Fw: A Valentine's letter to WBUR

["Joe Pappalardo" <Joepappalardo2001@yahoo.com>]

Thought you might find this amusing...since I know we have many 'BUR
listeners on the list.

I hope you can read it thru the >> forwarding marks.

Joe
----- Original Message -----

> > Dear WBUR,
> >
> > I can't tell you how glad I am that Valentine's Day has come. It is an
> ironic
> > thing, really, because I'm writing to tell you that lately I've noticed
> that
> > we've been drifting apart. Your latest monthly fundraiser is probably
what
> > prompted this letter. I think the pledge breaks during this latest
> shilling
> > venture went on for 10 minutes or more. So now that Valentine's Day is
> here and
> > your flower-selling has finally stopped, I've taken the time to reflect
on
> what
> > you truly mean to me these days.
> >
> > I have been a faithful listener for years, 'BUR, but I must say that
> lately the
> > spark has gone out of our relationship. All you seem to do anymore is
talk
> > about yourself and what great stuff you do for me. And you do it
non-stop.
> A
> > couple of morning's ago came the kicker. This past year, whenever I've
> heard
> > you shifting into "gimme money" mode, I've changed the station
> immediately. (I
> > can't believe how much I enjoy Howard Stern now.) But a couple of days
ago
> as I
> > was listening to your news broadcast I hopped in the shower, only to
find
> as I
> > got all soapy that you were shifting into "gimme money" mode again. I
> couldn't
> > reach my radio across the bathroom so there was really no way for me to
> get you
> > out of my ears. I was trapped.
> >
> > As I was forced to listen I just became more and more annoyed. I'm tired
> of the
> > way you tell me how much I should appreciate you, and I resent the way
you
> > allude to September 11 as a new reason that I should give you money. The
> number
> > of hours in a day didn't go up after 9-11. I'm not aware of you sending
> your
> > local reporters out for more stories on location. Your total hours of
news
> feed
> > haven't changed. But somehow you insist that since that day, you require
> more
> > and more of my money to stay on top of events. Frankly, I don't think
> you're
> > being honest with me, and honesty is so important to a lasting
> relationship.
> >
> > I am also disillusioned by the way you have foresaken local flavor for
> national
> > recognition. When you replaced Christopher Lydon with Dick Gordon
instead
> of
> > Alex Beam that disappointed me, and I now listen to "The Connection"
much
> less
> > than I used to (especially when the program features one of those
tiresome
> > segments on jazz, poetry, or bluegrass.) Putting "Here and Now" into
> national
> > syndication also bodes ill for that show. Recently I liked "Only a Game"
> even
> > more while Bill Littlefield was absent, but alas he's back now and so is
> > Charlie Pierce. And during your local newscasts your announcers make too
> many
> > mistakes. So lately I find that while I still like NPR, I'm liking 'BUR
> less
> > and less.
> >
> > I used to be so proud of our relationship, too. When I traveled to other
> cities
> > and compared their NPR stations to you, you always came out ahead. You
> > dedicated the entire day to news programming. You had great local
content.
> Now,
> > though, I'm drifting away. Stern has tons of ads but at least he doesn't
> top
> > them off by begging for donations too.
> >
> > WBUR, I have to say that I think you jumped the shark right around the
> time
> > when you got into that tiff with Christopher Lydon. Yeah, he was
probably
> > overreaching, but he represented a lot of what I liked about you up
until
> that
> > time. I can't help but think that Jane could have tried a little harder
to
> keep
> > him. Lately she seems more focused on national prestige for the station
> than
> > quality local programming.
> >
> > Since about that time it also seems your fund-raising has become more
and
> more
> > constant. You already feature advertisements (please don't insist that
you
> > don't -- just because your announcers do the plugs for the sponsors
> instead of
> > running prepared ads, that doesn't allow you to dodge the truth. Heck,
> Howard
> > Stern and his gang do the same thing for on-line casinos.) Which reminds
> me, a
> > few days ago I was in the car and switched over to Stern when you
started
> > selling flowers again, and after a long, long Stern bit I finally
checked
> back
> > with you -- and you were STILL shilling. I was astonished. Even Howard's
> > commercial breaks don't go on for that long. I also felt bad for anyone
> who'd
> > been stuck in the shower during that time.
> >
> > So I'm starting to think that you just don't get it. I gave you money
> once, but
> > now when I get your letters in the mail I just toss in the trash them
> without
> > opening them. Not giving you money has become a cause for me. My
listening
> time
> > with you has also decreased precipitously.
> >
> > I hope I won't have to break up with you permanently. Your half-sibling,
> WGBH,
> > has some of your good traits but I don't think even 'GBH would be able
to
> meet
> > my needs the way you once did. It's sad, really, when so much in this
> world
> > becomes about money.
> >
> > So, sorry if this letter has rambled a bit. Thanks for reading and
letting
> me
> > get this off my chest.
> >
> > Key-Key
> >
> > p.s. Wasn't it last year that your friends at KaBloom messed up on the
> rose
> > deliveries and had so many customers up in arms? If so, you didn't
mention
> that
> > this year and offer any assurances. That's not honest either. For your
> sake I
> > hope they come through today.


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