Gary Lapierre's Replacement

[Scott Fybush]

SteveOrdinetz wrote:
>  Scott Fybush wrote:
>> It is also possible that I'm just very spoiled from spending the last 
>> couple of years working in public radio, where we try to write in 
>> English that's both conversational and un-gimmicky.
> 
> Guess it's a matter of perspecitve...I've always found the public radio 
> style to be very stiff & pretentious, almost like they're talking down 
> to you.

There is a conscious effort among many of us in the public radio 
community to move away from that style, which is still unfortunately too 
much in evidence on some of the national programming. (Robert Siegel on 
ATC is a prime offender, who was especially grating the other day when 
he was insisting on pronouncing "Muslims" as "Mooo-slims.")

But there are plenty of counter-examples as well; Scott Simon on Weekend 
Edition Saturday has a wonderful conversational style, at least to my 
ear. And my current "delivery idol" is Kai Ryssdal on Marketplace, who's 
as far from stuffy as it gets.

On the local level, it of course varies dramatically from station to 
station. But I'd never accuse WBUR's Robin Young, for instance, of 
sounding either stiff or pretentious. Ditto for my friend Dave Faneuf. 
Here in Rochester, my colleague Alex Crichton, who does the local 
Morning Edition breaks every weekday from 5-9:30, is a former jazz DJ 
and sounds every bit the part. I like to think I'm not sounding stuffy 
when I'm on in the afternoon, either.

As always, the proof is in the listening - if you'd like to tell me I'm 
full of...er...stuffed shirt, hit the AM 1370 stream at WXXI.org today 
or tomorrow between 4-6:30 PM ET and hear for yourself :-)

s