Partial Access?
Interesting second half of the public access piece, which, I think, was close to at least what I think represents the public access picture. I understand why you'd start with what you did, pulling something "interesting" out of the channels, but you've got to know it doesn't represent the content. The Planet has, in this case, emphasized what's hardly present and de-emphasized the public outreach and community programming efforts over the past few years.
Given this era of corporate journalism in which five major corporations own most of the media in the United States, public access is one of the few places outside the Internet that people can go to express their views and we can find something that hasn't been pre-digested and sanitized for public consumption. I admit, some of the public affairs stuff is not always scintillating, and certainly we've got plenty of the psychic and religious programming you mention, but we offer the opportunity for people and community and other organizations to do so much more. And, more than a few times, public access offers something original and even unique that can make a difference.
As more and more mainstream media look and sound and read more and more the same, public access, if we can keep it alive, has the potential to be an even more valuable alternative for ideas and information and less the "camp" experience you say it is. I'd think during a time when people are participating in grassroots efforts of media reform, that those of us most interested in viewpoints and perspectives outside the mainstream would, if not nurture, at least attempt to fairly represent those few that exist outside the Internet.
Robert Dardenne
Board of Directors, Speak Up Tampa Bay/TBCN
GREAT story on the history of public access TV! Loved the pics of everyone's favorite TV doctor Doc Conley! Keep it up! I truly believe public access TV is one of the last forms of free speech now. With Bush in office, who knows for how long, but I have been a fan for years and will continue to be in years to come. I think the Planet should do interviews, updates, whatever they can with public access. The Weekly Planet and Public Access TV are great together.
Robb Beukema
Tampa
Sad Memory
Your article on Todd Smith brought back memories of news reports, first of his disappearance, then his murder. I did not know him personally, but read his work. I remember being so moved while reading about his ambition and bravery to cover stories that endangered his life.
We've gone from guerrillas to terrorists. It doesn't matter what the buzzword of the moment is ... they are simply evil people. And unfortunately evil people have been and always will be part of our worldwide society. Thank goodness there are people like Todd, you, media such as The Weekly Planet and WMNF that continue to put their lives on the line, to give us a glimmer of the truth. At the same time it saddens me that valuable lives are wasted to report the evil men do. Same as it ever was.
Anna Cooke
Dunedin
Thanks But No Thanks
Thanks for the review. We appreciate the time you took to hear our music (in another language) and write words that we thought were fitting for the product we presented. We figured you would like "Adrenalina" and we have made "Alejamiento" an acoustic ballad for some months now. The Latin music market is going through a complete overhaul as we speak and "Spanish Rock" as a genre is wide open — we'll just evolve with the market.
Sammy Agosto
Espiritus 3D
You must have been smoking some pretty heavy stuff when you wrote your "review" about Jeff O'Kelley's CD. Did he pay you? Is he blackmailing you? Did he save your life recently? Whatever the case, your review missed the mark and you need to re-evaluate your situation when it comes to reviewing music. Most of the time, you don't do half bad, however, this time you are dead wrong. As his music is the same, DEAD.
Brian Thomas
Clearwater
