WMUB Listener Feedback

Here is our letter E-mailed to Senator DeWine.

Please do nothing to lessen the federal subsidy to National Public Radio. If anything, increase the subsidy!

My wife and I support public radio because:

It is the only source of “balanced” opinions on the airways.

- not one sided argument, one view point advanced with every opposing viewpoint ridiculed, but where proponent and opponent speakers are encouraged and given opportunity to present counter arguments.
- not aimed to appeal to the “baseness” of people, but to their need for engagement in public discussion.
- not geared to the “committed” patron, but to the “uncommitted” seeker.

It is the only source of “out of the box” interests that otherwise never make the news.

It is radio of greater depth – not events blurted in 20 seconds but presented over 20 minutes.

- not the daily police blotter of rapes, robberies and murders, but the attempt to understand why mankind commits these acts and how they might be prevented.

- not the constant annoying commercial interruption that consumes so much air time, but a simple acknowledgement of the supporters of public radio.

- Not the trivia, but the meaningful.

We support public radio during their fund drives; we do so now in writing.

Sincerely,


R & D ______


[Comment by Cleve Callison, WMUB General Manager: Please allow me to make a clarification. The alphabets involved can be confusing. NPR does not receive Congressional funding. The issue in June 2005 is funding for local stations like WMUB. The House Appropriations Committee's approval of a 40% reduction in the federal part of WMUB's budget would harm not only our local service but also our ability to pay NPR dues.]

Here is the message I sent:

Dear Senator DeWine,

You seem like a thoughtful person. Please do not support gutting public broadcasting, which is such a strength of the Miami Valley community.

I recognize the need for fiscal restraint, but the current cuts are NOT restrained, they are punitive. Public Broadcasting already is coping with significant cuts.

Please know that I, and many other constituents, believe that public broadcasting is an absolutely appropriate use of my tax dollars. I value the news and other programming I get from NPR and while I no longer watch TV, my second-grade students learn from PBS every day. We need this resource in Ohio. You can help. Please do.

Lin ___
Kettering

I support Public Broadcasting. It seems that Conservative Republicans have a gripe with Public Broadcasting. They would rather support the war in Iraq. I have contacted both senators in Ohio. We must not lose this battle for Public Radio like we are losing the battle in Iraq.

Don Spangler

I've been listening to NPR on WMUB for two years now. I'm apalled about the 40percent cut in funding. I've been listening carefully to many of your programs (The Diane Rehm Show, Talk of the Nation, Fresh Air) and I don't see where any of your programming is left-wing. In fact, I depend on your news sources more than any other to give me some honesty, instead of bias one way or the other, about what is going on in the world. I shall urge my Senators and Representative to cease doing away with your radio programs that have proved most valuable to me and my family. Thank you. Power to you all.

--Elaina Farnsworth

Your station has an excellent mixture of news, education, entertainment, and public service programs, better than any other I've ever heard. But I refuse to contribute anymore because I don't want to subsidize any commercial or politically sponsored messages or content. The handwriting is on the wall, and I suggest that [John Hingsbergen] and Cleve [Callison], et. al. should begin planning for career transition after WMUB gets snuffed by the totalitarian Bush administration.

--Roger

I was wondering if it may be possible to keep up the events on your community calendar even a few weeks after the event has past…This may be good just for a general reference for some people after an event has past. By the way, your programs and all the work you do just seems to be getting better and better. We listen all the time. Keep up the good work!

--Nancy

[Here's some good news for Nancy and others: Outdated events do not appear on the Community Calendar, but you can look them up by clicking on the Advanced Search button in the left hand column. They remain in the file for 90 days.]

[Concerning the addition of The Tavis Smiley Show on Sunday:]

"One of the shows you dropped was Afropop Worldwide. This was my favorite music program, not just on WMUB, but among all my favorite radio stations. In addition, you were the last remaining Miami Valley area radio station to broadcast the show.

Afropop offers diverse music from around globe and gives listeners the chance to expand their musical horizons. I have discovered many exciting musicians and musical styles listening to the show. To me, you have traded an exceptional music program for just another tedious talk show. I urge you consider bringing Afropop Worldwide back to your program schedule, perhaps a better time and day when more people might be able to appreciate it.

--Michael from Lebanon