Steve Schwartz wrote:

>It would depend on how I saw the station's mission. If the goal were
>education and providing a resource that strengthened "high" culture, I
>might very well not only keep classical music, but expand it to recherche
>areas. If my goal were to satisfy the market -- in short, the same goal
>as any commercial station -- I'd program more talk. In that case,
>however, why should the station need public support at all

News outlets are reporting that the Public Library in Salinas, California
will be closing soon.  Maybe it was a threat, but if it happens there,
or elsewhere, the quality of life will be diminished.  Even where public
radio stations fall short of the ideal, their very existence is a bulwark
against the conglomerates who are ruining commercial radio.

Laurence Glavin
Methuen, Mass (27 miles N of Boston)