Inbox: Left of the Radio Dial

At the end of the day, it costs money to run a radio station ["Who Killed KPOJ?" WW, Nov. 28, 2012]. Money for the license, for the staff, for the electricity, for the equipment. Something has to pay the bills.

You can throw around all the right-wing conspiracy bullshit you want, but this is a real simple business decision. Not enough listeners = not enough advertising revenue = bad investment for the owners of the station. If this station were scoring like Rush Limbaugh in the ratings, it would still be on the air.

So, liberals, as much fun as it is to blame "The Man," George Bush, Bain, or some other organization that you ideologically despise, the truth is the blame falls squarely on you for not supporting the station by listening.

Case closed.

—"Gunther"


"At the end of the day," progressives need to get together and form a new network to counter the right-wing lies.

—"jiffysquid"


It is common knowledge in the radio industry that most progressive radio listeners are drawn to the more neutral and cerebral NPR. Progressive radio that emulates the tone and empty content of right-wing stations has a harder time attracting progressive audiences.

Progressives are more discriminating than conservatives in their radio tastes, preferring to be informed and enlightened rather than enraged.

—"Daniel"


I listened [to KPOJ] but was losing interest when it was becoming a mouthpiece of the Democratic Party. It lost its progressivism when all I heard was how great Obama is...really?

—"TtT"


PRONUNCIATION GUIDE

I used to be a business loan officer, and one of my accounts was PacifiCorp ["Dr. Know," WW, Nov. 28, 2012]. The senior management (VP finance, treasurer, CEO) used to pronounce it "PacifiCore." I figure they probably knew the correct pronunciation.

Peggy Naumann
Lake Oswego

Dr. Know responds: Don't count on it. In my research for the column, PacifiCorp spokeswoman Jan Mitchell told me she hears both pronunciations used within the company, though she personally believed "PacifiCorp" was "more" correct.

Anyway, just because somebody works there doesn't make them right. I'm from Illinois, where plenty of the natives insist on saying "Illinoise," but it's still wrong. You hear me, PacifiCorp? Don't make me come down there!


CORRECTION

Last week's story "Who Killed KPOJ?" incorrectly claimed Carl Wolfson was the first openly gay talk-radio host in Portland. In fact, several out radio hosts preceded Wolfson. WW regrets the error.

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