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New visitors to the site click here to get a list of what you can do to help. 

 To hear Bob in his own words about his forced move-  Go to WNYC's On The Media here and scroll down to "Mourning Bob" to listen (or for a direct link to the audio click here) and also read this article.

Friday April 2, 2004

NPR actually does listen to the public!  Well, sort of, after 20,000 e-mail, calls, and letters to NPR we have finally gotten the attention of Jay Kernis and NPR.  Mr. Kernis will be holding a live web chat on Monday at 1:00.  You can take part in the chat by going to www.npr.org/about/morningeditionchanges/.  I suggest that you all take part in the chat and if you have time plan your questions ahead of time.  This will be one of the only opportunities to speak directly to the man who kicked Bob out of his chair (metaphorically, as far as I know). 

Bob recorded a new interview with Korva Coleman that sounds very different from anything else he has done so far (ominously so in fact).  The entire P.R. page about Bob has been redone and I suggest that you take a look at it by click here. 

I got an e-mail tonight from a small web-hosting company offering to put a message board on their servers for this site and will be setting it up this weekend.  I hope this will resolve some of the problems we have had so far.  Every strategy I have suggested on this site in how to proceed has been met with some criticism.  First, I suggest withholding funding from local stations (some stations have had a significant drop in pledges).  Many, including Bob, have said this strategy hurts the wrong people.  Yet it is the local stations that pay the dues to NPR and if they have to cut back programming that will hurt NPR.  I still personally think this is the best strategy, but I will leave it to you all to decide.  On Wednesday I suggested attacking CPB funding and underwriting but I have received a significant response from stations managers saying this would hurt everyone (with NPR being the last one to feel the pain because of the Kroc gift) and give those who want to attack public radio ammunition.  So, with this message board I will leave it to you all to decide what to do.  This will allow more voices on the site (I know I am tired of reading what I write!) and should allow us to create a strategy going forward.  In the meantime, please keeping e-mail this site to your friends and make sure you have done everything on the check list.     

Many have e-mail in asking when the petition will be delivered.  I had originally planned to deliver it when we had 10,000 unique signatures.  We reached that number well before I had expected to and so I think we should wait until we get 25,000 for Bob's 25 years (this was actually the idea of an e-mailer and I think it is a good one).  I am still debating whether simply to drop off the petition or to make the delivery a press event with a bunch of local listeners.  NPR's willingness to come to some kind of comprimise (although I doubt this is possible) will help me make up my mind.

Thanks for supporting Bob,

Edward (Edward@savebobedwards.com )