John Nephew: Wykoff Questions Cable Access Program Bias

John Nephew

Maplewood City Council Policy & Politics

Wykoff Questions Cable Access Program Bias

At this past Monday's city council meeting, mayoral candidate John Wykoff questioned the impartiality of "The Citizens Reporter," a cable access TV program that hosted a mayoral candidate forum but apparently has not been willing to give it airtime or provide a copy to Mr. Wykoff.

Mr. Wykoff is right to question this cable access program's bias. Besides the links to the incumbent mayor that Mr. Wykoff describes in this visitor presentation, there's also the fact that Ms. Musgrave, the program's producer, shares a home with city council candidate Julie Binko.

Labels: campaign 2009, media, video

Posted by John Nephew on 8/26/2009 08:46:00 AM Email to a Friend | Permalink
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John, public access is public access. You are free to make your program as fair or as biased as you want.

Ady Wickstrom in Shoreview, council member, complained about Bob Zick's program. She was told that if she didn't like it, then start your own program.

Your comments seem to be stepping on first amendment rights.

Posted by Anonymous | 9/09/2009 12:07:00 AM

I think Mr. Wykoff's has a right to complain, if he wishes, about the fact that this program is a biased platform for promoting certain candidates, and to object to the deceptive claims of the producers that they are "non-partisan" and do not support any specific candidates. I don't think he's stepping on any first amendment rights by expressing his own opinion that he was lied to, betrayed, etc., by this program's producers.

Personally, I agree with all the candidates who knew better than to participate in the first place in what was an obvious set-up. But some people may not have known the relationships and loyalties of the parties involved.

Posted by John Nephew | 9/09/2009 10:37:00 AM