April 9, 2015

Letter to the editor: On “Progress of the Beacon/KWMU merger”

Dear editor,

I urge you to make Terry Ganey’s story from last fall about the Beacon/Public Radio available online. Few people in daily journalism, current or former, have seen it. (The two Post-Dispatch staff members who are quoted in the story aren’t aware of its publication.) Plus, it’s odd not to publish online a story about an online publication.

I’d also suggest that you expand on the passage about the Beacon’s, and Public Radio’s, extraordinary interest in chess. Even the casual observer of St. Louis media and politics knows of Rex Sinquefield’s interest in chess, and how he showers money on causes and candidates that he supports. It’s naive for a journalism review not to address Sinquefield’s financial contributions.

Sincerely, Tim Bross.

Editor’s Note: Terry Ganey’s story about St. Louis Public Radio was published in the summer 2014 issue of GJR. In the past, magazine pieces were not automatically added to the website. We are now adding a PDF of past issues so those stories are available. The GJR piece did not address Sinquefield’s contributions because St. Louis Public Radio said there weren’t contributions. In a note in January, the station wrote: “after examining St. Louis Public Radio records, it appears neither Sinquefield nor his wife are donors.”

Read “Progress of the Beacon/KWMU merger” here.