Friday Feedback for August 31, 2012

Thank you for all of your fine programming. I so much enjoyed the Ted Talk discussions on Sunday at 6 p.m.; however, you carried that program for such a short time. … Please reconsider.

[AUDIO CLIP 1] I'm listening to the Diane Rehm program. I'm getting more and more frustrated with WHQR and the public radio system... Now, at this very moment you've got 3 or 4 guests on this program, and they're all absolutely one-sided. Criticizing the comments made about "legitimate rape". Of course, there's legitimate rape and it's also claims made by thousands of women are lying when they go in for an abortion, just to get the abortion. To try to appease their own consciences, maybe, or get through the system. Of course that happens. That's exactly what Akin was getting at.… as a citizen I'm getting more and more disgusted with the nature of our whole culture. It's just becoming so devoid of accuracy -- love. Yes, that baby is the one who takes the brunt of it all, okay, and that's what Akin also said, which is never brought up….the radio program, your program in general is absolutely disgusting at times. And I'm telling you: I'm gonna make some videos, and be listing them on YouTube. I've got at least 17 other people up and down the eastern coast that's gonna start making videos describing how Democratic the radio station is. So apparently, you should change your call letters to the D-E-M station.... Now you listen to this, whoever is listening at this moment. These are truthful statements I'm making. You need to do something about it, or on YouTube you're going to start seeing many, many videos. Thank you.

I believe a news piece WHQR ran on Tuesday, August 28, did a disservice to listeners by propagating a canard emanating from a Republican seeking to discourage voter registration. As noted in the piece by the League of Women Voters, the notion that registering with the groups that have traditionally shouldered the burden of conducting registration drives risks identity theft is purely hypothetical, no confirmed instance ever having been noted. That the sole source for this quackery is employed as the director of the Pender Board of Elections should, if anything, raise questions about the impartial conduct of elections in that county.

[AUDIO CLIP 2] My name is Barbara Walker…Wednesday...during the jazz… there was a duet played by Ben Webster and Gerry Mulligan. Now, I give you a thumbs up for that. … I do have other concerns. Jazz is America's music. I know you can't please everyone. I saw someone wanting bluegrass on the station and you know it can get out of control. However, when you trying to please everybody you please no one. …we need more jazz. It is America's music. And I'm not sure why you're playing to classical European music more so than an American genre. …Think about … two hours a day of jazz. We're not asking too much, are we?… you're missing the mark when you play to only one group exclusively, and marginalize every other group of listeners.

[I lived in] downtown ILM for 20 years, I continue to support WHQR. I am very aware of the goings on In and about wilmington and I thank you for continuing to serve us here. I miss some of the people of the past and will continue to keep my eyes and ears peeled to the present WHQR family.