Bluefield Daily Telegraph
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I have rarely been as upset after reading a letter to the editor as I was after reading the letter of Aug. 25. In this day and age of cable programming, doesn’t the writer understand there are idiots (both right-wing and left-wing) out in TV land who offer up their opinions each and every night?
The writer mentions Fox News, but reasonable people would counter with, “Has anyone heard the outlandish statements made by those commentators on MSNBC?” And it isn’t just the cable channels — remember when our President mentioned (in jest) that if he needed an opinion, he “just turned over (in bed) and asked (NBC anchor) Brian Williams?” Unfortunately, the days when TV anchors were “newsmen” or “reporters” are gone. Now they all seem to be commentators.
The writer fails to understand:
1. Viewership will eventually decide which programs are successful, because sponsers won’t continue to pay for shows that get poor ratings . (The writer probably won’t want to hear this, but I understand Fox News is way ahead in the evening talk-show ratings race.)
2. There are rather ingenious controls on most TVs and remotes that let the viewer either change the channel or turn the thing off if he doesn’t like what is being broadcast.
The writer seems to be trying to force the rest of us to conform to his rather narrow views by asking Comcast to eliminate programming he doesn’t like. I choose not to listen to Beck or Hannity, but I’ll defend either’s right to voice an opinion.
I think free speech is mentioned in the Constitution, isn’t it?
Instead of sounding like an old 1950s-era censor, maybe the writer should just learn how to change channels.
David Martin
Princeton
