Self-supporting broadcast

In response to “Canceling Fox News” (Letters, Feb.), Mr. Tatershall suggests that the president of the United States should be able to revoke the broadcast license of Fox News, an independent, privately-owned media organization. I don’t argue that Fox News is not conservative-leaning, but to squelch a media source for political reasons is both unconstitutional and dangerously tyrannical. Furthermore, as far as I know, Fox News does not receive public tax dollars to support its business.

On the other hand, National Public Radio is a public, tax-supported media organization and, as such, should remain nonpartisan or at least strive to present politically balanced commentary. I would argue that NPR commentary is just as biased to the left as Fox News is to the right. For example, I challenge you to listen to Steve Inskeep or David Greene’s political coverage on their “Morning Edition” program and count the agenda-driven interjections, leading questioning and how often they “put words in the mouths” of their interviewees. One quickly observes a liberal, left-leaning bias. Since I do pay taxes which support NPR, I do have the right and responsibility to make requests on its political programming.

Actually, I am a frequent listener of public radio and support our local station (KPBX), but unless the Washington, D.C.-based NPR programs can tone down their biased reporting and commentary, we need to consider defunding it so they, like Fox News, can become independent and self-supporting to freely broadcast as they wish.

Joel Sears

Spokane