Establish a National Liberal Radio Network

Re “The Gap That Wasn’t There,� editorial, Feb. 23: The mere fact that The Times would view the creation of a national liberal radio network as being a “comical� proposal only demonstrates the need for such a concept. As a person who commutes 80 miles a day, I know about talk radio. I’m sure The Times is aware that “conservative talk radio� considers it to be a liberal publication leaning to the left. Why would The Times be opposed to any vehicle that allows people the constitutional right to express themselves, whether it be to the left or the right? What is wrong with giving the left the same vehicle -- you know, the one that now has The Times acquiescing to the right, even to the point of expressing it in the form of its own staff cartoonist? Can you say Michael Ramirez?

What separates us as a nation is our ability to debate; it is the spine of the U.S. and should never be severed. And no, the airways are not equal; thus, there is a true need for a remedy, such as the creation of the national liberal radio network. Have the conservatives on talk radio convinced The Times that the freedom and exchange of thoughts, concepts, ideas, beliefs, etc., need to be not balanced for everyone?

Ronald D. Radigan

Walnut

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I will not argue that Pacifica Radio is not correctly described as “liberal,� but putting National Public Radio in the same phrase shows how deep your head must be in the media muck the proposal is intended to counter, and how pitiful your argument is.

Rex Styzens

Long Beach

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You equate National Public Radio with Rush Limbaugh, Bill O’Reilly and Pacifica stations. Extraordinary. I confess that I listen to Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Pacifica infrequently. I don’t have time for ideological diatribe. That’s why I listen to NPR ... and read The Times.

Sandra Sutphen

Yorba Linda