University, KUGN
need to compromise
KUGN-AM is an independent radio station, and is in no way controlled by the University. Because of this, it is not our place to tell KUGN what they can and cannot air on their station. However, because they do air Duck sporting events, we do have some, limited say in what the station says.
Like it or not, we have a contract with KUGN in excess of $1 million to air Duck football and basketball games. It is our duty to keep our side of the contractual obligations. Ending a contract before it’s complete over the language presented on the Savage and Medved shows, however horrible, would be bad business and an infringement on free speech rights.
That being said, there is something we can do. KUGN claims to be “the Voice of the Ducks,” where it clearly is not. KUGN, in fact, is simply “the home of Duck football and basketball.” I’m sure the recent concerns raised by students and faculty at our school have raised fears among KUGN’s executives, which gives us some leverage. I say we use that leverage to force KUGN to stop calling themselves “the Voice of the Ducks.”
This is a fair compromise. KUGN wins because they get to keep broadcasting Duck games, and the University wins because we get to keep the money that KUGN is giving us while also making the community know that what is aired on KUGN doesn’t necessarily represent how the students or faculty think.
Eric Bailey
ASUO student senator
“Sin tax” column reeks
of recycled ideas
I was disappointed when I read M. Reilly Cosgrove’s column (“Smoke-Filled Logic,” ODE, Nov. 11). The first thing that put me off about this article was that is was a lackluster version of the March 12 column, “Taxing a pound of flesh,” by Aaron Rorick. Did you think that your readers would not recognize a recycled argument from last year? Cosgrove didn’t even bother to change the offending food (good ol’ Twinkies) that, according to Cosgrove, should be taxed as heavily as cigarettes.
The point of Cosgrove’s article was to say that cigarettes (or anything that could be construed as “bad” for one’s health) should not be taxed, but he got to that point way too late in the article, and only after he touted the preventative properties of selenium, a dietary supplement.
And I’m not sure Cosgrove bothered to get his facts straight. He cited the case of Jean Celman, the “oldest human ever to live,” who died at 122 and was a lifelong smoker. That’s fine, but who is this beef rancher in the Himalayas who lived to 141? Why isn’t he in the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living human? And how in the world did he get two packs of cigarettes a day living way the hell out there?
Is this an article about “sin tax” reform, or is Cosgrove using the Emerald as a platform to justify a clearly dangerous “pursuit of happiness”?
Kara Westervelt
senior
English
Related News Stories:
Eugene groups respond to KUGN
Frohnmayer responds to KUGN debate
Community quietly talks about KUGN
KUGN talk show content angers students
Related Opinion Stories:
‘Adversarial’ radio hosts draw critics, supporters
KUGN (Illustration 12/04/02)
UO ignores students’ KUGN concerns
Clarifying our stance on KUGN
UO must ask if KUGN ‘enhances’ image
Money pressures cause Frohnmayer’s KUGN stance to be transparent
UO should not censor embattled KUGN shows
Related Letters:
Letters to the editor (12/02/02)
Letters to the editor (11/20/02)
Letters to the editor (11/18/02)
Letters to the editor (11/14/02)
Related Websites:
KUGN: The voice of the Ducks
MichaelSavage.com
MichaelMedved.com