Ira Glass

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That's it?

On my way to work, I'll flip back and forth between Morning Edition and Howard Stern. If I'm at the TV when Nightline comes on, I'll wait and see what their topic is, because I find their news judgment so interesting. Nightline is a direct competitor to This American Life. They're trying to win in the competitive broadcast world, and yet they have complete internal integrity and creativity. There is nothing like them.

What other television shows do you watch?

I love The Sopranos. I'm also a big fan of The Simpsons, but I really only started watching it two years ago. Lately I've also been watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off, Angel. They're at the peak of their form.

It sounds like your taste can be pretty lowbrow.

I have no guilt about the things I like on television. Sure, they're kind of trashy, but I feel that life is way too short, and anything that gives pleasure is good. So I freely admit that The Howard Stern Show is an intermittent pleasure. I may not agree with everything he does or says, or like it when he's mean to someone, but I still believe that it is a well-programmed, ingeniously designed show.

What kind of music do you listen to?

Lately I've been listening to a lot of Elliot Smith. I'm also pretty fond of a record called The Indestructible Beat of Soweto, Volume II. As far as African music goes, though, it's pretty basic stuff, but it's still great. I also love Otis Redding and Hole. I went through a big Shonen Knife phase. I discovered Lauryn Hill really late, but I adore her.

Which current trends in the media most trouble you?

I know I'm supposed to feel bad about all these media mergers and consolidation, but I don't really think about it.

Any media trends you're heartened by?

It's all heartening. There's all this space to do things now that didn't exist ten or even five years ago. Cable TV and the Internet are both new enough that people are still out there trying things. The networks are feeling pressure from cable, so television is getting more innovative. Great stuff is going on right now. This is an enormously open time.

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