In response to June Bower’s column
From Galen Zumbach
Creston
After reading June Bower’s Oct. 15 “News vs. Entertainment” article, I am led to believe that WHO radio, Fox News and any other media outlet that does not conform to her political beliefs is a propaganda arm for conservatives. June said other than the farm news the station is a bastion for conservative talk radio with radio hosts such as Rush Limbaugh, Jan Micahels, Steve Deace, Michael Reagan and others filling the airwaves. Well, Reagan is no longer on WHO radio, but then obviously June does not listen to this station much as it does not agree with her political views.
June was right when she said WHO is probably the only radio station thousands of Iowan’s listen to daily – which is not unusual for talk radio.
She went on to discuss the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Fairness Doctrine that required licensed broadcasters to air all sides of any debate on controversial issues. June lays the blame on conservatives who she said always believed the national media was too liberal, so they pushed for the revocation of the Fairness Doctrine.
It is my belief that ratings are based solely on listeners or viewership. Does June not realize there is a reason WHO radio and Fox News is blowing their competitors out of the water? Most Americans do not share her liberal views. She may not like WHO and Fox News, but many Americans do. In fact, recent data supports the fact that 61 percent of Fox News viewers are middle of the road and liberal, self-described, not conservatives. How might June explain this data to her political base?
It is not Fox News or WHO 1040 for that matter that is driving the lack of knowledge on political subjects. Fox News and WHO does a great job of debating the politics of today so viewers and listeners can make their own informed decisions. The lack of motivation, not lack of skills or resources, poses the main obstacle to a widely informed electorate. Trust me, if the so called 300 radio stations, owned by five very powerful owners, believed their listeners were liberals, the programming on their stations would support that political point of view. June will just have to deal with the fact that most American’s are not liberal leaning.
Finally, June said she HEARD Limbaugh goes absolutely ballistic when some liberal caller cons the screener and gets to him on air. According to her, he only wants to talk to a person that tells him how wonderful he is, and will absolutely not tolerate someone who dares to challenge him. The KEY here is the word HEARD! Maybe June should sit down with a nice cup of coffee at 1 p.m. in the afternoon, tune in WHO1040 and find out for herself what the facts are. Who knows? In June’s “News vs. Entertainment” world she might even join the ranks of conservatives!
