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Texas Public Radio welcomes your comments. You may reach us by e-mail at , or by regular mail at Letters, Texas Public Radio, 8401 Datapoint Drive, Suite 800, San Antonio, TX 78229. We reserve the right to edit your comments for brevity. If you prefer to remain anonymous, please indicate this in your letter. (Note: TPR comments appear in Bold Italic). iPhone NPR Stream Thursday, January 1, 2009 Just read the Keynotes newsletter and saw that there was a new iPhone application to stream Texas Public Radio. I downloaded it immediately. I've been waiting for something like this to come along. This is great!!!! Allegra Castro Christmas Music Monday, December 15, 2008 Thank you all for your Christmas music selections. I am really enjoying it! It's my moment of peace and clarity in an otherwise chaotic month. Deron Reid Polygamy and Mormons Tuesday, November 25, 2008 Good Morning, I just finished listening to your Tuesday morning report on the polygamous religious sect in Texas. You made one glaring error in your report that I wish to bring to your attention. You referred to the group as a "polygamous Mormon sect". This is not accurate. I am a Mormon, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The group at the Yearning For Zion ranch are not Mormons and should not be described as such. Please see the following link for clarification: http://newsroom.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/eng/news-releases-stories/media-letter This is the first paragraph from the above link: "Recent events have focused the media spotlight on a polygamous sect near San Angelo, Texas, calling itself the "Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints." As you probably know, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has absolutely no affiliation with this polygamous sect. Decades ago, the founders of that sect rejected the doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, were excommunicated, and then started their own religion. To the best of our knowledge, no one at the Texas compound has ever been a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints." Also, this link has more information: Mormons in Texas are doing wonderful things to support their communities and uphold the law. Please do not sully their efforts through inaccurate reporting. Thank you. Greg Willden Listening to NPR this morning I again heard the term "Mormon Polygamist" during a news story concerning underage marriage and child abuse. This is a misleading term. The LDS or Mormon church with headquarters in Salt Lake City does not condone polygamy and excommunicates those that involve themselves in the practice. The term Mormon has been used for over 150 years to refer to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Such fringe groups should not be referred to by the term Mormon as it misleads the public to believe that they are one and the same group. Ryan Green. Dear Mr. Green, I have researched the story in question. Our reporter, Terry Gildea, largely re-wrote an Associated Press story about the Yearning for Zion Ranch for KSTX's morning newscast that utilized the phrase "polygamous Mormon sect." That phrase was also used in the host's lead to the story. I agree with you that the phrase may be perceived as misleading. I did a little bit of Internet searching to see how three different news organizations deal with references like this. The Associated Press (AP) from time to time uses the phrase "polygamous Mormon sect" to refer to organizations such as the Yearning for Zion Ranch. Other times, they do not. The New York Times seems to refrain from using the phrase in question, except — interestingly enough — when a story was published by a Times writer that also used AP-sourced quotes and material to flesh out the story. Finally, NPR uses phrases like "a religious group that practices polygamy" or simply "polygamous sects," and later in the story will identify the group by their proper name (such as Yearning for Zion, or Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) or they may identify the sect as a splinter group from the official Mormon Church, acknowledging that Mormons abandoned the practice a long time ago. I think it's best for us to follow NPR's model, in this case, and I have instructed news staff to do so. Sincerely, Profanity Tuesday, November 25, 2008 At about 4 p.m., Monday November 24, the announcer quoted somebody using the word "hell" as profanity in their quote. I am driving my young son around trying to listen to quality music, classical music, and the whole mood is ruined by that kind of talking. "Hell" is fine to talk about if it is a religious station, but I don't appreciate the slang version for our family. Please try to keep the vulgarity out of the music programs, it ruins the whole spirit. Thank you for listening. R.L. Dear R L, I researched the broadcast in question, and found the word was used in the context of a quote by the feisty and opinionated Carl Ruggles on that afternoon's Composer's Datebook. I emailed John Zech at Minnesota Public Radio, the show's host and producer, who responded: "I'm pretty sensitive to this issue, since I worked for St. Olaf's Radio Station for 16 years. In the [Composer's] Datebook it sticks out, but it seemed necessary to express the nature of the person being quoted." I am sorry your listening enjoyment was disrupted by this particular broadcast; certainly instances of this nature are rare on classical music stations, including KPAC. Sincerely, TPR Content Friday, November 21, 2008 I live in Kerrville and was delighted when TPR became available in my area. However, the current offering is mostly talk and not the classical music that I want. I want the San Antonio version of TPR. I will not renew the family membership with TPR so long as the current programming is in place. Anita Rollo KTXI Programming Friday, November 21, 2008 Many thinks for bringing NPR morning programming, especially Diane Rehm, to the Kerrville area earlier this year. Now please, please, finish the job and give us NPR's afternoon (noon to 4 pm) programming as well. "Talk of the Nation" and "Science Friday" are uniquely informative and engaging broadcasts that we should not have to miss. Barbara J. Gaddis Traffic Reporting Thursday, November 6, 2008 My husband and I are tuned to your station daily and we enjoy your programming very much. However, your traffic reports leave a great deal to be desired. I drive Hwy. 151 traveling to and from work every day, regularly going home to lunch, and driving around town, and I am astounded at your traffic reporting. It is almost always wrong. You broadcast alerts as to delays which are false and obviously not current. More often, there are extensive delays which are never mentioned. You would do your listeners a great service by simply not broadcasting any information. It would be preferable to broadcasting information which cannot be counted on and is often simply false! Jacqueline Simpson Tuesday, November 4, 2008 I just received "Keynotes" for the first time. I've been listening for a couple years now but until this year I never took the time to join TPR. Now I listen in a totally different way. Thanks for insisting on joining. I know there must be a number of people out there like me and although I couldn't give as much as I would like, I gave as much as I could. That's a good feeling. L.A. (Nick) Davies KTXI Programming Tuesday, October 28, 2008 Dear TPR: Many thinks for bringing NPR morning programming, especially Diane Rehm, to the Kerrville area earlier this year. Now please, please, finish the job and give us NPR's afternoon (noon to 4 pm) programming as well. "Talk of the Nation" and "Science Friday" are uniquely informative and engaging broadcasts that we should not have to miss. Barbara TPR Friday, October 24, 2008 TPR was a radio station Wendy Mixed Message Thursday, October 23, 2008 Mr. Cone, I applaud KSTX for continuing to provide us with NPR programming in the San Antonio area. However, I, and more than a few of my friends and fellow listeners, am growing increasingly weary of your announcers' constant negative comments about commercial radio and your station being the only one in the city offering credible, objective news and information. For example, only today you yourself said during one of the pledge breaks that KSTX was the only station in San Antonio to offer in-depth news. That is simply not true and you should know it. WOAI, KSTX and at least two of the local Hispanic stations regularly offer in-depth stories about a particular subject of interest. Then, there are the repeatedly irritating comments (I have counted more than a dozen this week alone) about KSTX being the only station to provide "unsensational", "objective" and "regular" coverage of information of interest. I am sure that programs like NBC Nightly News, The News Hour with Jim Lehrer, Race to the White House, hourly newscasts from CBS, NBC and ABC Radio would find those claims not only astounding but patently untrue. Again, we are all thankful for the opportunity to listen to NPR and support your efforts. But your continued negative comments about your competitors, who admittedly enjoy a much larger listenership than KSTX, serve no useful purpose. Make your comments positive, and factual. I am sure your audience would appreciate it. Remember the old saying, "If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all." Miriam Rogers Dear Ms. Logan, If you are interpreting our messages about how listeners value the high quality of public radio's news programming to be disparaging to commercial broadcast outlets, then somehow the wrong message is getting across. We respect these other sources of news, but rightfully feel that public radio brings listeners the best coverage, and more of it than any other source. And just as you suggest, we strive to be positive with our pledge messages. Sincerely, Listener Letters Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Hello to All, I just wanted to comment about some of the listener letters, as well as my feelings about your on-air activities. Some of the letters are absolutely atrocious; some speak of removing programs that THEY do not like, criticism about the time spent during the donations campaign, and the like. . . I have to say that not only do I thouroughly enjoy the up-to-date information that you provide, I also appreciate the diversity of your programming. Also, I do realize that much of the information you provide does not merely 'fall in your lap'; your people not only work hard to get the facts, many times you risk life and limb in the process. Thank you for your time, effort, and dedication to the listening public. J Carter P.S. Hi Diedre!! Dear Mr. Carter, Your letter made my week. Gracias, On-Air Pledge Drive Wednesday, October 22, 2008 Good afternoon, I wanted to comment on the on-air campaign. I can certainly understand that financial public support is crucial. However, it seems as though you are making TOO MANY requests. In the last hour, there were six or seven of them. This seems to be saturation and leads to listeners (I suspect I am one of MANY) who simply change the station. It now makes sense to simply not listen to NPR/TPR while the pledge drive is going on. Just my comments; but is indicative of many listeners. Respectfully, Dear Dr. Peters, I am sorry to hear you are disappointed with the on-air pledge drive content on Texas Public Radio this fall. During the hour you referenced (12:00 p.m. Wednesday), there were four pledge breaks totaling 26 minutes. I am sure there are many persons like yourself who do change the channel during the pledge drive, and that's okay. I also believe there are many like yourself who inherently know the value of public radio and would gladly support it after the first request for help, but the reality of public broadcasting is that there are many more people who do not respond immediately to our messages, or may not understand how the funding model works. Hence, the pledge drive, when we explain to listeners how public radio is funded and how important their part in the process is. We know the pledge drive can be a trying week for listeners, but we do make every attempt to make our on-air messages as listenable and even as enjoyable as possible. Sincerely, Public Radio on the Border Tuesday, October 21, 2008 Living in Del Rio for the last 27 years I have missed having public radio. I went to school at Interlochen, MI where we had WIAA. I only get to listen to KSTX when I am driving to San Antonio for an appointment or to go shopping. Once in a while I can get a signal due to some weird propagation mode. I would like to know if it would be possible to have a Translator (I think that's what it is called) out here in the hinterlands so that folks on the border could here public radio. I realize it would be a costly proposition and would require a grant or major fund raising. I have had experience in installing radio gear in remote places and know it can be far from a plug and play proposition. If you could give me any information that would give us a fighting chance out here I would be grateful. Yours Truly Dear Mr. Brown, Thank you for your letter of interest. Texas Public Radio is pursuing a way to bring improved public radio service to Del Rio. If or when we are presented with the opportunity to acquire an available broadcast frequency, we would appreciate any help you can give us with spreading the word about raising funds for the initial startup. Until then, keep your fingers crossed! Best wishes, Whad'Ya Know? tickets Tuesday, October 21, 2008 You don’t make it very easy to get tickets to the upcoming event for Whatdoya Know show, coming here to San Antonio on November 22. HOW DO I GET TICKETS TO THIS EVENT?? There is NO INFORMATION on your website about HOW TO GET TICKETS even though you are advertising this event on the radio!!! I would like to get tickets for this show. How can I get tickets. Thank you. Please look again at the front page of www.tpr.org and scroll down. You should see the Whad'Ya Know logo and a link to Ticketmaster for ticket information. Sincerely, Begging Time Again Tuesday, October 21, 2008 I would possibly give you a pledge if, the opera junk was stopped, along with organ music and the renaissance baloney. I spent many of my younger years playing violin in a philharmonic and much prefer symphonies and REAL classical music. The constant referral to LATINO people in classical music is totally unnecessary also. I can't stand all the begging you guys do, don't talk, just play good music. How much do you get from the Govt. ? Do some programming that is good and I may consider handing you a buck or two. Regards, Richard Leinweber Dear Mr. Leinweber, The answer to your question about government support is that a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting amounts to approximately 7.5% of Texas Public Radio's operating budget. As for the music selection on KPAC, we understand that it is very difficult to please everyone, as the term "classical music" emcompasses a broad swath of musical history. We strive to present the most popular music most frequently (symphonic music would fall under that category, for sure), while adding those extra bits of spice that you mentioned, to present a healthy variety that represents the best the classical music world has to offer. Sincerely, Pledge Break Friday, October 17, 2008 I am concerned about the amount of time used for pledge break during the first hour of the Diane Rehm show. It seemed to me that the time devoted to the pledges during that hour were substantially more than the other programs. That hour on Friday morning is my favorite program of the whole week. During this historic period leading up to the election it is important to hear everything that is said. Marilyn Kimball Dear Ms. Kimball, Latino USA Friday, October 17, 2008 Your programming is fantastic, but PLEASE, take Latino USA OFF of your current program schedule. I dislike everything about that program, including the announcer. I have to tune the station off at noon on Friday. Seems like the time slot could be filled with more informative programming, dead air would even be an improvement. Regards Thursday Night Opera Thursday, October 16, 2008 Good evening! I was wondering if you could tell me what opera you were playing tonite 10-16-08? I was only able to listen to the last 45 minutes of it on my drive home. When I finally did get home I missed the recap by the host. I had my 4 year old daughter in the car with me and she loved it. Its the first time I've ever seen and heard her take an interest in classical music. It brought a tear to my eye. If you could give me the information on the opera I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for the great programming and thanks for taking time to read my email. Maria Campos Dear Ms. Campos, I am so glad you enjoyed last night's opera, and especially pleased that your young daughter did, too. I'll be sure to let Ron Moore, host of the opera, know. You were listening to Gaetano Donizetti's "Mary Stuart." More information about the opera is available here. You'll find a recording of the opera is available through Amazon.com here. Best wishes, and thanks for listening to KPAC 88.3 FM! Nathan Cone Street Level Accidents Monday, October 6, 2008 Dear Mr. Valdez In your traffic report you started referring to accidents as "street level accidents". What other traffic report related accidents are there? I first heard this phrase on our local AM "Election-Station"; or maybe it was on the "Killer-Storm-News-Watch-Station." I did not expect KSTX to start using this tautological style of rhetoric in order to sensationalize its traffic reporting with catchphrases. Maybe you could drop the jargon return to referring to an accident as what it is: an accident. Kind regards, Teaching of Evolution Report Wednesday, October 1, 2008 This morning I heard on KSTX a short report by Terry Gildea regarding the teaching of Evolutionary Theory in Texas schools. I appreciate Mr. Gildea’s effort to bring this information to as large an audience as possible. However, there were a couple of statements that called my attention. In one of them, Mr. Gildea said something to the effect that a group of Texas college professors were trying to prevent the discussion of Evolutionary Theory’s weaknesses in public schools. This is incorrect. Modern Science would not be able to advance if we were not aware of the weaknesses and failings of our explanations. It is in our best interest to teach students where the ’holes’ lie in the fabric of a theory. After all, we want them to find ways to improve our understanding of the world. The second statement, towards the end of the report, indicated that the effort by the group of professors had as a main objective to prevent the teaching of alternative theories to evolution in science courses. Once again, the ability of science to advance is grounded precisely on the competition between alternative ideas. The push is not towards eliminating competition for evolution (or more exactly natural selection as the mechanism behind evolution), but towards eliminating explanations that do not comply with the basic criteria for scientific explanations. Creationism and Intelligent Design are explanations, but not scientific explanations. I must add that I am not (yet) part of the group of professors mentioned on the report, which proper name escapes me at the moment. But I would think that an on-the-air correction to the story would be appropriate. Luis F. Schettino Dear Dr. Schettino, Thank you for responding to my recent story on the 21st Century Science Coalition. I agree with both points you raise in your email about the language in the story, but I want to explain my source for this story and the process I went through to get in on the air. Because our newsroom staff is small and many of us – including myself – work as both on-air hosts and reporters, we often rely on Associated Press wire stories and rewrite the copy to fill our newscasts. This story was sourced from an AP wire story that I have pasted below. You’ll notice the second sentence in the AP story also addresses the group’s plan to block public school attempts to teach "weaknesses" in evolution. The lead in the story suggests that primary goal of the group is to stop the teaching of Creationism or Intelligent Design in the place of Natural Selection. I agree with you that the word "weaknesses" is a poor choice, but I was referring directly to an effort to disprove evolution for a different explanation. On your second point – the sentence in my story was: "Some state board members favor teaching a curriculum based on alternative theories like creationism." Again – I agree that theories is not the right word to use, that explanation is the more accurate choice, but I was referring to the efforts of school board members to change the course of science curriculum in the state and not the group’s overall goal – as you pointed out in your response. You’ll also notice at the end of the AP article that the state board of education wants to "eliminate" the long-held language of teaching students the "strengths and weaknesses" of theories. Thank you again for your email. It reminds me that I need to pay special attention to clarity and word choice – even when rewriting a story from the AP wire. Best, Dear Mr. Gildea, Thank you for taking the time to answer my email. I will visit the 21st Century Science Coalition to learn a bit more about their work and to try to understand how exactly the idea of ‘strengths and weaknesses’ was used originally in their writings. There may be something I am not quite getting. Please keep up your great work at KSTX, Berlin Program Wednesday, October 1, 2008 am a listener of NPR here in San Antonio. I heard a portion of the show on Berlin broadcast locally here in SA last night [Travel with Rick Steves]. KTXI in the Hill Country Friday, September 5, 2008 A BIG thank you for adding Diane Rehm and Fresh Air to our programming. We moved here 5 years ago and realy missed them. We are members of TPR. Thanks again. Gretchen Martinez in Kerrville. Rraffic Reports Friday, September 5, 2008 I have been a longtime listener and have driven others to listen to TPR if for no other reason than to be informed of traffic conditions during rush hour. Lately it has become more than obvious to me that your traffic reports are "old news" at best. I have been in rush hour traffic on more than one occasion when I have personally observed that the traffic report was beyond less than timely. Specifically I have heard reports of traffic accidents and related delays at specific intersections while personally being at that specific intersection which has no such accident or delay at that time. This is truly a disservice because I have always relied on TPR to provide me with information that will help me to navigate my commute while staying informed on local and national issues. I am in no way indicating that your programming does not meet or address needs that others find valuable. I am just very interested in finding a way to be sure that TPR is apprised of the most up-to-date traffic reporting available in this on-demand, Apple I-Phone, Garmin turn-by-turn spoken directions kind of world that we live in. I have become an expert in navigating the rush hour streets of San Antonio, unfortunately, without the assistance of TPR that I had grown accustomed to. Is there some easy way that commuters like myself can quickly contact you with real time information that you seem to currently not have access to so that when I refer others to your programming in the future they don’t find themselves angry in an hour-long traffic jam they could have avoided had they chosen a more tech-savvy broadcaster? Sincerely, Dear Ms. Dillon, Thank you for your concern about traffic reports on Texas Public Radio. I know that our traffic reporters (and those at other stations, too) utilize a variety of sources for information, including but not limited to police scanners, TransGuide, TxDOT, citizen reports, and proprietary methods. In a recent conversation I had with Mike Valdez, he noted to me that there are times when he is receiving reports of an accident that may not be confirmed. On the air he is careful to make the distinction between reports of an accident and an accident that has been confirmed. This may account for some of the discrepancy you're seeing on the roads. There is a phone number you may call to give information to the reporters at Traffic.com: call 1-877-965-9700 and ask for the San Antonio desk. Thanks for your feedback, and thank you for helping us improve the quality of traffic reports on KSTX. Sincerely, Thank you for your response. I will program the number into my cell. Another thing I realized from a recent traffic jam I was a participant in, again thanks to TPR, was that when the traffic jam was reported the order/language was incorrect. What I mean is the report stated there was an accident “at Airport Blvd and 410” leading me to believe that the accident was ON Airport Blvd. The correct order/language would have been “an accident on 410 at Airport Blvd. indicating roadway affected 1st and specific intersection 2nd. Had this information been reported in this order I would have avoided 410 altogether. Instead I got into the far left lane because I knew I wouldn’t need to exit Airport Blvd. and in so doing I was stuck in that lane at a dead stop at that intersection. Again, my intent is to help to improve the quality of your traffic reports. Thanks again, Streaming KPAC Thursday, September 4, 2008 Good Afternoon, This note is a follow-up to a phone conversation I had with one of your staff concerning the availability of live streaming of KPAC over the Internet. I, and I'm sure others find it shameful and down-right unacceptable that if we wish to listen to Internet streams of classical music we must listen to stations such as, KMFA, KUHF, WFMT, Minnesota Public Radio, WGBH, WCLV, KING FM in Washington State, KBIA in Columbia Missouri, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network, (MPBN), and many others. If these folks can offer live Internet streaming of their classical music I believe we have a right to expect better from our own public radio station right here in San Antonio. All of these stations found ways of addressing royalty concerns and KPAC can do likewise. We were once TPR contributors, but let our membership laps due to the unavailability of a KPAC stream despite the success of other public radio stations. If you wish for our generosity to come your way in the form of pledges to help TPR stay on the air please make streaming of KPAC available in the near future. All the best for a great weekend. Thank you for giving your attention to this matter. Peter Donahue Dear Mr. Donahue, Hello Nathan, Traffic Reporters Wednesday, August 20, 2008 Your traffic reporters repeatedly refer to Emergency Medical Services "looking for an accident" or "finding an accident." Please tell these individuals, who I assume do not live in San Antonio, that Emergency Medical Services do not "look for" nor "find" accidents. They are dispatched to the scene of an accident when one is reported. Obviously, they know where the accident is located before they set out to treat the injured. It is a bit ludicrous to assume that Emergency Medical Services would be driving aimlessly around the city looking for an accident, or suddenly finding one. Thanks for listening, Dear Ms. Collins, After receiving your letter, I sent it along to the folks at Traffic.com that provide traffic information for KSTX, and followed it up with a phone call. I spoke to Mike Valdez, one of our traffic reporters. You are quite correct that EMS does not drive aimlessly around the city looking for accidents, but as Mr. Valdez notes, emergency crews *are* often "looking" for an accident that's been reported. As he explains it, when emergency responders get a report of an accident, details may be sketchy. An accident at I-10 and Wurzbach, for example, could be on the freeway itself, on the underpass, on the access road, or even in a parking lot adjacent to that intersection. Until the accident is confirmed and details are available, emergency responders often find themselves heading toward an intersection, looking for the accident. Mr. Valdez didn't use this analogy, but I will: it's akin to if I had been given directions to my friend's house at 123 Elm St. Even though I have the address, I still have to look for the house to find it, do I not? Sincerely, Canadian Rockies Tour Friday, August 8, 2008 We would like to thank Dan Skinner for his excellent photographic journal of a great trip. It plugs large gaps in our own photographic record. Until this journal, we did not believe that someone could be everywhere at the same time! We were wrong. Thanks again, Chris Jordan Talk Thursday, August 7, 2008 I attended Chris Jordan’s talk/presentation last night and it was really amazing. He is a fantastic speaker and I love the fact that he is willing to say “hey, I don’t have the answers here, but I am worried about the problem”. And his art is pretty darn cool. I am thankful that TPR sponsored the event. Yet another reason I love Texas Public Radio! Jennifer Bligh Tavis Smiley Show Thursday, August 7, 2008 Tavis Smiley??? Geeee...I could hardly tolerate him when he was on regular broadcasting, now you bring him for 2 hours on TPR???!!! "Consistently unappealing mess--silly, ignorant, and inane." That's what one listener said of Fair Game. The Tavis Smiley show is bias, ignorant, and a headache. Its too bad FG was cut because of this rambling, stuttering show. Otherwise....keep up the good work F. Hernandez Dear Mr. Hernandez, Fair Game was not cut to accommodate the addition of The Tavis Smiley Show. Regretfully, PRI canceled Fair Game back in May. I'm guessing you mean Mr. Smiley's former gig at the Tom Joyner Show when you refer to "regular broadcasting." I think you'll find The Tavis Smiley Show (and his PBS show, broadcast on KLRN-TV nightly at midnight) to be a different show, with a different format. I hope you'll give it a listen sometime. Sincerely, Thanks - Sunday Baroque and Nighttime Announcers Sunday August 3, 2008 I really like the Sunday Baroque music and the new night time announcers. I usually hear the last of their music just before 6AM. They are very professional and knowledgeable with numerous informative bits of information. Thanks Event Wednesday, July 30, 2008 I heard reference to a program/speaker to be offered this Wednesday evening by someone from National Geographic. Can you provide me the correct time, date and the location. I really enjoy your programming. Stuart Dear Stuart, National Geographic eco-ambassador Chris Jordan will be appearing next Wednesday, August 6, 7:00 p.m. at Municipal Auditorium. The event is free, and you'll find more information here. Thank you for your kind words about Texas Public Radio! Sincerely, Bennigans Wednesday, July 30, 2008 Your news story this morning about the closing of Benningans was very informative...if one lives in Dallas-Fort Worth, since the story dealt only with that area. Oddly, there was no mention in the story or by your announcer of the fate of the Benningans in the San Antonio area. That seemed unfortunate since this sort of information would have been more helpful than a story talking about another city. Fortunately, the San Antonio Express-News and other radio and TV stations in the city did provide this information for those who frequent the establishments. Mary Collins Dear Ms. Collins, The story in question was shared with KSTX by Bill Zeeble of KERA in Dallas, which is where the parent company of Bennigan's is based. But I agree that we should have included a follow-up tag about the fate of our own local Bennigan's establishments. The story could have easily waited until later in the day so that information could have been secured by one of our Texas Public Radio reporters. Sincerely, Thanks! Tuesday, July 29, 2008 Dear Texas Public Radio, Thanks so much for offering a great Hands On event this past weekend. The Leonardo Da Vinci exhibit was really great and it was very nice to enjoy the grounds of the Witte on a Saturday. The local aspect of inventors was interesting and the treats from Madhatters were very enjoyable! I really appreciate the local touch to community events that you offer and I am glad to be a TPR member. keep up all your great work!! Saludos, RIP Fair Game Sunday, July 20, 2008 Gone but forgotten, Fair Game was of a different planet, or maybe a parallel universe, where hypocracy is routinely stiffled and not wrapped in glory. And so, Fair Game "got the hook" an old Vaudeville trick of yanking an act off the stage by an "anonymous" authority. I suppose, in the case of Fair Game, this was to be expected; tall, quirky, irksome, poppies will eventually get their heads lopped off - even at PRI. I appreciated Fair Game and the breezy wit, fresh cheerful voice and obvious intelligence of Faith Salie with her band of 'raskly' (wacky and irreverent) musketeers. It was a program out of deep left field, an amusing mutant, that showed the face of the status quo in a carnival mirror. Fair Game was unabashed liberal but not anarchistic, no tossing of molotov cocktails but a gentle rolling of the bottle in the approximate direction. Intelligent and, though respectful, interviewing was mixed with humorous discussion, a nice dollop of sarcasm, plentiful satire and a general ripping of the lid off of latent and extant hypocracy. You might say, I liked it! RIP Fair Game. Ken Fowler My Way or the Highway Sunday, July 20, 2008 In reading through the letters sent to Texas Public Radio I am struck by the high percentage of writers who unload bile and find fault. I was going to post a little suggestion for improvement but I have decided I don't want to add to the negativity. Let us not make the perfect the enemy of the good. Keep up the good work, TPR! John Kelley Interrogation Techniques Program Tuesday, July 15, 2008 I am ashamed that this administration feels that it is justified to torture anyone, just because they call the campaign a "War on Terror." It sounds very similar to the beginning of another country's war time persecution of a religious group during World War II. The End does not justify the means. The administration should be prosecuted and under no means should they be immune. [Re: Fresh Air] Gennell Concert Band, Wind Visions Wednesday, July 9, 2008 Great new program for concert band enthusiasts and all others too--Wind Visions, Saturday at 9am, hosted by band director Dr. Don Miller of UTSA. Much appreciated. Spread the word! (Years ago Tom Rhodes had a similar program on KPAC.) Richard SmithGreat new program for concert band enthusiasts and all others too--Wind Visions, Saturday at 9am, hosted by band director Dr. Don Miller of UTSA. Much appreciated. Spread the word! (Years ago Tom Rhodes had a similar program on KPAC) Richard Smith, Allentown PA. 1925-52, the golden years of The Allentown Band. Now San Antonio Why Some Listeners Turn You Off Tuesday, July 8, 2008 You deserve compliments on most of of your KPAC programming. But everytime Randy says, "and now headlines from the Associated Press" many of your listeners turn off their radio. The AP dwells on NEGATIVE, ugly, depressing "news". I refuse to allow your station to interrupt my enjoyment of music or other KPAC programming with how our planet, our great country and its terrific people are one step away from gloom and doom. Find some pleasant news to report to accompany your beautiful music ... and you may find that more people contribute more money to your station. Riverwalk Jazz Wednesday, July 2, 2008 What has happened to the Riverwalk Jazz program on 90.1 at 7 PM Saturdays? My husband and I look forward all week to this hour of music and suddenly we no longer have it, and we don't care for the programming that has taken this time space. I notice on your program schedule you still show Riverwalk Jazz on 89.3 at 7 PM, is this true or have you just not changed your schedule? Please let us know that we can look forward to the return of the Jim Cullum Band in the very near future. Phil Wheeler Dear Mr. Wheeler, During the summer, KTXI is running a 10-week series, "Whole Lotta Shakin'," that was produced with help from Kerrville's Texas Heritage Music Foundation. Earlier this year, "Whole Lotta Shakin" won a Peabody Award. You can read more about that at Schreiner University's website. We are proud to showcase this series chronicling the history of rockabilly on KTXI 90.1 FM. Once this limited series has concluded, Riverwalk Jazz will return on August 16. Sincerely, Budget Suggestions Monday, June 2, 2008 My wife and I are military retirees and, naturally, on a fairly fixed income. So, when we built this house eight years ago we began to prepare for the cycle of “ever increasing prices and ever more diminishing income”. It has become a habit with us just like wildfire remediation. You will never be perfectly complete but you keep working at it. We found a number of serious “little things” like all the parasitic loads around the house. If you count up all the timers and clocks and other devices which have transformers at the wall, you quickly find 23 devices. Night lights have become “LEDS” instead of 4 to 7 watt lamps. The furnace and C/A is on a timed thermostat and, our well will soon pump only at night into a ‘day’ tank. The aerobic septic system now runs its air pump less than half a day and pumps effluent every second day. (We use the reclaimed water for irrigation.) Having these pumps on timers avoids heavier more frequent starting loads. For example, the water pump draws 65 amps for about seven seconds. We have re-installed a smaller, window air conditioner in the bedroom to save cooling the whole house at night. Six amps vs. 30 to 50 for the ‘house’ unit. Naturally, we have TVs and computers on power taps. Many improved practices involve small investments like the porch shade. Our house has a NW-facing rear porch onto which the sun shines from one o-clock ‘on’. I rigged a clothes line with nursery ‘shade cloth’ on grommets so that we could draw this fiberglass curtain against the sun. We saved $30 - $40 the first month and it lasted eight years. I spent $90 to replace it this spring. Keeping the household mechanical equipment in ‘peak’ condition really controls monthly utility costs. I replaced the dryer vent tubing with a “dryer periscope” for $15. This telescoping aluminum ‘box’, by being more efficient, allows every ‘auto-sensed’ load to dry ten minutes faster. We use a smaller TV to just watch the evening news instead of turning ‘on’ the 32 inch power eater. Perhaps, one of our less-thought-of adaptations has been to go to “averaged auto-pay” on our regular, monthly bills. Instead of having several $350 propane payments each winter, we have $75 deducted each month from our monitored-by-computer, checking account. All of our predictable bills are on this system: mortgage, propane, electricity, computer ISP, both vehicle payments, insurance. Some firms will even give a small discount (when asked). We live in a Hill Country area where even going for the mail is a 26 mile round-trip. When fuel prices first started their inexorable climb several years ago, we paid attention to the “Nightly Business Report” and traded the V-6 Camry for a 34 to 38 mpg Corolla “Program Car” which runs on regular gas. At the same time, the F-150 became a 22 to 25 mpg Colorado which more than adequately handles my normal hauling and towing loads. All driving is done with a list in hand to prevent unnecessary trips. We receive our retirement checks on the “first duty day” of the month. This greatly anticipated event is shortly thereafter followed by our “big monthly shopping trip” during which only items on our shopping list are purchased. Listening to NPR, and TPR and watching PBS are an integral part of refining our regimen. Instead of feeling impoverished or “budget-bound”, we feel a sense of liberation and freedom because, we always have on hand what is needed and are comfortably within our budget. Thanks for your great programming. Yes, we contribute and encourage others even in our ‘fringe’ listening area. Bill and Sharon Fair Game Friday, May 30, 2008 Sirs: I welcome the demise of Fair Game. In my opinion it has been a blot on the KSTX programming schedule since its inception. What its supporters touted as innovative humor and satire far too often came across as mere fatuity. I detected no growth in Faith Salie as a host, but rather a persistent juvenility. She reminded me of nothing so much as a bright but obnoxious and self-important seventh grader. There seemed to be no subject she could not trivialize by her inane interviewing style and commentary. Despite repeated attempts to listen with an open mind and hope of improvement in its presentation, I found Fair Game to be a consistently unappealing mess--silly, ignorant, and inane. I hope you will find something better to replace it. It should not be hard to do so. Wilson M. Yager Fair Game Thursday, May 29, 2008 I am very sorry to hear that Fair Game is being taken off the air. There is no other show quite like it. We alll need intelligent humor in these insane times. The mix was great. Faith's sharp wit was refreshing in these dumbing-down-days. Joyce Anne Stevens Appeal for "Fair Game" Tuesday, May 27, 2008 Veronica Gard is right. This is one of TPR's gems. As a former journalist I appreciate the wealth of in-depth reporting which we get on TPR. But also the need for satire and the capability to laugh. Keep Fair Game! Dear Jane, Thanks for writing with your support. I've already spoken to the folks at PRI, but if you would like to write them, here is a link to their contact information page: http://www.pri.org/pri-contact.html Best wishes, Appeal for "Fair Game" Tuesday, May 27, 2008 I am sorry to hear that Fair Game can't continue - sure there are things I disliked but I felt Faith Saillie was a great interviewer and getting better all the time. She often made me laugh out loud and I found her whole attitude refreshing and just plain fun - not often present in serious NPR/TPR! I'm an ancient Brit living here in San Antonio and relishing the gift of two NPR programs - I almost don't miss BBC! Fair Game was a total change to the usual programing and I feel deserves a second chance - perhaps get rid of the silly young man who bantered too much with Faith but go on, NPR, if you want younger listeners you're never going to keep them if this sort of show is removed. One last thing, I found Fair Game much more amusing and interesting than the Tappit brothers with their incessant insane laughing and they get a show and a repeat! Frankly, if an ancient radio listener (since the 1940s!), can enjoy Fair Game how can you take it off for ever?? Veronica Gard Top High Schools Story Friday, May 23, 2008 I appreciated your story on San Antonio schools that made the list of top high schools in the Newsweek story. However, in mentioning the area schools that made the list, you failed to mention Alamo Heights, which ranked 189 on the list. This is the second highest ranking in San Antonio on the list. Mike Fair Game Thursday, May 22, 2008 Dear TPR, I have recently read through some of the emails posted on the TPR web site, and I noticed that PRI's Fair Game with Faith Salie has engendered some negative responses. I wanted to speak up for those of us who greatly enjoy the show. In fact, it is among my favorites among those being aired on TPR. It does seem to have a polarizing effect among listeners. Some people appear to object to the comic aspects of the show, and others seem to consider the host's tone to be blithe. Some of these negative responses may be attributed to simple matters of taste; it is also possible that some listeners approach the show with expectations of pure journalism and are shocked by the satire and the sometimes strong point of view. I am amused by the humor, and refreshed by the host's interview style, which induces guests to speak comfortably and revealingly. One always likes to have one's views shared by others, and I'm sorry there haven't been more people writing in support of Fair Game, but I intend to continue listening and enjoying regardless, and I thank TPR for adding the show to the lineup. Best regards, Dear Joel, Thank you so much for your thoughtful letter regarding Fair Game. It saddens me to tell you that PRI is ending production of the show as of May 30. According to PRI, it was not possible to maintain a revenue stream for the show sufficient to support full production. PRI is exploring ways to give Fair Game life online in the future. Although not every element of the show was a home run, on most nights there was usually something that made me smile or laugh, and I often discovered new people, music, and ideas through the show. I also think that over the course of its nearly year-and-a-half run, Ms. Salie grew as a host. I believe that Fair Game really did attempt to do something different on public radio, and that the show helped bring some new listeners to KSTX. While it is never easy to make a decision like this, both KSTX and PRI are heartened by your support of Fair Game. We take pride in our role as innovators, and I am glad that KSTX was there from the beginning (along with a handful of other public radio stations) to help guide the show's development before it rolled out nationally. Through this initiative and your encouraging response to it, we learned a great deal that can help inform our success in the future. Many thanks for supporting these efforts. Sincerely, Feedback Thursday, May 22, 2008 Hi, I just wanted to say how much I enjoy listening to news from the BBC every night. I spend a lot of time in Houston, and I can't find a decent news station there! Whenever I come home to San Antonio, I take great pleasure in listening to BBC when I'm lying in bed. Thanks for playing it! And please continue doing so. Thanks, Fair Game Monday, May 19, 2008 TPR, Last night I listened to the PRI show “Fair Game”, while driving home from the airport. I suppose the show is focused on the younger listener, but it is sure not up to the standard I expect from TPR. The host and her “analyst,” and I use that term broadly, really did not offer much intelligent discussion. I can overlook the liberal slant of the programming of TPR because of the many excellent interviews and the professional manner of most of the reporters and hosts, however, Faith Salie of “Fair Game” goes too far. She was obviously trying to ridicule abstinence programs in Texas and baiting her guest to do the same. Her banter with Jason Mantzoukas concerning the new Starbucks mermaid really offended me. Jason’s labeling a person he interviewed as a “Christian nut case” offends many people. I wonder if he called someone a “Jewish nutcase” or “Muslim nutcase”, that would be acceptable. I realize some conservative talk show hosts are inconsiderate, but I didn’t think you guys wanted to alienate your listeners by carrying such drivel. Besides the conservatives bashing, I did not hear much intelligent discussion on this show. Why do you carry it? J. Carson Dickie Dear Mr. Dickie, I agree with you that the words "Christian nutcase" were unnecessary. You are correct that a similar use of "Muslim nutcase" or "Jewish nutcase" would probably not have been tolerated by the editors of the program. But after examining the contents of Mark Dice's website (he was the gentleman being interviewed/profiled by Jason Mantzoukas last Thursday), I think I would agree that even if he is not a complete nutcase, he certainly does make some dubious claims. You can judge for yourself at: http://www.theresistancemanifesto.com/ "Fair Game" is certainly a non-traditional public radio show. The program is designed to offer its interviews, and news with more than a dollop of humor thrown in, and it's shown some success in bringing new listeners to public radio, which is why KSTX carries it. Sincerely, Mr. Cone, Thank you for your reply. Indeed the fellow may be extreme, but the statement implied a dig, or “tongue in cheek” statement concerning those “nutty Christians.” Should no one comment or relay these feelings to the editors? And your response begs the question, “Why was it tolerated and allowed to go on the air, if a similar statement concerning other religions would not have been?” I don’t want to harangue about this too much. I just question the humor and the type of listeners you are attempting to attract. I hope you are not catering to those who would not respect my beliefs, even if they disagree with me. Disagreement can lead to healthy discussion and shared learning, but it should be done in a respectful manner. I am a conservative (minus the “right wing” adjective that is commonly inserted in front) but I don’t agree with hosts who are disrespectful of those who possess a liberal point of view, and that is why I grow tired of the conservative talk show hosts, even if I agree with them on many issues. Please do not become a mirror image of those networks. I respect your programming, but you may lose my support if you continue in that vein in an attempt to get ratings. I know it is hard to stay to the high ground with the obvious necessity of attracting listeners, and the inherent pressures that brings. Here is my hope that you will navigate the narrow road well. Sincerely, Dear Mr. Dickie, Thanks for writing back with a thoughtful reply. I did indeed share your letter with the editors of "Fair Game." I sincerely believe "Fair Game" wasn't trying to denigrate all Christians or conservatives with their comedy bit, but as we've agreed upon, their word choice might have done that inadvertently. I think the intended target of this jab was solely Mr. Dice. We do want to take the high road with our programming. That's why I think you'll find that on our humorous programs like "Fair Game" or "Wait Wait Don't Tell Me," most of their satire is aimed at individual or organizational behavior, rather than the personal beliefs we hold. Best wishes, Traffic with Mike Valdez Friday, May 2, 2008 Dear TPR, I really love your programming! Your engaging shows always seem to shorten my daily commute. One thing that does /not/ shorten my commute, however, is your traffic reporter, Mike Valdez. Where does this guy get his information?!? His reports are laughable in their inaccuracy and irrelevancy. I am convinced that Mr. Valdez pre-records his reports several days prior and spends the rest of the week on vacation. Take yesterday's 5:15PM report, for example: Mr. Valdez reported on some slowing ("traffic moving at 25-30 mph") at the I-35/410 interchange and that an accident on the south side had cleared up. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to Mr. Valdez, traffic on North Loop 410 was backed up for MILES because of a "major accident" (TXDOT's wording) near NW Military. I sat in this traffic jam through TWO of his traffic reports but he made no mention of it! None at all! As if his reports weren't bad enough, we have to endure his very un-NPR-like promotional spots at the end of the report. Please, TPR, get rid of this useless traffic reporter and consider having an intern read the traffic report directly off of the Transguide website. Sincerely, Dear Chris, Thanks for writing! I know the Traffic service uses a variety of sources for their local reports, including but not limited to TransGuide, police scanners, and citizen reports. If you ever need to contact them to correct something you've heard, or tell them about a problem you're not hearing about on the air, here's the toll-free number: Call 1-877-965-9700 and ask for the San Antonio desk. I agree that the underwriting sponsors on the tail end of the traffic reports often come from non-traditional-NPR sources, but having them sponsored keeps us from having to pay for the reports outright, which keeps our costs down. I work with Traffic.com to keep those messages as public-radio-friendly as possible. Best wishes, TPR Thursday, May 1, 2008 Dear TPR, I'm extremely happy that your radio station exists and broadcasts in the San Antonio area. The news programs from the BBC and NPR are outstanding. I listen to them every morning and evening. Regards, Pecos Sunday, April 27, 2008 Do you have a broadcast tower that covers Pecos, TX. I may move there And it would be a big relief if you covered Pecos with a strong signal. Paul Koetz Dear Mr. Koetz, Unfortunately, we do not have a signal that covers Pecos. I do not believe there are any NPR stations that cover that area. The nearest ones in Texas are located in Marfa and Odessa, and both of them are not strong enough to reach to Pecos. Sincerely, Weekday Morning Programming for FM 90.1 Thursday, April 10, 2008 Dear TPR, Why have you changed your weekday morning programming for FM 90.1 from classical music to the Diane Rheem show? I for one prefer the classical music. Melinda Wasson, Subscriber Dear Ms. Wasson, Thanks for taking the time to write to me with your concern about our recent programming change on KTXI. Changes to our stations' program lineup are made rarely, and only after much careful thought. The decision to add the Diane Rehm Show and Fresh Air to KTXI's schedule was carried out based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to the results of our listener survey we conducted last year. We hope that with this program change we will be able to better serve the KTXI audience. We will monitor response to this current lineup over the coming months. Sincerely, Programming Changes Thursday, April 10, 2008 Dear TPR, My husband and I are avid listeners of (and long-time subscribers to) public radio, and we want to thank you for the recent programming changes you have enacted on KTXI. Often, we'd be traveling to San Antonio from our home near London, TX, listening to KSTX, and wishing we could hear The Diane Rehm show at home on KTXI. We just sent in our contribution for the coming pledge drive, and we're so pleased we did! Not only do we have this wonderful "new" programming but we chose the insulated tote as our gift with subscription. It is very, very nice and roomy. We shun plastic grocery bags as much as possible, and this tote will make the task that much easier. Good luck in the coming pledge drive! Allison & Bill Johnson Change in Scheduling and Format Wednesday, April 9, 2008 Dear TPR, I have been a loyal listener since I moved to the Texas Hill Country in 2000, enjoying the classical music you provided. I always dreaded 4 p.m. because the music stopped and the talk started. And, I never turned the radio on until 9 a.m. because I can listen to people talking on television and many talk radio stations. Now, you say that folks in the hill country wanted more talk and less music, so the music has been pushed to noon - only 4 hours during the daylight hours to listen to great music! I am very disappointed, and guess I will have to go to taking CD's in the car so I have something wonderful to hear. Please put my vote down for the "old system." Regretfully, Purchase of Fresh Air Interview with Black Liberation Theology Monday, March 31, 2008 Is it possible for me to purchase the interview with James Cone and Dwight Young re Black Liberation Theology. I would l ike to offfer that discussion to several adult Church School classes in our church. Rev Conrad Archer Dear Rev. Archer, There are a couple of ways you may be able to hear this program again, purchase a transcript, or obtain a copy. First, here is a link to NPR's page for this particular episode: Fresh Air 3/31/08 ...on that page, you will find a link for transcripts of the broadcast. You may also subscribe to podcasts of Fresh Air, or download the most current episode by following this link: Podcasts of Fresh Air Finally, you may contact Fresh Air directly for tapes and transcripts at 1-877-21-FRESH. I'm happy you found value in today's program! Sincerely, Luminaria Friday, March 14, 2008 Good Morning As usual, I have awoken to Morning Edition. The report of the “Luninaria” celebration was excellent, but I found a statement by Mr. Davis both offensive and inaccurate. He described the St. Patrick’s Day celebration as “beer -soaked” This description is inaccurate and far from the truth. The Harp and Shamrock Society has been providing San Antonio with an insight into the Irish culture for over forty years. The Alamo Irish Festival is a three-day celebration of Irish Heritage that includes Irish themed entertainment, food and craft booths, and yes, we serve beer. This free celebration is family-oriented. In addition, the society will host the forty-second annual St. Patrick’s Day street parade, at 11:00am on Saturday, and the fortieth annual river parade at 1:00pm on Sunday. On Monday, we will lay a wreath at the Alamo, recognizing the contribution of the Irish to Texas independence. Our celebration commemorates the Irish experience in San Antonio. This year's parade is looking to be our largest ever! This year’s theme for all of our events is “Keeping it Green” - preserving our environment by choosing to recycle, renew and reuse. W will be using a limited amount of plastic, and will recycle as much of our refuse as possible. Although many people use the celebration of St. Patrick’s Day as a reason to drink excessively, I find it offensive to equate the Alamo Irish Festival and the other St. Patrick’s Day events with this stereotype. I invite Mr. Davis to take a few minutes away from his coverage of Luminaria to stop by La Villita and the Arneson River Theater and experience the Alamo Irish Festival. Terence Peak Dear Mr. Peak, The words Mr. Davies used in his report note state the Riverwalk is beer-soaked during the St. Patrick's Day celebration. I believe that's more a comment on the businesses along the river that use St. Patrick's Day as an encouragement to drink than the holiday in general. Still, I can see how that comment could have been taken the wrong way, and it was unnecessary. Certainly, your letter is an excellent reminder of the many wonderful events for families in San Antonio that celebrate Irish heritage. I'm happy to post this letter on our website, and encourage readers and listeners to head downtown for the parade and more this weekend! Sincerely, Fair Game: Sorry, I Loathe It Friday, March 7, 2008 I have tried and tried to remain open-minded about Faith Salie and "Fair Game". But her material and delivery is so nauseatingly flirtatious, so smugly arch and self-satisfied that it is 90% unlistenable. Most evenings, I can only get about 15 minutes into the show until it annoys me so much that I turn the station off completely. I have been known to shriek and reach for the volume button, at which point my kids look up and ask "Fair Game"? Furthermore, as an avid consumer of news, I cannot help but notice that many bits on the show are also, to put it politely, "recycled" from more original venues and/or programmes (The Onion, the previous night's Daily Show, etc). Ms. Salie is not as young or as hip as the demographic the show aspires to, and unfortunately the strain shows. She is 37, for heaven's sake, and I can guarantee you from personal experience, that anyone over 35 is not really going to be the go-to gal for pop culture anymore (it's around about that age that you start wondering why the undergraduates pictured in your alumna magazine are starting to look like zygotes). I do not know whether you are still in communication with the show's producers, but if you are, would you please mention to them that WHEN you EMPHASIZE almost EVERY SINGLE word IT'S a LOT LIKE EMPHASIZING NO WORDS (only, of course, way more annoying). Seriously, if timing is everything in comedy, the producers of Fair Game might want to check the battery on the stopwatch. Oh, and stop drawing out about 36 minutes of material into the one-hour format through the medium of slow delivery and every-third-word appreciative giggling (remember, Faith, you're 37; you're *too old* for this). And the Harvard and the Rhodes Scholar thing? Very nice, I'm sure her parents are proud; but, you know, if she had a better show, it wouldn't have to be mentioned so prominently. Nobody knows where Steven Colbert went to school. Thanks for your comments. I'll pass them along to the folks at PRI and "Fair Game." Political Story Friday, February 29, 2008 Your response to the LaFaye Newkirk who complained about the story dealing with the Baptist person's endorsement of John McCain as well as other issues she took to task in the story was in my opinion a splitting of the hairs. It really doesn't matter whether the information came from an interview or news conference, it was used as the stated position of the evangelicals represented by the person speaking. So interview or news conference is of no consequence. And yes the Newkirk writer was incorrect in calling it an interview but her point is still valid and was not addressed in your response. Am I as an interested voter to assume that just because one person says evangelicals will vote for McCain or Huckabee that means that none of them will vote for Clinton or Obama? I think not and therein lies a lack of balance in the report you broadcast. Incidentally, your announcer, perhaps through a lack of political acumen, failed to point out that evangelicals mostly look upon McCain with disdain. And to say that no mention was made of the Obama rally because you had no reporter to cover the rally once again shows you are more interested in defending a mistake than correctly addressing it. The Newkirk writer did not ask why the rally was not covered; the Newkirk writer asked why no mention was made of it. There would obviously be no need for a reporter to be in attendance at the rally for the announcer to amend the story by mentioning the rally. In reading your responses to listener letters who lodge what they consider to be legitimate constructive criticism, I (in my own reading of those responses at least) notice a tendency to almost always defend your staff, even in cases like this one where there is really no defense. I was once told by my grandfather when I was a child in Germany that the three hardest things for a person to say are: "I am sorry", "I do not know" and "I was wrong". He was a very wise man. Thank you for listening. Waldamar Schroeder Dear Mr. Schroeder, I attempt to offer explanations, not defense. As I followed up with further emails to LaFaye Newkirk, it turns out the story in question was not ours, but rather NPR's: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=78666288. But back to our own story and whether or not we acknowledge evangelicals "disdain" for McCain, our reporter said this, which I believe speaks to the reason there was a press conference held to announce Hagee's endorsement: "Many Christian voters have thrown their support behind former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee — but with Hagee's support McCain hopes other evangelicals will consider him a viable candidate as he gets closer to locking up the Republican nomination." Nathan Cone Thank you very much for your quick response, and thank you for the explanation on the origin of the story. I assume as one of the executives of KSTX you notified NPR of its shortcoming in the story. Additionally, I do note that no confirmation, proof or any other information was given in the KSTX story in question to justify a statement that claims "McCain hopes other evangelicals will consider him a viable candidate as he gets closer to locking up the Republican nomination". Again, it is one of those defenses of the reporter that is, in my humble opinion, without foundation or justification. Did your reporter have any kind of information that would justify him making such s statement? If he did, then perhaps he should have said "McCaini SAYS he hopes..." If by using "viable" the intent was to refer to McCain as a practicable, workable candidate, then the use of that word is correct. I would suggest that "acceptable" would have been a better choice but that is a minor point indeed. A Little Balance on Food Expenses Thursday, February 28, 2008 Pizza and subs are a pretty typical campaign expense. This is hardly news, and the TPR skit that aired tonight is the third station I have heard run this ploy. Gets old quick. I expect TPR to be more creative, not a me too station third in line. David States Thanks, David. Point taken, but I believe the idea of the sketch on last night's "Fair Game" was less criticism than a good-humored poke at the campaign. And athe tail end of the segment the humorist did mention he'd be back next week with more campaign expenses from others. Best wishes, Morning Edition — For Ombudsman Thursday, February 28, 2008 Ombudsman for TPR, I have just listened (2-28-08) to the program between 6 and 7 a.m., where I heard:
Geez, then I got to hear a plug for Rick Perry's book. Not the first time I've heard TPR "skew to the right", just my first complaint. Again, my problem is with the Texas part of the program. I seldom, if ever, hear anything on NPR that doesn't seem balanced. Please take council with each other on programming; you have supporters out here you're dependent on and if we wanted to hear from the preachers, there are plenty of other stations on the dial to offer us opinions of So Baptists on the upcoming very important election. Thanks for passing along my comments, Dear LaFaye, I, too, heard all three reports that you cite in your letter, but I cannot agree with you that the reports are evidence of bias or unbalanced coverage on KSTX. This morning's report you heard on Senator John McCain's appearance in San Antonio did not feature an interview with Rev. John Hagee, as you mention, but rather an excerpt from a news conference. We felt this news conference was part of the story — that story being Sen. McCain's campaign appearance in San Antonio. I'm not sure what you were seeking in the way of balance, but certainly each time a presidential candidate has appeared in Bexar County over the past few days — including Clinton, Obama, and Huckabee — we've covered the story. You can find ourcoverage online on our Election 2008 page, including this morning's story. It should be posted soon after I send this email. It is true that we did not mention Obama stopped at a rally in San Marcos yesterday. We try to do as much as we can with the limited resources and personnel we have, and we have been sharing stories with our sister stations (KUT-Austin, KERA-Dallas) in the state to maximize the amount of statewide coverage each station can offer. Our story on Obama's campaign in Duncanville came to us from KERA in Dallas. Unfortunately, none of us had a reporter available to cover the rally in San Marcos. Finally, the story about Governor Rick Perry's book signing was not intended as a plug for the book itself. The story does note that proceeds from the book are going to the Boy Scouts legal defense fund, and the reason why such a fund is necessary (discrimination lawsuits brought against the Scouts by the ACLU). That seems to bring some context to the story, in my opinion. Sincerely, Mr. Cone, Thanks for your reply; we disagree. Your last paragraph defending the book proceeds from Rick Perry's book tells me volumes about where on the spectrum your opinions fall, so I will expect to hear some more of TPR's "unbalanced" reporting and I will be listening, of that you can be sure. And BTW, I never mentioned Hagee's name; if you listened to the same program I did, you would've known it was not Hagee I refer to, but rather a highly placed individual with the Southern Baptist Assn., which I do not think Hagee is a part of. I cannot remember his name, but the interview was extensive and I really could not believe it worthy of playing, especially since there was no one who might disagree. It was between 6:00 and 6:30 am. Again, Hagee was NOT who I was referring to. LaFaye Newkirk I couldn't tell if you were referring to our story or another, it wasn't clear from your letter since you reference "TPR." I found the Baptist Association story you mention. It was from NPR in Washington. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=78666288 If you like, you may send comments about that story to ombudsman@npr.org, or at this link: http://www.npr.org/ombudsman/ I am not defending the book proceeds from Perry's book. I am only stating where they go, and that we *said* on-air where they go, even going as far as to say that the *reason* they're going to the legal defense fund for the Scouts is because the Scouts have been accused as being discriminatory. That's an important fact, is it not? Leaving that fact out of the story would have made it a biased report, as if we were hiding where the money was going, and for what reason. Nathan Cone Gov. Perry Thursday, February 28, 2008 I heard your news broadcast this morning about Gov. Perry's book signing in San Antonio, and was surprised to hear him described as a "former Eagle Scout." I believe if you check with the Boy Scouts of America, there is no such thing as a former Eagle Scout. Once earned, the Eagle Scout rank is maintained for life. As the wife and mother of Eagle Scouts, I have often heard the phrase, "Once an Eagle, always an Eagle" from my husband. Despite this small discrepancy, I enjoyed learning of Gov. Perry's book. Thank you for your comprehensive and high quality reporting. Sarah Baxter, Rick Perry and Scouting Thursday, February 28, 2008 Good Morning, A few minutes ago, at about 8:08 am, one of your reporters did a story on Gov. Rick Perry's new book about the Boy Scouts of America. First off, thank you for doing that report. Had you not done it, I would not have known that Gov Perry had written a book that is close to me. However, your reporter did make a slight flaw in what he said about Gov. Perry. He referred to Gov Perry as a "former Eagle Scout." While this might seem accurate to many, if not most, people, it is flawed. For, with few exceptions, once a member of the BSA becomes an Eagle Scout he is forever an Eagle Scout. This might not seem important, but for me, and tens of thousands of other Eagle Scouts, it is important for people to know that being an Eagle Scout is not something that can be taken away by age or progress. Just because we become "adults" at 18 does not meen we lose our status as Eagle Scouts. Getting that rank and reward of Eagle Scout means we have accepted and demonstrated the qualities of the Scout Oath and Law. Being an Eagle Scout also means we have accepted the responisiblity to forever live by and support the Oath and Law and the morals and values of Scouting. I hope you'll take this into consideration on future reports of Scouting. Thank you for your time and your great radio programs. i listen to ya'll every morning on my way to work and every evening home and I agree that ya'll provide politically unbiased programs to help keep us informed. Thank You, Dear Mr. Leach, Thanks for writing, and for your kind works about KSTX and Texas Public Radio. Although the Associated Press Stylebook does not provide a definitive answer on this subject, I believe you are correct that an Eagle Scout should not be referred to as a "former Eagle Scout." I think one reason is that the Eagle Scout is also the only award from youth that an adult Scouter may carry over onto their adult uniform, too. Best Wishes, P.S. I was a Boy Scout myself, but never attained the rank of Eagle. I made it to Second Class, but Tuesday night Troop meetings conflicted with marching band rehearsal in high school, so I had to make a choice. That's life! Traffice Report Pronunciations Thursday, February 28, 2008 I heartily endorse the letter to TPR from Jim Daniell concerning the almost daily mis-pronunciation of San Antonio streets and other locations. I don't understand why, after such a long time for TPR using this service, those who give traffic reports still mis-pronounce so many names. You would think that after months and months of using this service, those delivering the reports could use the correct pronunciations. Another thing that disturbs, and frankly confuses me is the constant use of driving speeds used as part of the traffic information. Stevie Merritt Dear Mr. Merritt, I remember your email discussion with one of our former staff members from February of last year, and our subsequent dialogue. I felt that it was inappropriate to publish those letters online since they were sent directly to station personnel and not to the "letters@tpr.org" address. I will be happy to publish this letter online. Our traffic reporters are making every effort they can to ensure their reports are accurate, and that includes pronunciations. Please be sure to drop me a line when you hear something inaccurate. I always share those letters with the Traffic.com staff, and they are eager to receive feedback. I believe that average speed can also be an indicator of how long it takes one to get from point A to point B, and may be a more accurate measurement than travel time, which can vary wildly. That's probably why Traffic.com has been using "average speed" in their reports rather than travel time. However, I'll inquire about the possibility of including the latter statistic from time to time. Best Wishes,
Ad Stumbles Wednesday, February 27, 2008 Seriously, how hard is it to read advertisements over the radio? I just talked my sister out of advertising her business on your station to save her the grief of having your hosts butcher her name. Its embarrassing to listen to your hosts struggle with the majority of the ads they read every day. You don't need to respond to this email, I'm not looking for a fight...maybe just a little practice before you read anything on the radio. Dear Rida In fact I just had a discussion with our airstaff last week about the importance of pre-reading copy before going live with it on air. We regret mistakes, and strive not to make any. Sincerely, Traffic Reports Thursday, February 14, 2008 Is Mike Valdez annoying anyone else out there with his on air traffic reporting? Mike, I don’t know where you come from, but it is obviously not San Antonio. Please ask someone to tell you how to pronounce the names of streets you are not familiar with before you get on the air and make a fool of yourself again.
I wish I could remember others, but this is a spontaneous message. Someone else must have written in because I have not heard you use “slows” as a noun to describe slow traffic in quite a while. It’s not cute. I will be happy to start taking note of these mispronunciations and grammatical goofs.Over time, you may actually sound literate, if not local. No, I am not an English teacher. Jim Daniell StoryCorps Thursday, February 14, 2008 Sirs, I have loved the StoryCorps series on NPR. The content has varied wildly but all of the stories have fascinated me and I have looked forward to the series. By comparison, the first San Antonio program, broadcast today, was depressingly uninteresting and served only to emphasize an unfortunate quality gap between local and national radio. Please do not spoil the magic concept with further poor quality local interviews, even if they are cheap. Thank You Dear Mr.Goddard, I produced the StoryCorps San Antonio segment to which you refer. I felt that given the history in the segment, namely the founding of Spanish-language KCOR-AM and KCOR-TV was of interest to this area. I enjoyed hearing Mrs. Nicolas remember the artists that came through the stations for performances and interviews, and her remembrance of what those stations meant to the Hispanic community. This is our first crack at local production. I hope you'll enjoy future installments. Sincerely, Thanks Mr. Cone, I appreciate your time and will listen with interest to future episodes. Regards, Gerald Self Show on vibrato Wednesday, February 13, 2008 Thank God they haven't found a way to vibrate piano strings. My feeling is that vibrato was originally popularized as a cheap trick to overcome a tin ear. Down with vibrato! Travis Taylor Programming for Irish-American Heritage Month - TPR Monday, February 11, 2008 I see Texas Public Radio is doing a number of special programming and community events for Black History Month which is wonderful but I'd like to know what programming and community events you have scheduled for Irish-American Heritage Month in March. I enjoy TPR very much and hope you will be supporting the Irish-American community in Texas with special programming to help us celebrate this very important month. Please send me the programming so I can pass it on to the Texas Irish-American community - I'm sure they will be thrilled. Thanks! Dear Ms. Owens, Thank you for your interest! After receiving your email I searched NPR, PRI and American Public Media's website for Irish American programming, but found no special programs available. That doesn't mean you won't hear something uniquely Irish during the month of March on TPR. Each Sunday night at 8:00 KSTX 89.1 FM broadcasts an hour of Celtic music on Thistle & Shamrock. And there are many, many classical composers from Ireland, including Hamilton Harty, Charles Villiers Stanford, Turlough Carolan, and of course, the "Irish Mozart," John Field, whose piano nocturnes are among the first ever written. Do listen to KPAC 88.3 FM for those and many more composers throughout the month, but especially on St. Patrick's Day. And of course, let us not forget our own treasure of an on-air host on KPAC and KSTX, Deirdre Saravia, who is a native of Ireland. She'll be featuring special programming on her show World Music with Deirdre Saravia at 9:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 16. Sincerely, Day to Day Monday February 11 Monday, February 11, 2008 Dear Friends, I was disappointed to hear the segment "Make me a Super Delegate" on Day to Day today. I listen to TPR/NPR for news, information, and select entertainment (American Routes, Sunday Night Sessions). I do not want to hear silly, uninformative nonsense like "Make me a Super Delegate". Please don't turn TPR/NPR into "Robin and Company". Robert Hurley Dear Mr. Hurley, The three-minute segment you heard was written by Brian Unger, a regular contributor of humorous pieces on NPR's Day to Day. I'm sorry it didn't meet your expectations this time. While commentary and humor has long been a part of what NPR does (think Baxter Black) and will continue to be so, I don't think you have to worry that KSTX/NPR is turning into Morning Express, especially since the other stories on today's Day to Day included a seven plus-minute report on prosecutors seeking the death penalty for Guantanamo detainees charged in the 9/11 attacks, civil war in Columbia, the deepening credit crunch in America, and an art heist in Switzerland. Sincerely, Who Was the Guy? Saturday, February 8, 2008 Greetings, I was listening to your station today (Sat., Feb. 9th), somewhere between 3 and 4, possibly This American Life, and heard a bit that I wanted to get more information on. The piece was derived from The Moth, an organization that collects spoken stories for broadcast, and the guy was talking about his entry into journalism at The Washington Post. It was absolutely hilarious, but I didn't catch the guy's name or the name of the piece, and even after checking themoth.org, I still couldn't figure out who it was. Can you help me? Thanks, Dear Jane, The fellow you heard was Malcolm Gladwell, who's written a number of books, and currently writes for the New Yorker. You can find his website at: www.gladwell.com Thanks for listening to This American Life on KSTX 89.1 FM! Best wishes,
Traffic Number to Call? Thursday, February 7, 2008 Hi There, Is there a number listeners can call to report a traffic incident? I was driving in today and encountered a major accident on the outer part of Loop 410 between Ingram and Bandera, but Mike Valdez made no mention of it when he came on 30 seconds after I passed it, though I know it had occurred earlier due to the PD/FD/EMS response on-scene. When I got into the office ten minutes later and checked your web site, your little “traffic bug” showed it. I know a lot of people southbound on Loop 410 would have appreciated the info and might have routed around it. But back to my original question, is there a phone number to call? Thanks, Mike R Dear Mr. Runnels, For all traffic inquiries, call Traffic.com at 877-965-9700 and ask for the San Antonio desk. Sincerely,
Fair Game Interruptions Saturday, January 30, 2008 Dear TPR, Why is it whenever there is any extra programming on your station it goes in place of Fair Game? There has never been a single moment of which I would need any more dry commentary on your channel. Some of us need a little comedy relief in our listening. It is getting ridiculous. Try interrupting something like The Travel Show. Who could possibly benefit from a purely visual program on the radio? Yours truly hesitating to open his wallet on your behalf, DC Dear Mr. Conn, I'm sorry you have seen a few more interruptions in your evening listening to "Fair Game" than you'd like as of late. However, the special programs from NPR covering the primary elections and the State of the Union address have all been live broadcasts, and we're therefore unable to time-shift them on the schedule. After next week's Super Tuesday coverage, you'll probably have fewer evening interruptions. Thanks so much for listening to KSTX, and I'm happy that you are enjoying "Fair Game." Sincerely,
Saturday on KPAC Wednesday, January 11, 2008 Can you please tell me the name of the beautiful opera I heard on Saturday January 26 at approximately 4:20 - to 4:30 p.m.? Thank you, Dear Cesar, I'm guessing you heard the tail end of Puccini's "La Boheme," broadcast live from the Metropolitan Opera in New York. I'm glad you enjoyed it! It's one of the best. Sincerely,
Today's Noon Programming on KSTX Friday, January 11, 2008 I didn't get to hear the entire program, but the portion I did hear was disturbing. TFN was being called to task for calling for an IRS invstigation into the political involvement of churches and various preachers in Texas. Your (TPR's) interviewer seemed to be far too ready to jump on the TFN spokesperson, who stayed calm, was well spokenand also was a good presenter for the TFN side of the issue. I am pretty appalled that your interviewer would say some of the things he said, and that he took such a stance opposing TFN and that he seemed to ignore some of the comments made by TFN. Wish I could have heard the entire program, but then I think I just might have become angrier at you if I had. Thanks for listening to ME! Stu Adamslundy Dear Ms. Adamslundy, Thanks for writing with your concern. I went back to listen to the entire interview, which lasted approximately seven minutes. I must say that I cannot hear at any time Mr. Davies taking sides or trying to "jump on" Texas Freedom Network spokesman Dan Quinn. At 8:42 into the show, Davies asks Mr. Quinn to clarify TFN's position: [DAVIES]: "You're saying that basically this religious organization, the Texas Restoration Project, were [sic] virtually an extension of Rick Perry's re-election campaign." Mr. Quinn then responds. Later, a careful listen to the interview reveals that Mr. Davies was quoting Governor Perry's office response to the TFN actions, rather than stating it as his own opinion. At 9.20 in the Texas Matters show: [DAVIES]: "The Governor's office has responded to this; they've said that this is simply a smoke screen to hide that fact that the Texas Freedom Network does not want people of faith involved in elections, and that you have a secular agenda… trying, you know, basically working for the other party." Mr. Quinn is then given an opportunity to respond. Mr. Davies then states that this Restoration Project model has had success in other states. Davies is not offering an opinion, he's simply allowing Quinn to comment on this, and how TFN views such projects. Finally, Davies asks what the process is now that TFN has asked the IRS to investigate the Texas Restoration Project. Please be assured, Mr. Adamslundy, that it is not our policy to take sides on an issue. I believe Mr. Davies conducted a fair interview and allowed Mr. Quinn to state TFN's position on this issue, while at the same time acknowledging Governor Perry's stance through the aforementioned press statement that he quoted. Thanks for listening to KSTX, and please don't hesitate to write anytime. Sincerely, Dear Mr. Cone, Thanks for responding. As I said a couple of times in my note, I didn't hear the entire program, but my perception from what I did hear wasn't good. Just thought you would want to know what people are thinking. Frequently we do not have the option of enjoying the "driveway" moments, and we miss a good portion of your programming because of other responsibilities. But you know that.... I do appreciate your response and that you took the time to listen to the program to re-evaluate it.I think KSTX is the only station my car radio picks up anymore since I have listened for so long when I am in the SA area. You do a great job! Sincerely,
Name This Piece? Tuesday, January 01, 2008 I was listening Tuesday (Jan 1st) on my way to the grocery store, and enjoyed a LOVELY clarinet solo about 3:30 in the afternoon. GORGEOUS! Can you tell me what the music was and who performed it? I checked the webpage; I assume it played after Borodin's Symphony No. 2. Thank you! Kathy Taylor Dear Ms. Taylor, The concerto you heard was Carl Maria Von Weber's Clarinet Concerto #2, performed by the Staatskapelle Dresden, directed by Herbert Blomstedt and featuring soloist Sabine Meyer. Of all the concertos written for the clarinet, Weber's are my favorites. They're all so lively, and the clarinet just sings throughout! Here's a link to Amazon for more information about the piece you heard. WEBER: Clarinet Concertos/Sabine Meyer Thanks very much for listening! Nathan Cone A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols Monday, December 24, 2007 We just wanted to let you know how much we enjoy the broadcast of A Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols. We look forward to your live broadcast every year. Long may it continue. Wilma & John Heberling Disgusted at Texas Matters! Friday, December 07, 2007 I am very disappointed in the Texas Matters segment for November 30th. I hesitated sending in an immediate comment until the next week’s segment came on. I expected Davies and Benavides to air other sides of the immigrant issue, perhaps one that would not refer to the immigrants as “illegals,” and give less hateful comments. When this did not air, I must admit that I am totally disgusted at the Texas Matters program and your station for not reviewing the content of this program. I particularly take issue at the comment made, that even if the immigrants become legalized, they are still a burden on our community. I’ve copied NPR to express my disgust at the “news” comments on this national issue at Texas Public Radio. In researching to check to see if I was a being oversensitive, I found this NPR statement on “Diversity”: National Public Radio will serve the individual; it will promote personal growth rather than corporate gains; it will regard the individual differences among men with respect and joy rather than derision and hate; it will celebrate the human experience as infinitely varied rather than vacuous and banal; it will encourage a sense of active, constructive participation, rather than apathetic helplessness." I realize that you are not NPR, but TPR is the only public news station in the San Antonio area, and it’s sad that the individuals involved in the immigration issue are represented as “vacuous and banal.” Perhaps Davies needs to take a good look at the NPR Journalist Code of Ethics. [Name withheld at request of author] Dear Listener, I went back and listened to the entire six-minute interview Mr. Davies did with Steven Camarota, research director for the Washington-based Center for Immigration Studies. You seem to imply Mr. Davies used the term "illegals," but the opposite is the case. Mr. Camarota uses that term, and Mr. Davies stops the interview at one point and asks Mr. Camarota about his continued use of that term, and how some view it as offensive. (that's about 5 minutes into the show) Mr. Davies also asks Mr. Camarota about whether his study takes a "one-eyed" look at immigrants in Texas. Mr. Davies *does* ask Mr. Camarota to about how much illegal immigrants give back to the state in the form of taxes. Mr. Camarota explains that his data indicates that immigrants do pay various taxes, but that their fiscal costs are more than they give back. Obviously Mr. Camarota is a numbers man, looking at the statistics. He is not a humanitarian. We have covered the immigration issue often on KSTX, giving voice to multiple viewpoints, and will continue to do so. I encourage you to browse the Texas Public Radio newsroom online to hear more of our coverage. Sincerely, Nathan Cone New Orleans Music Show Tuesday, December 04, 2007 There was a broadcast this past Sunday evening featuring New Orleans music that I enjoyed listening to. Will this show be re-broadcast, is there any information on this show, and where can i find it? Thanks! D |
