[Peace-discuss] letter to the DI

[Alfred Kagan]

I just sent the following letter to the DI.

To the Editor:

I would like to respond to Todd Swiss’ commentary in the June 22nd 
edition. Although I agree with the need to defend public broadcasting, 
there is more to this story. At their birth, PBS and NPR were much more 
independent than they have been in many years. We used to be able to 
see and hear reports that showed the horror of the war in Vietnam, 
along with critical commentary.  President Johnson’s “light at the end 
of the tunnel” was not the only view aired.  Contrast that to today 
where we must find alternative media to hear what is really going on.  
(For example, Amy Goodman’s “Democracy Now!” is broadcast on UPTV, 
channel 6 on the cable from 7-8 am every weekday.  WEFT, 90.9 FM, also 
carries the program 4-5 pm weekdays.)

The most recent example is the complete lack of NPR coverage of Rep. 
John Conyers’ hearings on the Downing Street Memo. This is the “smoking 
gun” that proves Bush planned the war many months before informing the 
nation and cooked the so-called “intelligence” to advance his 
aggression. A fifty-member Out of Iraq Congressional caucus formed out 
of that hearing, and 122 Congresspersons have called for an 
investigation into the Downing Street Memo.  How many Americans know 
about this?

But no media is neutral.  What we normally call unbiased is actually 
material that accepts the underlying assumptions of the current policy. 
A fair public media would represent all points of view, not just a 
narrow range of debate.  Bill Moyers just called for broadcasting 
“Democracy Now” on PBS nationwide.  Let’s get that snowball rolling. 
Airing Democracy Now! on WILL TV and radio would be a great start.  
Let’s speak up for informing our community and nation.

Al Kagan



Al Kagan
African Studies Bibliographer and Professor of Library Administration
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61801

tel. 217-333-6519
fax 217-333-2214
akagan at uiuc.edu
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