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FROM CONGRESSMAN GENE GREEN ON KPRC RADIO CANNING DAN RATHER SHOW
Quorum Report Daily Buzz ^ | September 29, 2004 | Harvey Kronberg

Posted on 09/30/2004 9:56:12 AM PDT by SwinneySwitch

I was shocked to learn of your actions and read your comments in an Associated Press article "KPRC Gives Rather's Radio Show the Boot" filed September 28, 2004. Apparently, KPRC makes programming decisions based on a political agenda, rather than on ratings or broadcasting standards. (Green provides examples of factual errors from other programs like Savage and Limbaugh

Mr. Ken Charles Director of Operations/Programming Clear Channel Communications 510 Lovett Blvd. Houston, Texas 77006

Dear Mr. Charles:

I was shocked to learn of your actions and read your comments in an Associated Press article “KPRC Gives Rather's Radio Show the Boot” filed September 28, 2004. Apparently, KPRC makes programming decisions based on a political agenda, rather than on ratings or broadcasting standards.

The CBS television news organization and Dan Rather made a huge mistake by airing a story based on faulty documents from an unreliable source. The CBS story was wrong, it was presented wrongly, and the network took too long to set the record straight. However, CBS has spent a considerable amount of airtime correcting that mistake and apologizing for their error, which apparently resulted from the sloppy work and the competitive nature of the news business, rather than by a political agenda.

Removing one radio show for one acknowledge mistake by its host while continuing to run shows of commentators who often make inaccurate and unverified statements reveals a double standard. I believe KPRC should hold Mr. Rather and all others to the same standards. The failure to do so strongly suggests KPRC has no broadcasting standards of accuracy and only a political agenda. Here is a sampling of just a few inaccurate, uncorrected statements from other KPRC commentators to illustrate my point.

From Michael Savage’s “Savage Nation”:

1. Sen. John Kerry has given “some intelligence to Osama bin Laden.” 9/17/04. 2. The Democratic Party is “ethnic minorities and women and immigrants.” 7/28/04

From Rush Limbaugh’s “The Rush Limbaugh Show”

1. “[W]e spend over two times on education already, what we spend on defense.” 6/30/04 2. “There aren't families living on the minimum wage” 4/29/04

I strongly support the free speech rights of Mr. Savage, Mr. Limbaugh, and your station as a whole, but the above statements are completely inaccurate. Sen. Kerry has never given intelligence to Bin Laden. As a white, native Texan male, I can testify that the Democratic Party is diverse and open to all Americans, and is not based on race or gender. Furthermore, the federal government spends fully 14 times less on education than we do on defense, and millions of American families do, in fact, live off the minimum wage. How does KPRC justify Mr. Rather’s punishment, while ignoring repeated inaccuracies by other hosts?

Please make a commitment to your listeners that KPRC has standards of accuracy and they are enforced for all broadcasters. If KPRC can make such a commitment, then there is no justification for removing Mr. Rather’s radio show. However, if KPRC makes no such commitment, then at least listeners should be forewarned.

Sincerely,

Gene Green Member of Congress GG:dw


TOPICS: Extended News; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: genegreen; kprc; rathergate
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To: Dog Gone

**roll eyes**

Whatta maroon.


21 posted on 09/30/2004 11:34:23 AM PDT by Frank_Discussion (May the wings of Liberty never lose a feather!)
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To: bcoffey
Total education spending from all sources easily surpasses defense spending, IMO

Your opinion is fact. We spend, local, state and federal money combined, about $660 billion on K-12 education. We spend about $350 billion on the military. I don't have the current number off the top of my head, it might be up to $420 billion because of Iraq -- but that just makes it worse because we're fighting a war and we're STILL spending $200 billion more on education than the military!

22 posted on 09/30/2004 11:37:42 AM PDT by justanotherfreeper
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To: SwinneySwitch
Apparently, KPRC makes programming decisions based on a political agenda, rather than on ratings or broadcasting standards.

That's the point, Mr. Green (A$$Hole!)

They (KPRC) want to keep their ratings up and keep the green coming in. They would rather do that than follow your "political agenda".
Get it?

(And now Mr. Green, Go Pound Sand!)

23 posted on 09/30/2004 12:33:20 PM PDT by Fiddlstix (This Tagline for sale. (Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: MeekOneGOP

Bump for what you said Meek!


24 posted on 09/30/2004 9:08:54 PM PDT by potlatch (Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness.)
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