NPR has become "Champale," Shearer opines

"I think comparing NPR to the BBC is like comparing Champale to Champagne," writes actor, satirist and KCRW's Le Show host Harry Shearer in a comment in response to a lengthy analysis of the past year at NPR on Radio Survivor. He adds: "The days when the former would 'go long' on a story of prime importance have long since been superseded by the era of the unbreakable, predictable format."

Perhaps Shearer is still upset with the network because it didn't cover his Cine Golden Eagle award-winning Katrina doc "The Big Uneasy," and wouldn't let him buy underwriting to promote the film.

In the Monday (Dec. 27) Radio Survivor post, writer Gavin Dahl looks at what he calls NPR's "identity crisis," examining everything from minority employment within the network to the politics behind its funding in 2010. It's his second post on the topic; the first is here.