I always tell my Korean students to stop listening to CNN for their free broadcast English, but various shows on National Public Radio (NPR), which are less overproduced, and where the announcers speak more clearly and slowly, without annoying orchestra hits and faux laser glisses.
And now, "the circle is now complete."
It's finally here – the podcast of NPR's "Fresh Air" is available through podcast. I've been missing Terry Gross's intelligent and informative interviews with anyone who is anyone in literary, film, art, and many other aspects of the pop culture of the US. These were the golden eggs of public radio, and they were offered up to the new medium of podcasting very reluctantly.
These mainstays, such as "This American Life", which went podcast a couple months ago, have been the last to come over to the podcast world, especially since the public radio sector is understandably nervous about their income stream and shooting themselves in the foot. But at the same time, so many more listeners can hear the shows they want when they want, instead of just getting lucky on the drive home.
"Fresh Air" is an example of the power of radio – or whatever you want to call it now – in that it's often the only time you get to sit down with a famous figure and pick their brain, no bullshit, for 15–20 minutes at a time. I've heard so many fascinating and enlightening things on that show that I can't recommend it enough.
You can click on "Fresh Air" or "This American Life" or "Talk of the Nation" to subscribe through iTunes directly.
