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Marfa Public Radio Puts You to Sleep — Leisure
Marfa Public Radio Puts You to Sleep

Marfa Public Radio is literally never asleep. It operates 24/7 (except when lightning strikes) and there’s so much that goes on behind the scenes to make this happen– fundraising, compliance, protocols, emergency response, maintenance…the list goes on and on.

Do you lay awake wondering what FCC compliance entails? Ever wondered what NPR’s code of journalistic ethics involves for the newsroom?

We may never be able to explain what it takes to operate the station, but we can put you to sleep trying to.

For this fall membership drive we bring you Marfa Public Radio Puts You to Sleep. It’s a sleep podcast wherein we read you the boring documents essential to our jobs, in the hopes we might lull you into slumber.

We do actually hope that you fall asleep listening to this, but when you wake up, help us continue to read our boring documents and keep Marfa Public Radio awake by donating to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

Produced by Zoe Kurland and Christopher Dyer. Our executive producer is Elise Pepple.

Copyright: © Marfa Radio 2023

Latest Episodes:

Welcome to A Whole Other Country Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

A Whole Other Country is a new podcast from the award-winning Marfa Public Radio Studios.
Back in the ‘90s, in an off-the-grid neighborhood in the mountains of Far West Texas, a wannabe vintner started his own Wild West nation. Reporter and host Zoe Kurland drives up the long, bumpy roads of the Davis Mountains to talk to a cast of neighbors and onlookers who watched the story of the standoff unfold in real time -- the myths of the frontier crashing violently into reality.

Subscribe on Apple Podcasts here.

Subscribe on Spotify here.

The Rescissions Act of 2025 read by Zoe Jul 25, 2025

Show notes

Imagine, you’re sitting in a small radio station in the middle of the Chihuahuan Desert in Far West Texas. The air is dry and still. You’ve spent the day reporting on a long county commissioner’s meeting. Maybe you’ve edited a story about the local herbarium and its keepers. Maybe you sat in the host chair for Morning Edition and All Things Considered, reporting the weather. Perhaps, on this day, you trundled your truck up a mountain to the Marfa Public Radio tower. It’s quiet up there.

Looking out from the top of this mountain, you can see everything. You stand for a moment, let it all sink in, visualize that signal sailing through the clear blue sky. Airwaves, airborne.

And then it hits you. That signal is at risk. It could be snatched right out of the sky. Congress has just passed the Rescissions Act of 2025, H.R.4, eliminating all federal funding for public media. At Marfa Public Radio, this means one third of our budget is disappearing. For now, everything's still humming, machinery whirring, tower broadcasting.

But it occurs to you: if people don’t step up their financial support of this listener-funded station in this crucial moment for the future of public media — the gentle humming and whirring of the broadcast equipment could cease. It also occurs to you that people can quite easily donate at marfapublicradio.org/donate or by calling the station at 1-800-893-5787.

As you await the listeners’ calls - you begin to wonder, what is the Rescissions Act of 2025, really?

In this episode, Senior Producer Zoe Kurland reads the Rescissions Act of 2025 and the senate and house votes that passed it.

This episode of Marfa Public Radio Puts You To Sleep was written, produced, and hosted by Zoe Kurland.

The Dark Sky Ordinance read by Annie Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

After a brutally hot summer, the desert weather’s easing up. You like standing outside at night, but you find it gets dark, so dark that you can’t see a thing. You yearn to read outside, yearn to knit, yearn to play a game of solitaire every once in a while. At last, you decide to install an outdoor light. But you harbor a concern— you don’t want to disturb the stars or pollute the beautiful dark sky.

In this episode, Marfa Public Radio’s Border Reporter Annie Rosenthal reads The Dark Sky Ordinance.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and dark-sky compliant, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

The NPR Style Guide read by Carlos Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

You’re writing up an article for the Marfa Public Radio website and you find yourself wondering… do I use an oxford comma? Is this the correct syntax for the situation? How should I go about capitalization? Should I use italics here? Can I use italics?

Marfa Public Radio’s News Director, Carlos Morales has the answers to your questions. In this episode, Carlos Morales reads you the NPR Style Guide.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and grammatically correct, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 read by Elise Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

It’s 1967, you find yourself in the hallowed halls of an important national institution, that happens to smell like dust and popcorn. You’re seated in a rigid chair, looking upon the senate floor. The hum of discussion fills your ears as you sink deeper into your seat on the sidelines. Senators are discussing the future of broadcasting. The public kind.

In this Episode, Marfa Public Radio’s Executive Director Elise Pepple reads the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and broadcasting for free, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

The Tower Regulations Manual read by Travis Pope Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

It’s a rainy night in Far West Texas— the drops hit the roof of the radio station, the pitter patter a percussive rhythm. You gaze out the window, and far away, you see lightning strike. Uh oh. You know what that means. The tower is out.

In this episode, Marfa Public Radio’s station manager Travis Pope, reading a selection of The Tower Regulations Manual.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and the radio tower up, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

Creative Commons Licenses read by Zoe Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

You’re producing a sleep podcast for Marfa Public Radio, not unlike the one you’re listening to right now. You’re looking for music, a dulcet tune to lull your listeners into sweet sleep. You find a couple of lo-fi selections. But…can you use them? Are you allowed? Will you find yourself entangled in a stressful lawsuit around copyright infringement?

In this episode, Marfa Public Radio reporter and podcast producer Producer Zoe Kurland reads the creative commons licenses.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and away from copyright infringement, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

The Texas Administrative Code read by Mitch Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

You live in Texas. You find a phrase floating around in your mind: Texas Administrative Code.

What is that? Is that a code of honor? Is it a code of conduct? Is it a secret code that gets you a discount at your favorite store? Is it a communication code, like morse?

You don’t know. But Mitch Borden does know.

In this episode, Marfa Public Radio’s Permian Basin Reporter Mitch Borden reads the Texas Administrative Code.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and up to code, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

US Postal Regulations read by Yvonne Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

You’ve been sending out Marfa Public Radio merch packages all day to places near and far– tees to Tomball, caps to Cornwall, diner mugs all the way to Montreal. You’re surrounded by stacks of shirts, soft and inviting– a bed of cotton classic logo tees upon which you lay your head.

You’re sending out the last order of the day and you wonder, what exactly are the postal regulations after all? What can I send? How, do I send it?

In this episode, Marfa Public Radio’s Office Manager Yvonne Lujan reads the US Postal Regulations.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and sending merch packages, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

A Brief History of All Things Considered read by Travis Bubenik Oct 09, 2023

Show notes

You’re listening to MPR in the afternoon. The program? All Things Considered. As you sink into a comfortable plush armchair, you ponder— where did this show come from? Who’s making this happen? Who has made this happen, historically?

In this episode, Marfa Public Radio reporter and All Things Considered host Travis Bubenik reads a brief history of All Things Considered.

To help keep Marfa Public Radio awake and keep All Things Considered on our airwaves, donate to the station at marfapublicradio.org/donate.

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