I can understand the frustration of Northfield residents trying to save WCAL, and Saint Paul residents not wanting to fork over so-called "corporate welfare" on behalf of a radio station that increasingly seeks corporate contributions to stay afloat.
However, I agree with Andy Driscoll's point about MPR's status as the most credible news source that exists in the Twin Cities. I experiment with stations such as KFAI (decidedly left-leaning) or even some right-wing radio nuts that claim to have something to say (I won't even dignify them by naming stations), but in the end I always set the #1 on my car radio to MPR. I enjoy Air America occasionally (on the web) but still find that it is still a little too partisan for my taste.
Call it an addiction to voices such as my personal icons Garrison Keillor, Cathy Wurzer or the Car Talk guys.
Call it an alternative to trash TV or trash radio, that accompanies me while I clean house or write my thesis, and scoop up new ideas to wrestle with and talk about at parties (trust me, listen to MPR just one day a week and other people will also think you're as intelligent as you think yourself).
Call it an exclusive little group of people finding that it is the closest thing to civil discourse we have found on local radio. If there are better stations out there with reputable news crews that I am neglecting, please give me their call numbers so I can try them out.
MPR faces the same kinds of pressures that all nonprofits and government units face in a time of scarcity and a lack of investment in the arts, the news, or even the public safety we take for granted.
When I heard a recent news story about a corporate entity (can't remember the name so I won't gratuitously denigrate Walmart again for no good reason, because I'm sure it was someone else) donating money to a local Department of Public Safety (can anyone reference this story for me?), instead of feeling warm & fuzzy about the generosity of a local corporate giant, I felt OUTRAGE that my city is not fully funding Fire, Police and first responder services in an era of so-called "security moms."
When library hours are cut, and Library Foundations struggle to find ways to make up the gaps in service with private dollars; or schools are so beleaguered by operating costs that they must raise private dollars in order to keep music, art & physical education in the curriculum, then we have turned our backs on the common good.
While I mourn for those who have lost a local station in Northfield, I hope that Bill Kling has the wisdom to allow for some local differentiation of stations within the MPR network. While consolidating to compete with the likes of the corporate media giants funded entirely through advertising, let's open up local talent to the wider listenership of MPR. Let's produce shows here in Saint Paul and around the state that can be distributed more widely throughout the country.
End of polemic for today. Cheers, Cristy
* * * * * * * * * * Cristy A. De La Cruz Highland Park resident & Master of Liberal Studies degree candidate
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