Dear Ms. Barrington,

Thank you for responding to my EMail about the loss of Valley Folk and other programming changes at WFCR. I'm afraid your reply only reiterates the fact that WFCR may be out of touch with its listeners. Your "very democratic decision" was obviously only among WFCR personnel, with little regard to the preferences of your listening audience. Otherwise, some kind of listener survey would have been (or at least should have been) part of the process. When I last pushed for a listener survey several years ago and WFCR actually did one, I'm sure that WFCR was unhappy with the results, because they refused to make them available to the public. At the very least, that survey resulted in some logical program reshuffling at WFCR, and I thought that was a positive thing. So I continued to contribute to WFCR. Unfortunately, it appears that WFCR learned nothing from this except to avoid listener surveys so that management could do its own thing.

As for budget cuts etc., of course your listeners understand. I'm happy that a Spanish speaking reporter will be hired. I would have hoped that WFCR could have found some more creative ADDITIONAL funding sources from Outreach or UMass to cover this important position instead of draining the existing operating budget. But, maybe you asked and you were refused the extra funds. However, WFCR did make CHOICES on what to do about the all the budget cuts and increases in programming expenses. Management CHOSE to keep spending on Jazz programing, while cutting the DIVERSITY of other offerings. Is there a listener survey that justifies all the money spent on Jazz programming? That was my challenge to WFCR years ago. Although WFCR took up the challenge, they became secretive about the results. WFCR has good reason to be proud of their award-winning Jazz programming, but are those awards and WFCR's desire to be the best Jazz station in the area the driving force for keeping the heavy Jazz schedule? I said it years ago and I'll say it again, if a survey showed that listener interest justified the amount of Jazz offered, then so be it. WFCR has never proven that to my satisfaction. At least the last listener survey forced WFCR to acknowledge that the majority of listeners did NOT like Jazz at the dinner hour, and then WFCR had the sense to change that.

Finally, I find it hard to believe that it is a good business decision to cut programming based on the availability of that programming on other competing stations. I can listen to just about ANY kind of music (including Jazz, by the way), on several other stations. Is WFCR actually happy that I'm listening to another station instead of theirs? In fact, it sounds like WFCR is ENCOURAGING me to listen to another station, in my best interest. So, I WILL listen to the other stations, and contribute to them INSTEAD of WFCR. I'm sure the other stations are pleased that WFCR is sending a lot of business their way. Your programming logic totally escapes me, unless WFCR has an AGENDA in mind that is set without real regard to its listening audience (as I have suspected). I can listen to NPR news, Car Talk, Prairie Home Companion, etc. on several other stations. Using WFCR logic, why bother spending the money for these programs when you can hear them elsewhere?...sounds like a silly business decision, doesn't it?. Using WFCR logic, all Jazz programs should be pulled, because there are many other Jazz options available in the listening area...even I think that's ridiculous! But, WFCR pulls obviously popular programs off the air because they are available elsewhere...silliest logic of all, from a listener, a tax-payer, and FORMER contributor to WFCR viewpoint...AND, they justify doing so because the public interest is served by the availability of the programs elsewhere...here comes that poor business decision again! Stop trying to act so noble...it just doesn't fit with what you have done. Take away all of the silliness, and I think what is left is a pure business decision made by management at a Public radio station that has not polled the listeners it serves as to how they can best be served.

If at all possible, I would like a response to the real issues, rather than the canned WFCR response. What about the lack of listener surveys? Is WFCR willing to take up my survey challenge once again? Why not sacrifice some portion of the heavy Jazz programming to save money and afford programs like Valley Folk? Had you decided which programs were to be pulled BEFORE the last on-air and written contribution campaigns? Did you not think that that pulling the programs would affect any contributor in a negative way? Why did the programs disappear during UMass Interession, when many listeners are not around?...pehaps to soften the impact/backlash and therefore appear to justify your actions? Show me an attempt to survey your listeners, and maybe I and others won't go away. And, by the way, I'm not "in mourning" over the loss of Valley Folk, I'm just angry and , as usual, dissapointed in my local Public radio station WFCR. I say, and I quote you to do so, "I hope this letter will help put the situation in perspective."

Phyllis Berman