Bryant park project, the launch: “...for people who take the news seriously but not themselves..."

(photo: Luke Burbank, The New York Times)
We've been blabbing for months about NPR's experimental Bryant Park Project, a new NPR morning news attempting to bring a lighter 'tude, and reflecting a target 28-40 demo that wants news in different ways in the digital age.

It launches today on six stations nationwide (some on digital signals, but none in New York) and on Sirius Satellite radio. But most important, it'll be streamed on the interweb and podcasted.

KUOW's Arvid Hokansen says BPP will appear on their Olympia station, KXOT from 4 to 6 ayem. That's as close to our terrestrial market that it will get. (We're hearing BPP is pushing KXOT to run it in the more civilized (and listened to) hours from 7-9a).

Seattle homey, Luke Burbank is co-hosting with Alison Stewart late of MSNBC and MTV.

According to a New York Times piece last week, the median age listeners of NPR’s newsmagazine programs is 53- not that different than other radio news formats.

(As the boomers start tipping over, the future of radio may be hanging in the balance).

NPR and BPP think that they can change that with new news formats, and a different (lite-er?) touch plus give the Next Gens the video, blog posts, podcasts, and listener commentary and community they require on its website.

The show takes its title from new studios overlooking the Manhattan park across the street, and has a first-year budget of $2 million.

Burbank, 31, who used to work in Seattle for KVI, Metro Traffic, KUOW, and was known around local comedy clubs has now really made it- at least in our small town eyes, particularly after The Times called him: "... a former NPR correspondent with a quirky streak." He says the show will be seeking the people who watch Jon Stewart, and read The New Yorker and Us Weekly.

Always ready with a sound bite, he says BPP's aimed at, “... people who take the news seriously but not themselves.”

But it's not easy to compete against Morning Edition which, at 13 million listeners, is the most popular show on public radio.

Brian Maloney, the conservative The Radio Equalizer says he helped Burbank get out of traffic and onto the air in 1998 on when Maloney was a talk host on KVI. But, he says, "The key will be getting NPR affiliates to carry it. That seems like a tall order."

It is. But NPR suits are expecting more stations will quickly sign up after it's launched. And Burbank told Blatherwatch, "Our future doesn’t lie in being on hundreds of stations (although we like terrestrial radio, and will happily jump on any frequency that wants us). Our viability is going to rely on lots of downloads on iTunes, and Sirius, and people streaming the show from our site and lots of member station sites."

The Times:

Jay Kernis, the network’s senior vice president for programming, said die-hard NPR fans, sensitive to changes, should not worry that their favorites would adopt a similar style. “I think their fear is this is the direction we’re going to take public radio in, and that isn’t the point,” he said. “We’re not doing this for core listeners; we’re doing it to reach new listeners.”  ...

The Bryant Park Project comes with extensive news credentials. The executive producer, Sharon Hoffman, arrived from a stretch at NBC News; the supervising senior producer, Matt Martinez, logged years at NPR newsmagazines. Ms. Stewart comes from MSNBC, where she led a show also called “The Most”; she still contributes there and at NBC News.

We highly recommend giving it a listen. Let us know if you think this is the future or the downfall of radio.

Comments

[sparky]

I really like Allison Stewart and I hope she is really successful at this.

Brian Baloney helped launch Luther's career? hmmmmm

[sparky]

I really like Allison Stewart and I hope she is really successful at this.

Brian Baloney helped launch Luther's career? hmmmmm

[jeeramya]

Sparky, let me fill you in on the history. Brian Maloney was involved with recruiting attractive and large-busted females to serve as ultraconservative flacks. The idea was to discombobulate the brain circuitry of young males. Then they would be susceptible to any wacky right-wing idea. Both Michelle Malkin and Ann Coulter came out of this project.
Burbank worked with Michelle Malkin on a public access cable TV show when she was Times columnist and he was producer of the Kirby Wilbur show. There was a whole sub-rosa WAR going on at the time, the effects of which are still being felt. Suffice it to say that young Luke displayed great courage. I'd like to say more, but this is still very volitile info.

[chucks]

"large-busted females"
jeeramya, you crack me up. I have not read enough of your posts to have you figured out, but come on. My wiener dog has bigger boobs then both of them, and it is a male.
Is this supposed to be part of the "vast right-wing conspiracy?
Michelle is kind of cute, but come on, the only thing attractive about Ann Coulter is her brain (which is enough in my opinion to make her attractive in my book).

[jeeramya]

Chucks, I clearly stated "attractive" AND "large-busted" females: Maloney was tasked with recruiting BOTH types. You admit that Malkin is "cute" (=attractive), and that Coulter is attractive. And you demonstrate that your brain circuitry has been discombobulated as well.
Ergo, Jeeramya, once again, proves 100% (the numbers add up perfectly) C O RR E C T O MUNDO!!!

[sparky]

jeeramya, you rock.

[chucks]

Me sees yer point jeeramya. What you say is large-busted and/or attractive. Not a required combination of both. I hope you see where I was confused.
Real point was that you made me laugh. That is a good thing IMO.
So what sparky says.
Rock on J.

[jeeramya]

Chucks, I'm going to work with you on your far-right views, you seem like a nice guy. I've already made progress with your ultraconservative pal PugetSound.
I realize some will be skeptical of what I say about Brian Maloney, but they can't explain how a failed part time KIRO host, moved to the East Coast and became a hit with his 'radio equalizer' site. I urge everyone to check out the 70's TV program 'The Equalizer,' from which BM took his sobriquet, about a retired CIA field operative living in NYC and driving a Jag (like Dori). Need I say more? Most don't know that B.M. was a college athlete, is 6'8" tall, and is a skilled martial artist.
The evidence is all there, for anyone who will just open their eyes.

[sparky]

Brian Baloney, The Radio Fertilizer

[jeeramya]

Radio Fertilizer-hahaha-I'm going to use that one with your permission.

[sparky]

Be my guest...someone called in on Stephanie Miller's show and used it. They were laughing at Bryan for being Orally's lacky from time to time.

[Duffman]

did you mean 'Brian' or Styble?

[sparky]

Brian Maloney, duffman

[Duffman]

Yeah..didn't figure Styb had gotten mention on the lovely and gracious Stephanie's show...

[jeeramya]

Have you ever noticed how the Republicans seem to get one female hottie after another as flacks. They get babes like Malkin and we get people like Ann Lewis and Susan Estrich. The lineup of newsbabes at FOX? Bo Derek? This is no accident. The whole thing was Brian Maloney's idea, as I stated.

[Duffman]

Bo Derek hotter than Steph Miller?....No way!

[coiler]

plus Stephanie has a brain

[chucks]

Well it was an excellent idea, whomever came up with it. I hear the new Fox Business Chanel has an excellent cast of easy to look at reporters as well.
Maybe attractive people get great positions in life so they don't need gummint assistance to get by.
Maybe the gummint should just do plastic repairs to homely people so they don't need to be on the dole.
That's it. A new gummint program to help the poor. Fix all the ugly people.
LOL, sometimes the stuff I come up with is brilliant.

[Duffman]

I miss joanie. I like turtles.

[sparky]

This time of year is tough at school. Lots of beginning of the year testing, lots of setting of routines, extra energy expended to get kids out of summer mode and into work mode. We take naps a lot when we get home. Joanie will be back after things settle down.

[Duffman]

appreciated! I have much respect for teachers; always have.