Here's an article from this weeks Atlanta edition of Creative Loafing, regarding the ongoing battle between local NPR lovers and the nominal NPR affiliate (insofaras they pay NPR for a rebroadcast licence) WABE, also the city's classical music station.

If you're an atlantan with any love for either NPR or Classical music, you've probably gotten yourself embroiled in this already. Certainly Tim was a vocal opponent of WABE's not being a full NPR station, and most others i've met seem to agree that they hate WABE for what it is not.

I have mixed feelings on the issue... i absolutely understand the value of NPR programming, and the importance of a relatively unbiased source of news and talk. On the other hand, i like classical music too, and often listen on my way to work in the morning, or streamed on my PC while here. That being said, i could care less about NPR's "general news" segments, because google gives me the world and national news i care about at the pace i want, rather than slowly and piecemeal. However, NPR's in-depth issues' shows i often like, because they offer more than a cursory look at an issue. Anyway, in my world, WABE continues to play classical for my morning commute, and interrupts that programming only for the indepth, or perhaps sometimes the artistic (prairie home companion, though i find it intolerable, is much loved) shows. At the very least, it seems there is a good fiscal argument for more NPR during the day, which is that many people (my roommates, both past and present, to name a few such) would be more inclined to actually give them money.

at any rate, this is something atlantans might want to weigh in on, and perhaps sign the Atlanta Public Radio Initiative's petition. Or write to John Sugg and let him know how you feel.

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