Open Letter

In quasi-socialist Bay Area, Radio listens to YOU!

... even if you never got around to writing in about it. Sent to the listener feedback line:

I noticed after I got back from vacation a few weeks ago that Christopher Lydon's "Open Source" was taken off the air, and have been meaning to send in a note to heartily applaud the move! It seems he has a bit of a following, at least the last time I Googled the show, so I figure KQED's probably picked up some flak for taking it off the schedule.

But I think anybody who's been exposed to a show like KQED's own Forum or such NPR staples like Fresh Air and Talk of the Nation would have picked up within a minute what a total phony Lydon was. The man has no place conducting interviews or moderating discussions on anything more pressing than how to cook Thanksgiving Dinner. I've never heard a host press a guest to answer a question the guest himself insisted he was unqualified to answer, nor have I heard the phrase "Actually, that's not what I meant..." more often in a single show on 88.5. That "Talkin' with the Ghost of Thomas Jefferson" (or whatever the hell he called it) bit really sealed it.

I'm often listening weekdays in the wee hours, and I really appreciate the quirkier stuff that got programmed into the 11pm and later slot like Day to Day and especially News and Notes. But when 1 am rolled around I often found myself lunging for the off-switch! The only thing that show was good for was reminding me that I really should be getting to bed!

Anyway, rant over. Thanks for making the airwaves safe again, and please hold the line against anybody misguided enough to lobby for it to come back. I promise you there's a silent majority out here that feels just that much better now about how our pledge money is being spent. :)

EDIT:Alas, a Google search later revealed that the show itself tanked due to lack of funds, so its absence isn't necessarily a brillliant, brave move by the local program director so much as it was a sensible, prudent move by the funders. Net effect is the same, though, so it's still a win.

EDIT: The station's reply was fun.