Several months ago there were all sorts of political events (including protests) going on in and around the DC area where I work. Many of our workers wondered how involved to get. They wondered what would be appropriate. NPR has it's policies and those were emphasized during the politically charged environment. I wrote an internal note to my division, the Distribution division. Here is the substance of the note:
It seems like public discourse on events has increased recently, or perhaps I've just become more aware. If it's true, technology may play a role in the proliferation of ideas, though our country has had access to information from its earliest days through print and oratory means. I find it very informing that those who shaped the fundamental ideas of what America was to become (often called the founding fathers) felt so strong about the need for an unfettered exchange of ideas that they included a statement on the freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and petition in the very first amendment to the Constitution. They prioritized this right in the list of rights.
When ideas are expressed in an unfettered environment some confusion and error is inevitable. Fortunately, that same environment ensures enough variety of expression that some reasonable perception of truth is likely to win out in the collective competition of thought. Organizations like ours that work hard to focus on fact-based journalism help Americans come to a better understanding of world, national and local events. Our offerings of cultural and artistic expression also help listeners find balance.
We work in a unique environment as every day we specifically focus our individual and collective efforts in the exercise of the basic right for a free press. Others exercise first amendment rights in other ways, it is true. I believe that working where we do is an important way we can help shape public discourse in America. In fact, every year we in Distribution enable more than 450,000 hours of public discourse broadcast to 95% of the American populace. We are smack-dab in the middle of what the framers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution had in mind; a free and independent press, and an informed citizenry.
It seems like public discourse on events has increased recently, or perhaps I've just become more aware. If it's true, technology may play a role in the proliferation of ideas, though our country has had access to information from its earliest days through print and oratory means. I find it very informing that those who shaped the fundamental ideas of what America was to become (often called the founding fathers) felt so strong about the need for an unfettered exchange of ideas that they included a statement on the freedom of religion, speech, the press, assembly and petition in the very first amendment to the Constitution. They prioritized this right in the list of rights.
When ideas are expressed in an unfettered environment some confusion and error is inevitable. Fortunately, that same environment ensures enough variety of expression that some reasonable perception of truth is likely to win out in the collective competition of thought. Organizations like ours that work hard to focus on fact-based journalism help Americans come to a better understanding of world, national and local events. Our offerings of cultural and artistic expression also help listeners find balance.
We work in a unique environment as every day we specifically focus our individual and collective efforts in the exercise of the basic right for a free press. Others exercise first amendment rights in other ways, it is true. I believe that working where we do is an important way we can help shape public discourse in America. In fact, every year we in Distribution enable more than 450,000 hours of public discourse broadcast to 95% of the American populace. We are smack-dab in the middle of what the framers of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution had in mind; a free and independent press, and an informed citizenry.
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