AT ISSUE: Should the Coast Community College District fight to

keep KOCE-TV a public station?

Our PBS stations are the most important assets we have. Whatever we

need to do to keep Daystar from purchasing KOCE-TV is worth the

trouble.

MARCIA MARLOWE

Newport Beach

I strongly support KOCE-TV’s right to remain an independent voice

for public broadcasting in the Orange County area. I think it’s very

important that we maintain the various services that public

broadcasting provides, not only as an independent voice but as a

source that the public can turn to for emergency information, as well

as an unaffiliated educational resource. I think the district should

do what it can to maintain KOCE’s status as a PBS affiliate.

SCOTT WESTERFIELD

Newport Coast

We don’t want a Christian network to take over KOCE-TV. I would

miss my BBC comedies.

TED MEREDITH

Newport Beach

I do not want KOCE-TV to be sold to a Christian television

network. I like it just the way it is; I don’t want any changes.

Please do whatever you can to keep the television station. I’ll

continue to be a contributor.

MONTA HARVEY

Newport Beach

I feel that Coast Community College District should fight to keep

KOCE-TV from being sold to become a Christian TV station. I think the

unbiased broadcasting of a PBS station, such as KOCE, is in the best

interests of this community because it serves everyone -- not just a

narrow constituency.

CHRIS SULLIVAN

Corona del Mar

The college should indeed fight to keep KOCE-TV from being sold to

a Christian television network. Why should Orange County be subjected

to a constant barrage of one-sided viewpoints from an obviously

biased source? There are already plenty of religious stations in

Southern California.

If they are truly interested in spreading a religious message,

they can use that money to expand the output of one of the local

religious stations.

I suspect the motives are twofold: to take over a public

television station that presents an unbiased presentation of news in

order to prevent such a balanced presentation of news and political

matters from reaching the public; and having muffled the public voice

of KOCE, replace the regular KOCE fare with a highly slanted

presentation from an extreme conservative viewpoint.

The ability of that network to come up first with $25 million in

cash and then to follow up that offer with an offer of $15 million

more makes me suspicious that there’s more to this than a bunch of

gentle churchgoers trying to spread the word.

WILLIAM KEARNS

Costa Mesa

The college district must keep KOCE-TV from being sold to any

religious group. We need public broadcasting.

WILLIAM and MARGIT MOTTA

Newport Beach

I hope the KOCE-TV remains in the care of the KOCE-TV Foundation,

not Daystar.

ELEANOR TUCKER

Newport Beach

I am a devout Christian, however I am strongly opposed to that TV

network based in Dallas taking over our only local public TV station.

Plus, I watch PBS more than any other channels on TV.

JANET SHAW

Newport Beach

I would like to see KOCE remain a PBS station. We don’t need any

more religious broadcasters in this area.

BILL TRAGER

Costa Mesa

KOCE-TV should absolutely not be a Christian television network,

in my opinion. I would vote twice, or six, or eight times if I could

-- I feel so strongly about this.

CLAUDETTE SHAW

Newport Beach

If KOCE-TV were a privately held company, I’d say they should be

able to sell to whomever they wish. Since, however, they receive tax

money as well as contributions from the public, I think there’s a

different set of rules. They should have to sell to the highest

bidder.

MARY CULVER

Newport Beach

KOCE-TV is still an independent station with independent

programming, and this is the way I’d like it to stay. I would like to

find out if we can help a little more in stopping the reversal of

that sale.

MARY MYAN

Newport Beach

I really want them to fight to keep KOCE-TV non-Christian because

we need more educational TV. People are really uninformed and

uneducated, and there’s more than enough Christian broadcasting on

TV. I have sent KOCE money, but now I’m disappointed that they have

to deal with this again.

MILVI VANDERSLICE

Newport Beach

I feel strongly about the college district fighting to keep

KOCE-TV from being sold to a Christian television network. On a

recent night, for example, there was “American House Journal,” the

“Antiques Road Show,” the “Perillous Fight: America’s World War II,”

“Real Orange,” and “Dialogue with Jim Doty.” The programming is

excellent.

I’ve been a member of KOCE and all of the public television

stations for as long as I can remember, and we simply can’t afford to

lose them. Not all of us have cable, and not all of us want cable.

Certainly public television offers 100% better programming than

commercial networks.

NANCY BURGESS

Costa Mesa

The Coast Community College District should be able to sell to

anyone it chooses. We certainly don’t need any more TV evangelists.

Fight to keep the PBS format on KOCE-TV.

ANN MERRITT

Corona del Mar

I am pleading with the college district to fight to keep KOCE-TV

from being sold to a Christian television network. I think they have

wonderful educational programs, such as the Spanish-language

programs; they have wonderful musical hours with outstanding music;

they have excellent dramas and mysteries from the BBC; and I so hope

they will continue to be a PBS station.

BETTY BEHR

Newport Beach