Help me understand that. You're sitting at a shelter. Your house is most likely underwater. And you're happier here than you were back home.

Bruce: Because there was so much going on in my neighborhood. Even though I was comfortable in my house - in my house- blocks up where the kids went to school, it was horrible. They always had shootouts. They just didn't respect the kids. They were selling drugs. The good thing is I'm away from that with my kids. And maybe they'll get into a better school, a better neighborhood.

Kern included this exchange as an example of writing the way people speak. But it tells us a lot more than how to write for radio, doesn't it?

OK. Here's my completely unbiased review: buy it! This book is excellent! And please, buy it from NPR, where you'll be asked if you want a portion of your purchase to support your local NPR station(s).

Thanks for listening.