Not all viewpoints are equally valid. Lou Carlozo wrote about the format changes at WBEZ (Tempo, Dec. 16). WBEZ and the board members were quoted as saying changes were made to increase the amount of local programming, and Aaron Freeman, an unhappy former employee, was quoted as “predicting” there would be less local programming. Whom do you believe?
It doesn’t matter. The number of hours WBEZ devotes to local programming is a fact. Carlozo should have checked the amount of locally produced programming on the WBEZ schedule. The new schedule has four locally produced programs that air 18 1/2 hours of original programming per week, outside of the programs devoted to jazz. One year ago the schedule had seven programs that aired for 22 1/2 hours per week.
The changes at WBEZ are about Torey Malatia consolidating his power by bringing in people who owe their positions to Malatia. Satisfying listeners by increasing local programming is a ruse for pressuring people like Freeman, John Dempsey, and, now, Andrew Patner, to leave WBEZ.
Ask yourself: If listeners are asking for more local programming, does it make sense to eliminate most of the local programming that has inspired the positive comments? Remember Torey “Local Programming” Malatia was the one who eliminated “Talk of the City” to give listeners not 2 1/2 but 3 1/2 hours of “All Things Considered” every day.
WBEZ should improve and evolve, but the quality of programming should drive the changes. The most recent changes do not improve the station.
