by David A. Bell

To chime in on Eric Rauchway's interesting post about radio--this is not just a British thing. Most European countries have cultural programming on the radio that puts NPR to shame. France's "France Culture" channel, to take just one example, has over eighty regular shows (mostly weekly), that cover an incredible range of subjects (for the full list, click here). There are programs devoted to contemporary poetry, to current issues in philosophy, to economics, literature, history, urban studies ... even geography. This week, to take a few examples at random, listeners could hear a discussion of the Tang dynasty poet Li Bai, a debate between two Czechs on the eastward expansion of the European Union, a documentary on the Six Day War, and a report on attempts to devise a vaccine against Alzheimer's--all serious, but also entertaining and well-produced hour-long shows. My own favorite is "Répliques," in which the philosopher Alain Finkielkraut both hosts and joins in a weekly debate, puncturing intellectual pretentions (mostly of the politically correct variety) with really dazzling skill. Most of these programs, by the way, are podcast, and easily downloadable through iTunes. I would imagine the basic reason NPR can't match this kind of programming is that local public radio stations, with their dependence on listeners for financial support, just can't afford it. Tang poetry is nice, but it's not going to bring in the donations like "Car Talk" or "Prairie Home Companion." I doubt that even the type of general interest shows that Rauchway describes on the BBC would bring in enough listeners to get picked up by most American public stations, at least in the current funding climate. The cultural policies practiced by most European states are hardly beyond reproach, particularly when they reflect the attitude that governments can and should mold the tastes of the citizenry. But the sort of programming available on "France Culture" is one real payoff. And as a nice bonus, in years of listening to the station, I have never, ever had to endure a pledge drive.