Wow, the Morning Zoo comes to NPR. How sad.

Why the fake light-hearted banter? Why the annoying background music? Why the tired old listener poll thing; who cares? Why the constant reminders that this is a new kind of radio, when it sounds like a couple of commercial radio bozos?

Look folks, I appreciate you trying to be innovative, but at 6:00 a.m. I want to hear news in the traditional way. The whole talkshow thing is exactly why I began listening to NPR to begin with. I don't want a talkshow. I want news. I don't want to hear two people talking to each other. I was so frustrated by the fact that you changed the purpose of your news reporting. People are busy and they just want to get a run down of current events. This is a horrible addition to my morning and now I feel like I literally have nowhere to go to get decent news coverage in the morning. Move this show off of FM to AM and keep it there.

Guys, reading the comments it looks ugly... but think of it this way: it's not *nearly* as bad as Faith Salie.

I agree wholeheartedly with all of the comments above. My family wakes up to NPR every morning. This shows comes across like a bunch of older adults desperate to be a "cool" show to appeal to the younger generation. Please - I am begging you - bring back the other show. I'd honestly rather listen to a pledge drive than this show.

I would change the way you two present the news. I know this was your first morning, but you are both experienced journalists. Please stop talking over one another. Please stop talking over the guests and the reporters. Please stop the background music when the news is being presented. Please stop. thank you.

I liked the show -- I find Morning Edition gets really slow and I'm tired of the repeats. I work from home and always have to find a way to occupy myself between 8-9am until the BBC comes on. I get a little bit of what people here are saying, but I'm going to give The Takeaway a chance. Thanks for shaking things up a bit!

Ditto to many of the comments about the obnoxious backround music and the chirpy banter between the commentators. After the first ten minutes of the initial show, I couldn't tell that I was listening to WNYC; it sounded too much like the programming on other AM stations that I abhor. Time to go back to the drawing boards on this one.

I know this is the first show and that things can change but the fact that someone thought that sounding like commercial morning radio was a positive change from the "clubby"(NYT 4/27/08) sound of Morning Edition

troubles me. The show is an example of why journalism is edited before being presented. The hosts' interrupting each other and stepping on each other was annoying. I felt like I was listening to Robin and Howard. While you are trying to attract a new demographic make sure you don't give the old one a reason to move on.

I can't agree more with the sentiments of my fellow listeners. This new format is by far the worst "improvement" ever. NPR has been transformed into commercial radio. If I wanted to listen to unprofessional banter with very little news, I would simply turn on the "Today Show." Bring back the old format, please.