equal time controversy

[Donna Halper]

On 6/4/2012 9:51 PM, Paul Hopfgarten wrote:
>
> Who owns the Milwaukee Journal, for example? (I don't know the name of 
> the Madison paper, but dollars to donuts in a Government 
> Workers/University town it supports the Dem, if for no other reason 
> than its audience in Madison is likely to support him).

First, Paul, thanks for chiming in.  One of the best ways to examine 
these issues is to exchange ideas.  I was asking about radio mainly, but 
as for newspapers, you are wrong if you think being in a University town 
means all the media are pro-Democrats.  There are several media outlets 
that lean right, and several that lean left.  Madison is surprisingly 
diverse as a media market.  (I used to consult there.)

you wrote--
>
> If we think there should be 'equity' in radio, then I would submit 
> that equity should also apply to television (MSNBC, CNN etc) and even 
> to print media.

And to Fox, which just about always takes one point of view.  But that 
said, there's a bigger problem here.  MSNBC tries very hard to get 
guests from all sides of the issues, as does CNN.  Sadly, we now have a 
culture where everything is so polarized (the non-partisan Pew Center 
just released a study about that today, in fact) that candidates no 
longer feel the need to go on "unfriendly" stations-- they just select 
those outlets they believe will agree with them.  I find this a 
short-sighted strategy.  I think Republicans should go on some MSNBC 
shows, and some Democrats have in fact gone on Fox.  Exchanges of ideas, 
especially if they are respectful, can be very good for democracy.  But 
the issue was the radio stations in Milwaukee, all of which seem united 
in only interviewing, and rooting for, Republicans.  Not sure that's 
helpful for democracy.

you wrote--
>
> I believe it is a mistake to take the one part of todays USA media 
> that is mostly (NPR is NO friend of the conservative) right-of-center 
> and think it should be more 'equal',

No offense, Paul, but it's a very durable myth that the media are 
liberal.  Study after study shows they are not.  if anything, they are 
corporate.  95% of all talk shows are hosted by conservatives.  As for 
NPR, studies show that nearly 50% of its listeners identify as 
Republican, and its news coverage has been rated relentless fair-- in 
fact NPR interviews more conservatives than they do liberals.  My 
concern is that we live in such a polarized country, and it seems radio 
and TV are simply increasing the polarization.