Is public radio making fun of Microsoft?

On the way to work this morning, sometime just before 7 AM, I was half-listening to one of the local San Francisco Bay Area public radio stations, either KALW or KQED. I was deep in thought about something, so I had mostly tuned out the radio, but at a certain point I became aware that I was humming along to the intro of the song Tainted Love by Soft Cell. The music faded out just before the lyrics start, and then the announcer says that Microsoft is a proud sponsor of public radio, followed by our latest marketing catchphrase.

Coincidence? Or is someone trying to associate Microsoft with this "uniquely sleazy" flashback to the early 80s? And if so, whose idea was it? Microsoft's or the station's? Aside from getting the song firmly stuck in a repeat loop in my mind, what purpose did this serve?

Comments

• Anonymous
  August 13, 2004
  NPR music bumpers and sponsor announcements don't have any relation - it's more likely that the music bumper was related to the previous story (probably Morning Edition, if it was 7am). I remember either reading or hearing that Sponsor announcements are recorded well in advance, while the music bumpers are selected by the producers when choosing story order and placement.
• Anonymous
  August 13, 2004
  Actually, it's a subliminal attempt to get investors to sell their Microsoft stock.
  
  See you heard the song title and lyrics - Tainted Love. But, you glossed over the artist - Soft Cell. Which is actually pronounced "soft sell". That's clearly a message to investors... :)