Please click on link for full story
http://countytimes.com/articles/2013/10/17/news/doc52602c2b0976b275172627.txt?viewmode=fullstory
Some of the highlights of the story…..
Before making his decision to run, Mr. Miles conferred with the FCC, which licenses his station, and the Salisbury Democratic Town Committee (DTC) in an effort to reach an accommodation that would embrace both his candidacy and his position at WHDD. In concert with FCC rules, Mr. Miles and the DTC agreed that he would not, during the campaign, editorialize on any Region 1 issue, not allow any telephone callers to comment on air about Region 1 issues; not promote appearances he might make while campaigning; would announce information about the Salisbury DTC’s candidate for the board of education, and would dissuade any guests on his Breakfast Club segment from making comments about Region 1.
Still, four area residents, Messrs. Cowgill and Mauer, Canaan Selectman Susie Clayton and Delores Perotti, chairman of the ABC [All Board Chairmen] Committee—an advisory board to the Region 1 Board of Education—appealed to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for a ruling about his candidacy.
“Miles has painted himself into quite a corner,” crowed blogger Terry Cowgill on his acerbic CT Devil’s Advocate site. “If he defies the ombudsman, whose opinion was rather emphatic, he could jeopardize his relationship with NPR. And that relationship is about the only thing his radio station has going for it. If he backs down from his candidacy, he will look like a knucklehead. Clearly, he’s already earned the latter designation, so suspending his candidacy will do the least damage to both him and what I affectionately call ‘the smallest-minded NPR station in the nation.’”
But Mr. Miles did the unexpected. After initial blasts at the CPB ombudsman on his website, Regiononereport, in which he pointed out mistakes he contended were in Mr. Kaplan’s report, Mr. Miles called the ombudsman. “I sent him a letter and then we had a great conversation. We decided to compromise. He agreed to re-write the report because there were several errors in it and I agreed that I would resign from being president of the nonprofit corporation. That takes away any conflict of interest perceived to arise from Corporation of Public Broadcasting rules,” the broadcaster said.
“What happened yesterday was what should happen in Washington, D.C.—two reasonable guys got together and compromised. We had a great discussion and both agreed this was right thing to do. It was a win, win, win for everyone. ”
Wow! I have to say a few things. First of all, good for Marshall for simply speaking with someone and compromising. That shows a huge amount of character and is clearly demonstrating that he is ok with people having a different opinion than his but that stating facts in the right thing to do and that once that is done, compromise in this case was the best solution and worked out. The other thing I have to say is that so many of the things stated in the complaint were so incredibly nasty, false and just rude. It is one thing to have an opinion about someone, but it is another thing to openly bash them and bully them. Someone can say they don’t believe that what another person is saying is right, but it is immature and rude for someone to just state that the other person is wrong and would be a horrible board member and that if that person would be elected, it would be great material for the blog. That is just plain immature and clearly is bullying.
I believe the below website would be a great one for many people to read so that they can perhaps realize that a lot of this is exactly what certain current board members and certain people mentioned in Kathryn’s article are doing to other on the board as well as in the public and people running for the board. It just amazes me how these are the people that our students are supposed to look up to and believe in to make the right decisions, yet they are bullying like pre-teens and teens. Just so wrong.
But again, good job Marshall for sticking to what you believe and continuing to speak your mind! Just because you say your opinion on the radio does not mean that you are forcing any listeners to believe what you are saying, every person has a mind of their own and others saying that you are influencing them is saying that the members of our region do not have a mind of their own, which is incredibly false and arrogant. Thank you Marshall for doing what is right for the students and for HVRHS.