More talk, less GRAR please.
August 8, 2011 11:49 PM Subscribe
Looking for a talk radio station that won't agitate me to bits, nor put me to sleep. Special snowflake details inside. Would wildly prefer radio as opposed to podcasts, TED talks, etc., as I'm at work, and sometimes I'm in the middle of something and I can't tear myself away to change the podcast, etc.
I work alone, and lately I've been listening to a lot of NPR at work. However, with all the bad news going on, it's left me all agitated and anxious at the end of my workday. So, I'm looking for talk radio stations that I may like better.
Things I don't like: Religion proselytizing, politics (either right or left), news. Any station with a lot of GRAR to it, even if they're talking about rainbows and sunshine.
Things I do like: Science and technology, math, nature, religion as a cultural phenomenon. Cooking and food. Even sports. But not sport talk. (Like, I'd prefer a broadcast of a Seattle Sounders FC soccer match vs. a post-match show analyzing the results). Basically, talk radio with shows exploring interesting and varied topics.
I'm thinking there just *has* to be something out there like this. But the only things I'm finding are NPR, various political talk radio stations (like Rush Limbaugh), sports talk, and religion. NPR is OK, but the news has been getting to me, and their calming, soothing tone just puts me to sleep sometimes. I can stream stations on my work computer, so that's not an issue. English only, please, as that's the only language I know. However, the stations don't have to be US-based. I am in the US, in case there's proxy issues. Thanks.
I work alone, and lately I've been listening to a lot of NPR at work. However, with all the bad news going on, it's left me all agitated and anxious at the end of my workday. So, I'm looking for talk radio stations that I may like better.
Things I don't like: Religion proselytizing, politics (either right or left), news. Any station with a lot of GRAR to it, even if they're talking about rainbows and sunshine.
Things I do like: Science and technology, math, nature, religion as a cultural phenomenon. Cooking and food. Even sports. But not sport talk. (Like, I'd prefer a broadcast of a Seattle Sounders FC soccer match vs. a post-match show analyzing the results). Basically, talk radio with shows exploring interesting and varied topics.
I'm thinking there just *has* to be something out there like this. But the only things I'm finding are NPR, various political talk radio stations (like Rush Limbaugh), sports talk, and religion. NPR is OK, but the news has been getting to me, and their calming, soothing tone just puts me to sleep sometimes. I can stream stations on my work computer, so that's not an issue. English only, please, as that's the only language I know. However, the stations don't have to be US-based. I am in the US, in case there's proxy issues. Thanks.
ABC Radio National, also available worldwide as a Real or WMV stream.
posted by flabdablet at 12:04 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by flabdablet at 12:04 AM on August 9, 2011
KGO in San Francisco is generally intelligent, and in particular you might like Dr. Bill Wattenburg. All of my AM buttons go to KGO.
posted by sageleaf at 12:08 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by sageleaf at 12:08 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
You might enjoy the CBC, which streams internationally. However, there is news.
posted by equivocator at 12:11 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by equivocator at 12:11 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
When I drive home late at night, I always listen to Coast to Coast. Good old crackpot, paranormal, conspiracy radio. What AM talk radio really should be about, or maybe it just feels that way at the end of the night driving home over the dark highway -- but it's entertaining.
posted by iamck at 12:20 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by iamck at 12:20 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: These are all awesome suggestions. Keep em coming! And thanks!
posted by spinifex23 at 12:23 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by spinifex23 at 12:23 AM on August 9, 2011
Response by poster: And perhaps non-US centric news might help the stress levels a bit. I'll check out the CBC site.
posted by spinifex23 at 12:24 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by spinifex23 at 12:24 AM on August 9, 2011
Kim Hill does an interesting show on Saturday mornings on Radio New Zealand. She's a good interviewer.
posted by dydecker at 2:35 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by dydecker at 2:35 AM on August 9, 2011
BBC World Service is available 24 hours a day with its wild mix of programming. As mentioned by joannemullen, other BBC radio stations are available, though I found the World Service ideal to listen to in a similar situation to yours.
posted by Kattullus at 5:40 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by Kattullus at 5:40 AM on August 9, 2011
+1 on Coast to Coast.
posted by CodeMonkey at 6:28 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by CodeMonkey at 6:28 AM on August 9, 2011
Best answer: Do you remember when there was a special kind of table radio that only blind people could get, and it was set to a station that nobody else could tune in, and they read newspaper articles and New Yorker essays out loud and everything was charmingly nonprofessional? You can listen to that online at American Council for the Blind Radio.
posted by FLAG (BASTARD WATER.) (Acorus Adulterinus.) at 7:34 AM on August 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
posted by FLAG (BASTARD WATER.) (Acorus Adulterinus.) at 7:34 AM on August 9, 2011 [2 favorites]
Best answer: FM107 is a local talk station here in Mpls that does no politics or sports. There is a bunch of celebrity gossip and stuff, but it might be worth a try.
Colleen Kruse is very funny. The morning host, Ian Punnett, also hosts Coast To Coast as a substitute, I believe.
posted by chazlarson at 11:08 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Colleen Kruse is very funny. The morning host, Ian Punnett, also hosts Coast To Coast as a substitute, I believe.
posted by chazlarson at 11:08 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: I'm going to try all of these, thanks. So far, the Blind Radio is great - I'm hearing about the British Amateur Television Association right now!
posted by spinifex23 at 11:58 AM on August 9, 2011
posted by spinifex23 at 11:58 AM on August 9, 2011
Response by poster: OK - I'm listening to FM107 right now.
It's like a fascinating new world where I don't know any of the customs or rituals involved. But, it also doesn't involve bad news, riots, or Jesus, so I'm loving it so far.
posted by spinifex23 at 2:57 PM on August 10, 2011
It's like a fascinating new world where I don't know any of the customs or rituals involved. But, it also doesn't involve bad news, riots, or Jesus, so I'm loving it so far.
posted by spinifex23 at 2:57 PM on August 10, 2011
Hey, welcome to Minnesota. Based on the time, I'm guessing you were listening to Lori and Julia. I understand exactly what you mean.
posted by chazlarson at 12:04 PM on August 11, 2011
posted by chazlarson at 12:04 PM on August 11, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by joannemullen at 12:00 AM on August 9, 2011 [1 favorite]