New Books in Critical Theory Laura Garbes, "Listeners Like Who?: Exclusion and Resistance in the Public Radio Industry" (Princeton UP, 2025)
Sep 13, 2025
Laura Garbes, a Sociologist and Assistant Professor at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, dives into the racially exclusive narrative of public radio. She explores the historical context of this industry and how it perpetuates white supremacy while marginalizing voices of color. Garbes discusses the financial shifts that impact diversity, examines the evolving listener demographics, and shares insights from radio workers resisting these norms. Her compelling analysis reveals the ongoing struggle for inclusivity in a crucial media space.
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Public Radio Wasn't A Blank Slate
- NPR emerged from educational radio rooted in Jim Crow-era universities, so it was not a blank slate in 1967.
- Founders' idealism did not reckon with the field's white-controlled infrastructures and ownership.
The 'Calm' Voice Is Gendered And Racialized
- Public radio's iconic voice developed via prominent white women who modeled a calm, feminine authority.
- That feminized tone displaced male baritone authority but still reproduced whiteness as the normative sound.
Funding Narrowed Who Public Radio Serves
- Financial crises in the 1980s pushed NPR to rely on listener fundraising and audience research.
- Dependence on a 'core 40%' donor-listener narrowed programming toward white, educated, middle-class tastes.
