I care deeply about journalism. Having quality, full time staff to dive deeply into issues is critical for our culture, for our democracy. Additionally critical: willingness to dive deeply into serious issues that need coverage, regardless of ratings. It’s critical from the national level all the way down to the local/hyperlocal. And, I’d argue, it’s most critical at the local.
So, KUOW is buying KPLU. The region’s two biggest public radio stations are at stake. This whole acquisition disturbs me. I noticed KUOW’s declining coverage of local events years ago and gave up on the station. KPLU has been a mainstay for my radio listening for years, long before and above and beyond their jazz programming. KUOW’s abandonment of local programming and unwillingness to listen to the community on major concerns regarding programming and personnel give me deep concerns about the plans for KPLU, which has taken up the slack as KUOW fell. I stopped listening as KUOW became irrelevant. And KPLU got my ears and dollars.
Reading The Stranger’s interview with Caryn Mathes only deepened my concern. She didn’t give any details or rationale about this merger. We know it’s not about the financial state of KPLU or Pacific Lutheran University, for what that’s worth. Perhaps she summed it up well when she said “If we’re relevant, if we’re resonating with people’s lives, people will give us money.” I haven’t given them money for years. Not out of protest (though their firing of Cliff Mass and their “spit-in-my-face” response to the community push-back might be good enough), but, like Cliff posted on his blog last year, they’ve stopped serving the community ages ago.
So, clearly, I don’t think this is a good idea for anyone, except perhaps the managers at KUOW and, I guess, the regents at PLU (with their tasty bit of cash) . The community is left with the promise of “not screwing this up” by the leader of the organization that has done exactly that, and much stonewalling. It’s a sad time for journalism lovers and those who see deep value in public radio, especially here in Seattle.
More reading:
- The Official Press Release
- Cliff Mass’ “KUOW: A Major Public Radio Station Stumbles” blog post from June 2014
- The Stranger’s Interview with Caryn Mathes, President and GM at KUOW
- KUOW Plans to Purchase KPLU and Make It an All Jazz Station. What Happens to Their Reporters?
- KUOW to buy KPLU in proposed acquisition, Seattle Times
- KUOW Is Buying KPLU, Turning 88.5 Into a Jazz Station, Seattle Weekly
- KUOW’s Q & A on this
