The University of Wisconsin Public Affairs Writer in Residence program invited National Public Radio Senior Washington Editor Ron Elving to speak about a broad range of political and journalistic issues Monday.

"NPR has 25-30 million listeners since the late '90s," Elving said, attributing this to the network's coverage of the Florida election debacle, the Bush administration, the Iraqi war and Hurricane Katrina. "People are not happy with newspaper coverage on these events, so they turn to [NPR]."

Elving also said the downside to NPR's increase in audience could be the danger of eventually matching the agenda of commercial radio, he added.

NPR sets its agenda and decides what to cover based on importance to the public, Elving said. The network tries to incorporate stories more pertinent to public awareness and civic discourse rather than entertainment-oriented coverage, according to Elving.

As a representative of the program, Elving said that throughout the week he will consult with UW students and faculty, along with Wisconsin Public Radio.

Elving also spoke of his experience working in Washington, D.C., for USA Today and Congressional Quarterly.

"Some of my career is journalism-related, and the other public affairs," he said.

Elving said he thinks radio is the most "visual" form of medium because listeners are provided with auditory stimulation and the receiver is the one that can be creative.

UW freshman Greta Koch said it was interesting that Elving pointed out how television and other mediums are following a trend toward human-interest stories and NPR is staying with more news stories.

"Elving seemed really down-to-earth, and I really enjoyed this presentation because I have been out of the loop since I have come to college because I do not get [nationally circulated] newspapers," she said. "So I really want to check out some of the NPR radio shows."

Contrary to the misconception that NPR receives its funding from the federal government, Elving said in actuality only 14 percent of the network's monetary support is federal.

"NPR does not carry advertising except in a discreet way called supporter acknowledgement," Elving said. "Highlighting a large portion of commercial radio accumulates profit from advertisements differing from NPR."

Elving added American journalism differs from that in Europe because the media's essential driving force is making money.

Skip Worden, a visiting scholar in history and Yale graduate, said it seems like the American media can say anything in terms of public policy and people will believe them. He said he blames this problem on American journalism.

"I think [Elving's] comment about American journalists seeking approval is tantamount to a herd mentality that I do not buy as inevitable," Worden said, adding journalists do not ask questions that go beyond the premise of public officials.