I haven't read the NY Times article - yet. I have followed along with the orginal critique of NPR, the tone-deaf response from NPR management, the suspension and then resignation of the man who wrote the original critique and a blog post which yammered on about what a shitshow NPR has become. And I have worked in public radio.

NPR's problems stem from the following... people are tuning out the programs because NPR gave up on having objective, dispassionate program hosts YEARS ago. What they broadcast has become unlistenable over time.

While it was one thing to have weepy Scott Simon hosting Weekend Edition Saturday; but Robert Siegel, Linda Wertheimer, and Bob Edwards could at least feign neutrality as program hosts. At one time, stories about small subjects concerning itty-bitty little segments of the population did not require repeated, bang-the-listener-over-the-head coverage (such as the trans). They did not produce repeated segments which fall under the title, "White People Bad, Here's Today's Example".

That has come to an end over many years and journalistic quality has declined as well. In very story presented the listener automatically knows how the host feels about the topic. Steve Inskeep is dismissive/sarcastic of the subject. Michel Martin races through her text (she's disinterested). Layla Fadel has a habit of mewling throughout intereviews, conveying approval or disapproval. Ari Shapiro seems on the verge of tears during some of his interviews/conversations (so was Rob Stein - their health reporter - during COVID. He sounded like he was falling apart). NOT ONE host questions the hyperbole of their guests. Oh and remember how ATCwould host a Republican and Democrat within the same segment? That will NEVER happen at the NPR of 2024.

And by the way, program hosts like A Martinez are not journalists... no reporting background. They're radio personalities - folks who hosted local programs and made it to the big show.

1A, Hear & Now, On Pont, The NYer Radio Hour, etc... mimic NPR. Those programs are unlistenable for extended periods of time.

And, trying to seem hip, the 5:20 (repeated at 7:20) segment is about hip hop artists over and over.

ALL OF THOSE CHANGES stem from audience research years ago whose conclusion was that NPR and its hosts spoke above the younger segment of its audience. NPR was losing audience because it sounded too intellignet, which was deciphered as "elitist". Conclusion, NPR needed to lighten up, get conversational, find younger hosts.

The result is that NPR has NEVER changed the composition of its audience... it's still very white and college eduacated. BUT IT IS SMALLER because it has turned its back on those who made it a valuable journalistic powerhouse.

Unfortunate - there's really no alternative on the radio to NPR.