Dear Mr. Miller:

I am dismayed to hear that you are dropping the only two programs (outside of staples such as Fresh Air, Morning Edition, and All Things Considered) on your station that I listen to with any regularity - Valley Folk and The Thistle and Shamrock. It is wonderful that fans of classical music who live in the Valley can get to hear what they like virtually all day every day, and I listen on occasion. Likewise with jazz, which dominates your evening programming. The rest of us, however, have not been musically well served by your station, and now will be much less so. Afropop Worldwide is also a good program.

There is no reason that you should listen to me; I am not a contributor. I do intend to start contributing to public radio as my charity budget expands and can accomodate the additional cost. But the programming of WAMC, with Mountain Stage and Hudson River Sampler, as well as many public affairs programs, has long interested me more - even though I would prefer that Alan Chartok cede some of his role on the station to someone else. Valley Folk, in particular, is a local program, highlighting local talent, which is abundant. Please don't drop the show! WFCR, as a local station, also comes in better here than WAMC.

Lynne Shapiro