Jon Gallant discusses and attempts to refute some mean spirited comments
by George Will concerning public broadcasting.

Yet I must admit that Will has a case.  Public broadcasting- both branches
- is smug, self referential and without any clear criteria for its
programming.

Jon is quite right about the dearth of ALL kinds of music other than
pop anywhere but on public radio.  But as has been discussed at length
on this list, now public radio is opting out.  The D.C.  station keeps
only the Metropolitan Opera and a very popular local folk music program
- otherwise all music goes- of course room must be found for the latest
chit-chat program hosted by Alex Chadwick.  That is what is really
important.

Which brings up another disquieting feature of public radio- its
pervasisive drive to uniformity which tends to drive out local programming.
And make no mistake- the best music programming is home grown.

Concerning Jon's suggestion for a BBC model, I see no good reason
for giving a serious subsidy to the car guys or Ira Glass, or a host of
other dreary folks who are suffering from over exposure.  And although my
political opinions are oftern in agreement with the unremittingly liberal
bias of public broadcasting, I see no reason why the taxpayers, many
(most?) of whom don't share those opinions, should subsidize them.  Some
day the political shoe might just be on the other foot.

So let them die and start all over again- or, perhaps, more interestingly,
split them up and let them compete.

Bernard Chasan