Barbara & Bob Ingalls bigrafx@comcast.net

TALK SHOW HOST PETER Werbe was fired from his job at i.e. America radio
on Friday afternoon, immediately following his shift. The reason given
was budget consideration. Maybe that is the real reason. Maybe it is not.

Bob and I, along with a growing number of listeners, tuned in to Werbe
every day to hear one of the few voices of opposition on the air. Since
there is no i.e. America station in Detroit, we listened to it through
the internet. Others could hear through satellite radio. His show
boasted an international listenership and a feisty, left wing one. There
was no bowing to corporate America on the Werbe show, no kowtowing to
power, just healthy scepticism and a good sense of outrage and humor.
His regular guests on the show were typically great minds like Howard
Zinn, Norman Solomon, Barry Crimmins, Russell Mokhiber, Mark Crispin
Miller, Noam Chomsky, Billy Bragg, David Rovics, Dave Marsh. It seemed
impossible that in this current climate of right wing robo-think that
this show could exist. I guess I was right.

You don't have to be a media consultant to see what is going on in that
world, you don't need to be a rocket scientist to understand the level
of propganda that is being shoved down our throats. Fox "News". CNN,
MSNBC. The cancellation of the silly tepid Phil Donahue show is a fine
example of how frightened the right wing is of any type of dissent.
Donahue bent like a pretzel to keep from offending the right wing scum
guests he had on and he still got the ax.

A typical listener phone call to Peter's show would begin with a sincere
thank you for being there! Thirsty minds in the wilderness.

i.e. America is owned (if not fully, then partially) by the UAW - Peter
broadcast out of Solidarity House. I don't have any desire to jump down
the throat of the UAW - they helped (through my husband's membership) to
pay for the very computer I am writing this on. It's entirely possible
that they don't really understand the importance to keep voices of the
opposition on the air. Even if you haven't listened to Peter's show, I
am asking you to write to i.e. America and beg them to rethink their
decision. Go to
 http://www.ieamericaradio.com/
 and follow the "Contact Us" link.

If you have never heard Peter's i.e. America show, go to
 http://globalfreepress.com/mp3/peter_werbe/
 and listen to show archives.

Peter's website is
 http://www.peterwerbe.com

 Please help keep this valuable voice on the air. Peter's Sunday night
talk show on WRIF is still there, thank goodness. Support that show as
well.

See you all next Saturday at the NAACP 40th anniversary march!

Barbara Ingalls