Re: owners and their political views (was: Boston radio's pizza connection)

["Dan Billings" <dib9@gwi.net>]

I don't see a problem with an employer, or anyone else for that matter,
advocating for their prefered candidate.  That's what democracy is all
about.  We have a secret ballot so an employer can't make their employees
vote for the employer's favored candidate.  I don't think the memo that was
described was terribly effective, but I don't see any problem with it.

When I was a lobbyist for the tourism industry, we encouraged employers to
let their employees know whether their local legislators were helpful or
harmful to the industry.  We didn't directly tell anyone who to vote for but
that was certainly implied.  Employees should understand that decisions made
by elected officials can effect their employer and their jobs.

As for the effect on the news department: newspapers editoralize and endorse
candidates so I do not see a problem with radio stations doing the same
thing.

-- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine