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Why do the people on NPR -

Demigorgon

Critical Thinker
Demigorgon
Joined
Aug 20, 2003
Messages
261
Why do the people on NPR sound like they have way to much saliva in their mouths? Just spit or something! All that smacking and slurping, am I off my rocker here or does it just drive anyone else crazy.

/Demi, it's the small things.
 
It's so funny that you should bring up NPR. I just tuned in to NHPR (New Hampshire) to see what was on.

I actually find more often than not that they sound like they have NO saliva than too much. So quiet and so clipped is their speech.
 
broadcast engineers trained at the colleges where npr is recorded no doubt :)

compression? MORE COMPRESSION!!!!!!!!!!!
 
I like NPR.
Carl Castle, Teri Gross, Lakshmi Sing (sp?)

They'll spend 2-5 minutes on a story. Compared to the typical 30sec on a tv broadcast, it's like a novel.
 
Katana said:
It's so funny that you should bring up NPR. I just tuned in to NHPR (New Hampshire) to see what was on.

I actually find more often than not that they sound like they have NO saliva than too much. So quiet and so clipped is their speech.
Click to expand...

They did a little, bit a week or so ago, demonstrating the audio editing software they use for "all of our programs." It featured a young man working with them who has a terrible stutter, but, when edited, sounds pretty good. I think their software's good enough that they can clean up the sound quite a bit.
 
I don't know what equipment they are using, but usually to get that droll kind of NPR reporter tone, many broadcasters go with a very hot unidirectional microphone - thus picking up all those annoying little salivary sounds. Too hot and it sounds kind of like you're talking and chewing at the same time.

I did some very small market radio back in the 80s, and that's how I would cut my news/weather/sports spots.
 
That would be the ubiquitous EV RE-20

makes little tiny weenies sound huuuuuuuuuuuggggeeeeee

but paired with all the Orbans and such you find there puts lithsps all over anyone even slightly inclined to a heavy metal thpeecth pattern
 
I'd take the sound of NPR any day over the sound of Pacifica. They have programs in which the host's every breath and every wheeze is broadcast over the voice of the guest.
 
It drives me nuts, too, but like Ladewig said, there's much worse programs out there. Then again there's also better. Here in KC I listen to 96.5 FM - the Buzz, and their speech-sound quality is perfectly fine without all the smacking. And hey, they take time out of their day to bash our jackass politicians and Kevin Trudeau!
 
I just don't like that guy on More to the Point, "Warren Olney" who can't go 3 seconds without saying "uh" seemingly to make it sound like he's thinking.
 
Demigorgon said:
Why do the people on NPR sound like they have way to much saliva in their mouths? Just spit or something! All that smacking and slurping, am I off my rocker here or does it just drive anyone else crazy.

/Demi, it's the small things.
Click to expand...

Carl Castle drive me nuts. Why you make someone with speech impediment a news reader is beyond me.
 
Demigorgon said:
Why do the people on NPR sound like they have way to much saliva in their mouths? Just spit or something! All that smacking and slurping, am I off my rocker here or does it just drive anyone else crazy.

/Demi, it's the small things.
Click to expand...

Some boofhead gave a whole speech yestiddy about the joys of properly made baked macaroni and cheese.

It's good to be able to put on programming without having to worry about ratings. Just on the merits of the subject itself.
 
Does anyone remember the old SNL skit...the two women with an NPR show...in its first incarnations (before it became too enamoured of itself and a little bit snarky) was dead-on and very funny. Good times.
 
billydkid said:
Carl Castle drive me nuts. Why you make someone with speech impediment a news reader is beyond me.
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Carl Kasell - He doesn't have a speech impediment, unless you consider age a speech impediment.

I like his voice, but he's noticably aged over the past few years. It's like Paul Winchell voicing Tigger well into his 70s. Tigger sounded old.
 
ImaginalDisc said:
I think their software's good enough that they can clean up the sound quite a bit.
Click to expand...

Why can't they steady Diane Rehm's voice then? I know she's old, but it sounds like she's sitting on one of those vibrating massage chairs, or something.

I listen to NPR quite a lot too becuase I find main stream radio to be a lot of drivel, and the commercials are way too long. I find that many NPR commentators try to inject a little too much wit and whimsy into their pieces. It seems forced which it takes it down a few notches.
 
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