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Suggestion re: Politics and Broadcasting

K.M. Richards

K.M. Richards

Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
I have noticed that Lance has had to close threads more often of late (the last one was less than 15 minutes before I wrote this) because discussions about funding of public broadcasting, attacks on broadcast journalism, and related subjects turn political.

In my view, the political meddling in broadcasting is deplorable, and I think there needs to be somewhere on RD where that can be allowed. To keep closing threads just because of the politics is the social media equivalent of sticking one's fingers in their ears and chanting "la la la la ... everything's going to be okay". Which it is not.

The subject of politics in broadcasting has now become unavoidable due to the actions of the current federal administration. We need to have the ability to discuss that without fearing our own censure by way of locking or deleting threads (continuing to do so makes us look no better than POTUS).

Therefore, I would like to suggest that there be a forum for Politics and Broadcasting, and if any other threads in other forums cross that line, the thread is either moved there or closed with a reminder link to there.
 
tall_guy1 said:
With Trump, it's all just talk though. Aside from the mergers/lawsuits maybe, there's not a lot of things that are happening that are that crazy really.
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And we need somewhere to discuss that craziness as it impacts our business without Lance feeling the need and responsibility to close threads as a result.
 
K.M. Richards said:
I have noticed that Lance has had to close threads more often of late (the last one was less than 15 minutes before I wrote this) because discussions about funding of public broadcasting, attacks on broadcast journalism, and related subjects turn political.

In my view, the political meddling in broadcasting is deplorable, and I think there needs to be somewhere on RD where that can be allowed. To keep closing threads just because of the politics is the social media equivalent of sticking one's fingers in their ears and chanting "la la la la ... everything's going to be okay". Which it is not.

The subject of politics in broadcasting has now become unavoidable due to the actions of the current federal administration. We need to have the ability to discuss that without fearing our own censure by way of locking or deleting threads (continuing to do so makes us look no better than POTUS).

Therefore, I would like to suggest that there be a forum for Politics and Broadcasting, and if any other threads in other forums cross that line, the thread is either moved there or closed with a reminder link to there.
Click to expand...
Discussing politics in broadcasting IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN ALLOWED HERE. What is not allowed is when people going down rabbit holes of PERSONAL POLITICAL OPINIONS and non-broadcasting subjects. That is a fine line, but I'm seeing too many posts that stray from broadcasting. And that we can be the one place on the internet where I don't need to know what their political beliefs are.

Everything is not OK. But people need to have a place where they can all feel welcome to discuss at least one subject without seeing nonstop political postings. That's the only way I (and others who I talk to here) are staying sane right now.

I don't want people to start flamewars with one other on other subjects because they know their political leanings. And that is happening here more and more.

PERSONAL political debates only leading to flamewars. Keep in mind it is less than 1% of the userbase who are contributing to these political threads and the amount of reports and private emails thanking me for removing them from the site is why the current policy of not allowing PERSONAL POLITICS will continue.

kevtronics said:
We had one... I think it got nuked during the 2024 election.

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The board was eliminated WAY before the election last summer for the reasons specified above.
 
lanceventa said:
PERSONAL political debates only leading to flamewars. Keep in mind it is less than 1% of the userbase who are contributing to these political threads and the amount of reports and private emails thanking me for removing them from the site is why the current policy of not allowing PERSONAL POLITICS will continue.
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So give that 1% somewhere to burn each other to a toast and make them stay there.

I just don't see it ending otherwise, and I know you have better things to do than put out the brush fires resulting from flamewars.
 
K.M. Richards said:
So give that 1% somewhere to burn each other to a toast and make them stay there.

I just don't see it ending otherwise, and I know you have better things to do than put out the brush fires resulting from flamewars.
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The problem is that the flamewars aren't confined to that location.

I regret even having brought up the topic that fueled the most recent flameout, and will reconsider at least seven times before doing it again. I knew there was the potential due to the topic, and tried to constrain and focus it. Clearly that did not work. From my perspective, what happened was a combination of recurring bickering coming to the fore, and people dug into their positions yet not recognizing that others were equally dug into theirs. In other words, no one was going to be persuaded. No one is saying anything new. It's the same old stuff.

Look: I'm not happy with current events, either. I'm not stupid. I think permanent damage is being done to the country that will take decades to recover from. It would be natural for me to give into the temptation to focus wholeheartedly on current politics; after all, I have a political science degree, not that I ever did much with it. But I can also tell when any efforts to persuade people to my point of view aren't going to succeed. The engineer/computer scientist in me (and it is very much present) isn't going to expend energy on something that isn't going to pay off. I have Trumpers in my own family. Guess what? We get along pretty well, because we respect each other's viewpoints. Bickering about them is pointless. So we don't bicker.

Even though my radio career was mostly a disaster, it's never left me. That's why I'm participating here. Not because I want to try to bludgeon people into submission with my political views. There are other places for that. (Go ahead and make fun of the unclear antecedent. I don't care.) Radio, and broadcasting generally, is on the threshold of changes that are still hard to foresee. There's plenty to talk about without ratcheting up emotions over political matters. These back-and-forth discussions never lead to actionable outcomes.

Again, I apologize for that thread. I should have known it would end badly.
 
lanceventa said:
Discussing politics in broadcasting IS AND ALWAYS HAS BEEN ALLOWED HERE. What is not allowed is when people going down rabbit holes of PERSONAL POLITICAL OPINIONS and non-broadcasting subjects. That is a fine line, but I'm seeing too many posts that stray from broadcasting. And that we can be the one place on the internet where I don't need to know what their political beliefs are.

Everything is not OK. But people need to have a place where they can all feel welcome to discuss at least one subject without seeing nonstop political postings. That's the only way I (and others who I talk to here) are staying sane right now.

I don't want people to start flamewars with one other on other subjects because they know their political leanings. And that is happening here more and more.

PERSONAL political debates only leading to flamewars. Keep in mind it is less than 1% of the userbase who are contributing to these political threads and the amount of reports and private emails thanking me for removing them from the site is why the current policy of not allowing PERSONAL POLITICS will continue.


The board was eliminated WAY before the election last summer for the reasons specified above.
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Thank you for your voice of reason, Lance. I know it must be a tough job. The boards have been more difficult for me to enjoy recently which is sad having been a participant since 2004.
 
Discussing politics is perfecly fine in my book. It's when posters start taking pot shots at the other side and vice versa. And spreading flat out lies. And both sides do it.

Once upon a time one could say I'm a Democrat and the person nex to them says I'm a Republican. Both will likely not see eye to eye but they'd at least hear out both sides and try to understand. At worst they'd shake hands agreeing to disagree. Now it's insane.
 
This is such a challenging topic to harness. IMHO, a suggestion to provide a page/forum that people can vent, rant, etc. Let them duke out the politics as it relates to broadcasting.

Lance and management, I do not envy your decision or position in the forum as I moderate a GenX forum elsewhere with similar restraints, though there are less than 50 participants. We are all adults here as well. My two cents: we come here for the broadcasting comradery, to interact, learn, tell tales, etc. I am merely offering up a solution if someone who enjoys politics in broadcasting to create their own forum and moderators.

I personally came to RD because while I only have less than 3 years broadcasting experience, I find interest in learning from my analog days (1993-1999) with a touch of the digital automation and attempting to capture and glean any new information of the latest tech and streaming avenue (a venture I hope to lasso someday "soon"). I hope to find specific antique/vintage equipment or stories of specific stations that I've been a part of (WCPA/WQYX Clearfield, PA and WINU Highland, IL) while being nosy about the sales, moves, etc of some of the Maryland stations as well as others.

I sit on the sidelines welcoming people and reading.

Lance and company, I do commend you for how you keep RD going.
 
Motown said:
So give that 1% somewhere to burn each other to a toast and make them stay there.
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I also applaud Lance on keeping this website civil. The personal political attacks and comments do not belong here and they greatly distract m my enjoyment of this website. If the one percent can’t refrain from continuing to post their personal politics, they shouldn’t be allowed to post. Lance has previously posted that these personal political comments are affecting his health. Yet they continue. He is not a babysitter, and has more important things to do. So, please stop posting your personal political views. Thank you!
 


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