About this Event
National Public Radio was established in 1970 with a mission to provide programming for all Americans, yet the gap between public radio’s pluralistic mandate and its failure to serve marginalized communities has plagued the industry from the start. Listeners Like Who? takes readers inside the public radio industry, revealing how the network’s sound and listenership are reflections of its inherent whiteness, and describing the experiences of the nonwhite journalists who are fighting for change.
Drawing on institutional archives, oral histories, and original in-depth interviews with journalists of color in public radio, Laura Garbes shows that when NPR and its affiliate stations first began its appeals for donations from “listeners like you,” it was appealing to white, well-educated donors. She discusses how this initial focus created a sustainable financial model in the face of government underfunding, but how these same factors have alienated broad swaths of nonwhite and working-class audiences and limited the creative freedoms of nonwhite public radio workers. Garbes tells the stories of the employees of color who are disrupting the aesthetic norms and narrative practices embedded in the industry.
Laura Garbes is an assistant professor of sociology at the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities. Her research focus is on race, media, and cultural production. Her book, Listeners Like Who? Exclusion and Resistance in the Public Radio Industry, was published with Princeton University Press in September 2025.
About Events at M&Q:
These are guidelines only, and if you have questions about the most up to date information, you can always call us at 612-822-4611.
Q: Do I need to register?
A: Please do if at all possible! Use the registration button above. Registering ahead of time helps us with scheduling, book ordering, and other decisions that are made several weeks prior to the event. The more info we have ahead of time, the better.
With a registered list, we can also easily and directly communicate event updates such as postponements or cancellations.
If you are unable to sign up online, please call or visit the bookstore and register with a bookseller.
Walk-ins are always welcome, but seating decisions are made based on registered attendance and seating priority is given to registered attendees first.
Q: Are in store events free?
A: Yes, Magers & Quinn events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Q: Are masks required?
A: Masks are not required to browse in the store or at most events. Some events may come with a request for masking for the health and safety of the author. If so it will be noted here whenever possible.
Q: How should I get there?
A: Please see our Directions & Parking page for the best tips on getting to Magers & Quinn.
https://www.magersandquinn.com/directions
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Magers & Quinn Booksellers, 3038 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, United States
USD 0.00
