Here comes PBS and NPR Boo Boo

This week’s look at class and taste has been an interesting and at times nauseating look at media. I watched about four programs from PBS and listened to some NPR programs particularly the hourly news summaries. These contrasted drastically from the episode and clips of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, which was in many ways hard to watch. From PBS I watched about three shows from NOVA, (one on alien planets, another on super storms and preparedness, and the third on the minds of serial killers) as well as a program from FRONTLINE (an Inside Look at North Korea). I was extremely aware that the videos I chose to watch readily aligned with my interests (from astronomy to meteorology and psychology to international relations). Although there were times during these programs that to me some of the strategies for discussing these topics felt reductive, I still walked away feeling like I had learned something (even if some of the programs were not consistently entertaining/visually captivating). The educational programs offered by PBS definitely held their own in terms of both tasteful and classy media; in comparison to Honey Boo Boo, which is clearly missing elements of either category. I am reluctant to make any remark feigning surprise at the popularity of Honey Boo Boo because I personally know people who never miss an episode (but I will posit the question: what would it be like to be the “smart” one in a family like that?). I think while it is nice to draw these distinctions in the sand regarding what is classy media and what is trashy, it is not enough to explain an audience’s viewing habits or control them.

However, listening to NPR proved to be a struggle and as I continue to listen to it while writing this post I can’t help but laugh by the story on American Chinese food restaurants in China (that’s right folks, westerners in China miss American style Chinese food). Although NPR may appeal to a certain class it isn’t always as tasteful as one might come to expect (from my own perspective it has always been catering to people of a certain “standing” which did not necessarily include nor appeal to me). There is something in the way that the topics are discussed or presented that I consider to be divisive and ultimately alienate me as a participant in the program.