My, My, Sirota: Part 2

I guess David Sirota is good enough for The Denver Post opinion page. So, that surely makes him persona non grata at Colorado Public Radio. Stinky liberal hippies! Sirota, NOT CPR. CPR is completely full of sh . . . sorry, conventional wisdom!

KRCC-FM Does Debates

KRCC-FM in Colorado Spring doesn't seem shy about covering actual politics. Here is a report from Bente Birkeland about Bob Schaffer and Mark Udall's first debate. Maybe Colorado Public Radio will cover events like this; someday, you know . . . when politics becomes big statewide, or even nationwide -- in Colorado.

Fortunately (or not) it's music week on Colorado Public Radio. Have you heard all of the on-air the promos? Good GOD! It's Promopalooza! After listening, I am thoroughly convinced that (a) KCFR is the news channel, (b) KVOD is the music channel, and (c) CPR is the PROMOTIONS CHANNEL. Talk about a branding train wreck. The acronym nonsense is pure gobbledygook! Tasteless alphabet soup!

I just love current events, especially when those events are theme-related -- like music week. Sounds to me like the wizards at KCFR News are taking their lead from NPR's creative department -- you know, multi-part series about news categories -- theme-based news about: books, the environment, China, India, fictional characters, more books, and more China.

I especially like NPR's endless ways to chat about books. Book Lists for Summer, books for reading on the plane, your 3-books -- all centered around the same THEME! As if books alone wasn't already a theme. I call that theme-based news squared. If it's about 3-books, maybe it's actually cubed -- not sure. Math books?

I have a theme idea for KCFR News. How about an entire week dedicated entirely to GENUINE politics-- not idiotic themes like:

1. What are you doing for the Democratic National Convention?
2. What are you doing for the Democratic National Convention if you in the 18-25 year-old demographic?
   
3. Will you rent out your home for the Democratic National Convention?
4. Where will your bark beetles be staying for the Democratic National Convention?
   
5. Tales of hope and gratitude about the Democratic National Convention.

Until then, I will be getting my political news from KUNC-FM, KRCC-FM and KGNU-AM. These public radio operations are a lot smaller, but from these stations I can hear:

1. Jody Hope Strohoff of The Colorado Stateman,
2. Bente Birkeland from Denver (and the Capitol when the legislature is in session), and
3. Democracy Now.

This just in . . .

Colorado Public Radio DOES do politics! Well, sorta. KCFR New Host Mike Lamp read the fundraising totals and money in the bank for the Schaffer-Udall race in Colorado 2 and the Musgrave-Markey race in Colorado 4, during the top-of-the-hours news break on Morning Edition. Wow, I have goosebumps. Political talk like that gets me hot -- NOT! Most of us can read the paper and most of us have access to Associated Press and the Internet. Lame.

My, My Sirota!

Many of you who know anything about politics know who David Sirota is. If not, here is a link to his website/blog. What some of you may not know, is that after living and working in Washington DC for some time, he (and his family) eventually moved to Montana and then to Colorado. He has lived in Denver since mid 2007. Sirota was a regular on Air America Radio's Al Franken Show for some time too; doing a regular bit called My, My Sirota.

Anyway, I was listening to Sirota talk about his new book The Uprising on WAMU's The Diane Rehm Show last week, and wondered two things? First, why has David Sirota NEVER been on Colorado Public Radio. Second, why doesn't Colorado Public Radio carry The Diane Rehm Show? I mean, what is HD Radio for if you cannot broadcast more shows using the increased bandwidth?

I get the feeling -- from listening to KCFR (AM or FM) do political reporting -- that they are AFRAID to do politics. I mean, how many stories have any of you heard that actually have to do with a political race -- an actual contest, political strategy or political analysis? I am not talking about inane horse race chat, mind you. But really! Colorado Public Radio doesn't actually suck the life out of real politics -- like most main stream media source do -- it just plain SUCKS at covering ACTUAL politics!

My guess is that CPR is just scared shitless of covering something that (someone who) is considered to be controversial. I mean, Sirota is a well-known (whisper when you say it: liberal, progressive) politico. But, Colorado Public Radio can't risk tarnishing its corporate sensibilities, especially during tough economic times, by speaking with someone of his ilk. So, stay away from CPR stinky, liberal hippies! They'll stick with Colorado's mainstream, quote whores, like Katy Atkinson (4 appearances on Colorado Matters) and Eric Sonderman (3 appearances on Colorado Matters). Insiders like them are much safer, especially as they parrot exactly what everyone expects -- talking points for whatever issue or from whomever's campaign that is paying their salary. Katy wanna cracker?

Memorial Service for Mario Valdes of KRCC.

A memorial service for former KRCC Station Manager, Mario Valdes, will take place this Friday, Sept., 21 at 1:00 p.m. at The Shove Chapel at Colorado College, 1010 North Nevada in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Mario was the heart and soul of public radio for Southeastern Colorado, providing inspiration to all of us who knew him and had the privilege of working with him. His knowledge of music, the arts, and pollitics (both inside and outside of public radio) were golden. He set up shop in a very interesting radio market for public radio and made it into something quite unique and essential. His achievements live on.

-Pete Simon

KUNC-FM and The Colorado Statesman.

Jody Hope Strogoff, Editor & Publisher of The Colorado Statesman, is a regular political contributor to KUNC-FM, which can be heard throughout north central and northeast Colorado, including the Denver metropolitan area.

Listen here to her most recent conversation with KUNC's Jim Beers regarding the announced resignation of US Attorney General Alberto Gonzalez, an endorsement by US Senator Ken Salazar, and a political position held by Republican US Senate Candidate Bob Schaffer.