Once again, our readers prove how smart they are with this selection. For sheer entertainment value, we love the lively intelligence of Fresh Air and Amy Goodman's self-righteous Democracy Now, and it's always fun to listen to Rob Lorei politely try to find a nugget of reason in the paranoid rantings of some of the callers to his Radioactivity (1-2 p.m., Mon.-Thurs.). Lorei has great guests, from Pulitzer prize-winning writers exploring the erosion of civil liberties to doctors who specialize in alternative healing. Mitch Perry gets special recognition this year for taking the evening news to a full hour (6-7 p.m. weekdays), a massive undertaking. Plus, there are news and public affairs programs from the perspective of women, blacks and Latinos at various times throughout the week. With media consolidation homogenizing perspectives and silencing voices every day, WMNF is a precious intellectual outpost for free thinkers and those who value a multiplicity of viewpoints, even if you don't always agree with their politics.
This article appears in Sep 25 – Oct 1, 2003.