During Brooke Gladstone’s Q and A, she talked about public radio and it’s intimacy. She said that she felt as though listen to the radio was more intimate than watching television, or going on the computer. I have never listened to NPR, but I could still relate, in a way, to Brooke.
Growing up, my parents would always listen to the Steve Harvey Morning Show and the Breakfast club on our way to work/school. It was pretty intimate; felt like we were sitting there listening, talking, and laughing along with them. Each morning, we never really cared to hear what songs were playing. I just wanted to hear who the “Donkey of the Day” was and who Nephew Tommy was going to prank.
In addition, my dad is a big reader, but he can’t read in the car or else he gets motion sickness. Instead, he enjoys books on tape. Although I am not a big reader, I can easily get into the books on tape. Every road trip, there’s at least one book on tape that we get to hear. There is a sense of intimacy here, too, as if someone were readying a children’s book at the library.
I very much related to this post! A huge part of my childhood was driving to school with the talk radio playing. I vividly remember the different stories and activities played on the radio and sometimes I look back and feel as if those radio talk show hosts were part of my childhood, teaching me things, keeping me updated. I remember the talk show’s quirks and different intonations. I guess that just speaks to the intimacy of radio, in support of Brooke’s comment.