Steiner's voice goes silent on public radio

I was both surprised and appalled by WYPR's decision to fire Marc Steiner ("Public radio station cancels Steiner show," Feb. 2).

Mr. Steiner has been the heart of WYPR for many years, and his program is one of the best of its kind in the nation.

As a regular listener to, and an occasional guest on, his program, I have been deeply impressed by the dedication and preparation Mr. Steiner brings to each of his shows.

While my politics are to the right of Mr. Steiner's, I have noted that he has been scrupulous about keeping his panels balanced.

He has been a huge asset to Baltimore and to Maryland.

For a public radio station to claim that he has been fired because his ratings were dropping is ludicrous -- he has been performing a major service to the community.

I sincerely hope that WYPR will reconsider its decision to fire Mr. Steiner -- a decision that could cost it the support of many faithful listeners.

Robert O. Freedman

Baltimore

The writer is a professor of political science at Baltimore Hebrew University.

In an era of cultural and political polarization in talk shows and elsewhere, Marc Steiner has been a rarity.

He listened before he spoke. He gave everyone his or her say, from bigwigs to unsung heroes in poor neighborhoods.

He informed himself and then us. When he did speak, on the radio and in his many community appearances, he spoke for the powerless and the cause of a more united and caring city and state.

In letting him go, the trustees at WYPR have betrayed the ideals of public radio.

Worse, they have dealt a devastating setback to efforts to make us a better community.

Every effort must be made to restore his voice for all to hear.

Kalman R. Hettleman

Baltimore

The Marc Steiner Show was more than a radio program.

Alone in this city's broadcast media, it was an intelligent and dynamic forum that explored the issues that affect our lives. It was unstintingly fair and masterfully probing.

The program was a point of pride for Baltimore and, more important, it contributed to the progress of our city and state.

What kind of corporate idiocy possesses the management of this station to cancel this program?

The station's board chairman, Barbara Bozzuto, states that she was not happy with the show's ratings.

Is that why my family has supported WYPR since its inception? So it could get high ratings?

The management and board have failed in their stewardship of a public radio station.

They should be ousted and the Steiner show returned to the air.

Ron Wilner

Baltimore

Marc Steiner's radio show has been a beacon of light in Baltimore for its impartiality, excellent panelists and, of course, for Mr. Steiner's pithy and delightful comments.

If it is too "Baltimore-centered," one can also listen to the more global discussions on the Diane Rehm show, which is also broadcast on WYPR.

Baltimore is so fortunate to have someone who is passionate about our city and about airing programs that can make a positive effect on its future.

What is the bottom line for WYPR: a loss of a small percentage of listeners, or making a real difference in Baltimore?

Pamela Seng

Baltimore

In letting Marc Steiner go, the WYPR management shows a complete lack of understanding about what he has meant to the life of this public radio station and its listeners.

By killing this mockingbird, WYPR has silenced the voice that was its own heart and soul.

Marie Edmeades

Bel Air

I was very disappointed to see that Marc Steiner's radio show was canceled.

He had the only fair and balanced show in the area. He had guests from different camps and managed a reasoned and thoughtful discussion.

And Mr. Steiner always treated his listeners with respect, which is rare today.

I question whether he can be replaced.

Braxton Andrews

Baltimore

Since its inception, WYPR has lived up to its mission statement vowing to provide "programs of intellectual integrity and cultural merit to our listeners and ultimately strengthen the communities we serve."

No program has met that standard with greater fidelity than the Marc Steiner Show.

In fact, this program has become the gold standard of local public programming.

And indeed, not only the Baltimore community but also every community within reach of the station's signal has been strengthened by a combination of timely attention to issues, informative and often thought-provoking guests, and especially its host's incisive interviewing skills.

Thus the news that the Marc Steiner Show has been canceled as a result of a dip in its ratings is more than simply a bitter pill to swallow.

Rather, its loss is an affront to the ideals which public radio is expected to uphold.

The Marc Steiner Show has sold intelligent discourse and thoughtful insight, not cars and soap.

The station's management should have been listening.

Eric Hallengren

Baltimore

Little generosity in Bush's budget

The column "Treatment, not talk" (Opinion

Commentary, Feb. 3) expresses the logical view that President Bush's "personal struggles against alcohol addiction" would lead him to advocate "generous and caring policies."

Unfortunately, as the column points out, that hasn't been Mr. Bush's record.

To understand this point, you need only turn to page three of the same paper to learn of Mr. Bush's proposed 2009 budget, which squeezes funding for education, health, housing and anti-poverty programs while maintaining tax cuts for big business and the wealthy ("President's budget comes under fire," Feb. 3).

Or go to the paper from the day before and read "New rules could disrupt services to poor, panel told" (Feb. 2) an article about new federal regulations, published Dec. 3, which become effective March 3 and could disrupt medical and social services to as many as 200,000 poor adults and children in Maryland alone.

Of course, there were many articles about unarmored Humvees and parents buying their children serving in Iraq and Afghanistan body armor because Mr. Bush's administration couldn't provide appropriate supplies for the troops he sent into harm's way.

All of this while the administration was ravaging environmental, consumer and occupational safety regulations and giving tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans and the biggest businesses.

Tim Sharman

Baltimore

Unnatural wheels spoil quiet places

In her column "Natural wheels" (Opinion

Commentary, Feb. 4), Katrina Ramser claims that "recreational four-wheeling can be compatible with environmental sensitivity." It isn't.

Unnecessarily driving to and through forests and wilderness areas wastes gas and contributes to pollution and global warming, not to mention disturbing the peace and quiet of those who hike, bike or camp and creating unnatural conditions for the animals who live in these places.

None of this has even the slightest relationship to "environmental sensitivity."

It's about the selfish pleasure-seeking of the drivers.

Craig Muller

Baltimore

Killings underscore the danger of guns

So now a young man who had almost made Eagle Scout is charged with murdering his parents and brothers. And we -- as a culture -- have yet to question why we are so enamored of guns, or to do anything to lessen the ongoing slaughter, not just in the inner cities but also in the suburbs ("A suspect, few clues," Feb. 5).

How can this be?

If there had not been a gun in that family's home, does anyone imagine that the alleged shooter, Nicholas Browning, would have, say, stabbed those four people with a knife?

We know that a gun gives a huge feeling of power, and that it can also give someone the ability to distance himself from the violent act because he does not have to make physical, human contact.

We can say "yes" to rifles for hunting but we can also -- we must -- say "no" to guns made and bought for the express purpose of hurting people.

Elizabeth DuVerlie

Baltimore

If the tragic murders of the Cockeysville family aren't an argument for banning guns, I don't know what is.

What if the young man who allegedly shot his family hadn't had access to a gun?

Maybe he would have gone home and yelled at his parents, thrown things, hit somebody.

But that way a moment of rage might not have turned into a lifetime of tragedy.

Rosie Behr

Baltimore