By Gordon Howie
KOTA has once again demonstrated its version of “Fair and Balanced” for Rapid City during the recent Glenn Beck event.
One of the major sponsors of this event was the South Dakota Tea Party
Alliance. The President of that organization is former KOTA news anchor, Shad Olson. It is widely known that KOTA management “removed” Shad Olson from the anchor desk, a position he had served well for ten years, when he dared to take the stage at a conservative rally to speak about God and Country.
A KOTA television reporter called me, wanting access to the Beck event. I passed the call to Shad Olson, who immediately granted that access. When it came time to do the story, however, the reporter was not allowed to interview Shad Olson. Fair and balanced?????
It would be reasonable to ask why a well-known leader in the conservative movement would not be acceptable for a KOTA interview on an event he was largely responsible for.
Is it because he is an Emmy award winning broadcaster?
Is it because he is the President of the SD Tea Party Alliance?
Is it because he is willing to speak about his allegiance to God and Country?
Is it because he is well known and articulate?
My guess is that it is simply because KOTA management is small minded and focused on promoting their own liberal agenda rather than accurately reporting the news.
No problem Ed. “Fundamentalist” it is, from now on. I could just start calling you guys 1% ers, because that’s about how many Americans share your viewpoints on both religion and politics.
Attaboy, I just thought since it is your favorite word that you should at least spell it correctly. I am in awe of your great ability to poll all of America in such a short time to determine our 1% status. My instant poll indicates that 99.99% agree that we will not be running into you at a Mensa meeting. We do know that 94.01% of voters didn’t like you in the Congressional race.
I may capitulate with you. What percentage of the American populace do you think supports the religious fundementalist agenda? We’ll go from there.
One more time………….F U N D A M E N T A L I S T.
So what percentage of the American population do you believe relates to the conservative fundamentalist religious agenda, the “tea party” doctrine? Don’t deflect the question by focusing on grammar, just answer the question, if you dare……
I’m neither a pollster nor a guesser so why the question. Here’s your drill…..I give a number, you reject it and pronounce that you are the majority…….oh and you get to write your trademark label again and declare yourself right.
Maybe they just didn’t think it was as newsworthy as you do, or that it didn’t warrant any more coverage than they gave it. Freedom of the press works both ways.
Perhaps you’re over-stating the significance of the “conservative movement,” and Olson, both of which might more accurately described as the “far right conservative fundementalist movement.”
Dear BT, I respectfully request that you refrain from the repetitive misspelling of your favorite word: fundementalist (sic). The correct spelling of the word is fundamentalist. Thank you. It does foster the thought that you aren’t quite as erudite and intelligent as your self-image. I think the 5.99% showing didn’t help your public personna either. Perhaps you are over-stating the significance of your independent status.