Chlorophyll

Like many Greens, I find public radio to be the cream of the broadcast media crop. I love Morning Edition, Car Talk, Prairie Home Companion, and more. But this time around, I will not be contributing to Wisconsin Public Radio.

I was the campaign manager for Nelson Eisman, as many of you know. In our analysis, far and away the most damaging thing to happen to our campaign was Nelson's exclusion from the gubernatorial debates. The central reason this happened was that the media consortium known as "We the People" simply declared it. Our campaign emailed and spoke with them on the phone, our supporters sent a great many emails, other media outlets issued stinging editorials, but all to no avail.

I am withholding my normal contribution this year to protest WPR associating with this consortium, whose practices are so far removed from the high standards I've come to associate with public radio. When WPR publicly leaves "We the People," I will enthusiastically resume my donations.

Some will be quick to point out that public radio was better to the Eisman than some of the other members of "We the People" (the Wisconsin State Journal, for example). Gil Halsted did a number of very fair and even-handed articles on Nelson, and Joy Cardin invited him onto her show more than once. I say that's all the more reason for WPR to withdraw from "We the People." Currently, WPR lends an air of legitimacy and objectivity to "We the People" that it really does not deserve.

This is a personal statement, not necessarily a call for a boycott. I would, however, invite others to examine their conscience before voting with their dollars. If you do decide to donate, I encourage you to include a message to WPR that participation in "We the People" is inconsistent with its journalistic mission.