Quck Hit: Planned Parenthood silenced by public radio
Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania had prevention messages being aired for just two days on WDUQ 90.5 FM, the flagship NPR affiliate in Pittsburgh, before they pulled the plug on the underwriting messages because it was "not aligned with" the "Catholic identity" of the station's license holder, Duquesne University.
If you live in Pennsylvania and thing this is a load of crap like we do, then take action.
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This is disgusting, but predictable in a way. But National Public Radio should definitely be informed. They probably depend quite a bit on godless contracepting people for donations-- threatening their money stream is the way to go, I think.
Thank you for posting about this! This happened in my hometown, and it's so ridiculous.
I live in Pittsburgh and listen to DUQ, but still I was not aware of this problem.
Thank you so much for covering this and for making it so easy to take action. I have already sent emails.Keep up the good work!
Sarah
Wait a minute! This a public radio station that is removing PSAs for religious reasons? They've got to be kidding! Unfortunatly, I know they are not.
Wait a minute! This a public radio station that is removing PSAs for religious reasons? They've got to be kidding! Unfortunatly, I know they are not.
update from the home front...
I live in Pittsburgh and I think the feeling here is that this issue has come and gone. Duquesne made that decision in the middle of a big NPR membership drive, and according to the word on the street as well as our local alternative newspapers, lots of liberals ended up cutting their donation to the station and giving to Planned Parenthood instead. (Some gave to PP "in honor of" the Duquesne University president).
Although the university's decision was originally described as a huge assault on free speech, I really don't think it's likely that this will affect the way WDUQ presents the news.
Back when I lived in Chicago I was a huge public radio fan and loved all the programs, but WDUQ is pretty basic- just reading the news every so often and airing syndicated NPR programs from around the country and playing jazz for the rest of the day. So this isn't going to keep us Pittsburghers from getting our basic unbiased news coverage.
Absolutely disgusting. If I was the president of the FCC, then I would pull WDUQ off the air for pulling Planned Parenthood's PSAs off the air.