[Imc] Re: Proposed program changes

[Sascha Meinrath]

Hi Kim,

I have a few quick comments on the proposed changes that I hope provide
some useful feedback for the WEFT Programming Committee.

> 1) The Programming Committee has received a proposal asking that we move the
> locally produced and hosted country/bluegrass program,  "Saturday Morning
> Survivalists," from 5-8am TO 6am-9am.  This proposed change, if granted,
> would move the nationally produced public affairs program, "Alternative
> Radio" from its 9am slot to the 5am slot on Saturdays.

Many people I know, myself included, very much enjoy the block of public
affairs programming on WEFT on Saturday mornings.  This block provides a
wonderful opportunity for catching up on the week's news and events and
listening to local and national perspectives on many of the most pressing
issues affecting our world.

The proposed change would break up this segment and effectively place
Alternative Radio into a timeslot that many people who usually listen to
this Saturday morning block of programming would not hear.  I appreciate
that the country/blugrass program is locally produced and very much want
to see the hosts supported in their programing; however, Alternative Radio
is an incredibly important news analysis program that is in integral part
of the Saturday morning public affairs theme on WEFT.  Alternative Radio
featuring many of the most prominant social critics alive today and I
strongly encourage the PC to maintain its current timeslot.

> 2) The Programming Committee has learned that the national public
> affairs program, "Common Ground," which is currently broadcast from
> 5-5:30am on Tuesdays, now comes in a one-hour long version. The PC is
> considering airing Common Ground from 5-6am on Tuesdays. This proposed
> change, if granted, would result in bumping the re-broadcast of the
> Monday version of the daily national public affairs program "Free
> Speech Radio News."

I am a big fan of Free Speech Radio News (FSRN) and I am very glad that
WEFT carries it every weekday evening.  Unforunately, many people are
unable to listen to news in the evening or are otherwise occupied at this
time.  Rebroadcasting FSRN in the morning allows listeners to catch what
they may have missed the previous day.

However, the amount of time in the day is limited and the FSRN rebroadcast
would now come at the expense of Common Ground being run in its entirety.
Given that FSRN is already aired in its entirety and that it's broadcasts
are archived and available on the internet I support bumping the
rebroadcast of Free Speech Radio News in favor of extending Common
Ground and airing a first-run broadcast.

I hope my feedback is incorporated into the decisions made by the
Programming Committee.

Take care,

--Sascha Meinrath