CMA's work about WTTW becomes part of WBEZ's discussion

Posted by Mitchell - September 29, 2005 (entry 362)

We welcome everyone who found this website after a discussion on the September 29, 2005, episode of Chicago Public Radio's morning show Eight Forty Eight. Feel free to look around; let us know if you have any questions.

We thank Eight Forty Eight and WBEZ for their discussion, mentioning CMA's past work and holding a key critique to WTTW's staff. As one CMA organizer who heard the broadcast reports:

The phrase "Winnetka Talks To Willmette" was repeated several times and the issue of whether WTTW is serving the entire, local Chicago community came up more than once. [WTTW President and CEO Dan] Schmidt's response? That WTTW's food and movie reviews -- and their coverage of Chicago's new WNBA franchise -- are proof of the station's commitment to serving the local community.

I wonder if that's like saying that because you serve dessert to people who like dessert, you're serving the local community. That's not to besmirch dessert, but if dessert is the only thing you get from someone who's supposed to provide you full, healthy, and nutritious meals (especially when everyone else in town is doing only dessert since there's no money in anything else), then there's a problem there.

Curiously, you're probably apt to get more timely reporting on local issues of serious importance from Chicago Indymedia or Gapers Block than you are from a $25 million per year major TV operation.

An irony: While we're grateful for WBEZ's coverage of this issue, that's not to say that we haven't been critical of WBEZ as well -- particularly with regards to a certain daily news program. If you're a regular listener to WBEZ, you may want to make a phone call and gently encourage them to air the show.

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