Another reason to save NPR: Alec Baldwin

If anyone can persuade politicians to continue to support National Public Radio, it ought to be Alec Baldwin. I know the actor is far from a friend of the Republicans, but Baldwin does such a great job presenting for the radio network that I defy the heart of even the most staunch Tea Party member not to soften when they hear him in action on the airwaves.

I caught the actor hosting an NPR broadcast of a New York Philharmonic concert on the radio yesterday (Daniel Harding conducting Szymonowski's Violin Concerto No. 1 and Mahler's Symphony No. 4). He did a great job.

Baldwin exuded a slightly over-the-top level of gravitas while announcing the music and personnel involved. But he's still hip enough to give the concert broadcasts a fresh feel. He could even lighten up his tone a little to make the programming sound even more approachable.

I'd previously heard the actor shill for NPR during its latest fund drive. He was hilariously self-deprecating and again struck just the right note. I didn't hesitate to make a donation.

While we're on the subject of NPR, here's a link to a terrific, in-depth analysis of NPR's precarious situation that's not only carefully written but also shines a ray of optimism on the murky proceedings. The author is Michael Marcotte, a public radio news trainer and consultant who is currently undertaking a Knight Fellowship at Stanford.