Letters


April 13, 2002


BROOKE GLADSTONE: You heard a couple of your letters at the top of the show; now we'll try to squeeze in a few more. Victor H. Cohn of Kensington, Maryland writes that he was truly dismayed by our report on the pain game developed by German art students. "This represents the mentality we associate with S.S. Troops in the Nazi era. Ugh! That such thinking persists and gets credence through your broadcast is sickening."

BOB GARFIELD:Mike Kristof of Metro Networks in Milwaukee writes to say that he found our story on Metro Networks to be balanced but responds this way to the critic who condemned the deception that makes remote radio newscasters seem local. "Radio," he writes, "is as much about the theatre of the mind as actual content. When your critic says some of our anchors use phony names, it is merely a device so that it doesn't appear that the same person is on several stations. The client stations dictate style, length and other factors. You can be sure that in today's world of ownership consolidation, if Metro wasn't doing what it does, someone else would be, and if Metro wasn't offering the product and no one else was, then many of our client stations wouldn't do news at all."

BROOKE GLADSTONE:Susan Berger of San Francisco found out interview on Clear Channel to be quote "quite interesting but was bothered by the ending. After a long discussion with Eric Boehlert about the monopolistic character of Clear Channel," she writes, "Bob Garfield asked what was left out there for radio listeners. Mr. Boehlert answered by saying there were 3 options -- 1) public radio -- at which point Mr. Garfield interjected with 'thanks' and a humorous tone, the music revved up and we never heard the two other options! Perhaps you could include those options on next week's show?"

BOB GARFIELD:Well, thanks Susan for getting the joke -which others did not - and for your suggestions. In fact I have in my hand the other alternatives for listeners suggested by Mr. Boehlert after public radio -- Internet radio, satellite radio and he added a 4th --college radio.

BROOKE GLADSTONE:We take suggestions here at On the Media --sometimes -- so send them to onthemedia@wnyc.org and don't forget to tell us where you live and how to pronounce your name.

BOB GARFIELD: Coming up, the FBI's new gag order, the fall and rise of Louis Rukeyser, and the Hollywood trials of a would-be host.

BROOKE GLADSTONE: This is On the Media from National Public Radio.