Can it be true that media ratings failure Glenn Beck may be offered a new radio gig with the Washington Post? What are they thinking? It is not so much what are they thinking but WHO is doing the thinking. Take a look down under for the connection that makes sense for this ridicules idea.
Washington Post Radio locally broadcasts news and sports in the DC Metro area. But according to the our pals at Think Progress WaPo radio is in partnership Bonneville International Corporation. And what is Bonnelville International Corpoartion?
Bonneville International is a wholly owned media conglomerate of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the Mormons). So it appears that DC has another cult/sect religious control of a major media outlet in the nation's capitol. The Mormons now join the Moonies in this unholy alliance of media control by non-mainstream religions in Washington.
But why Glenn Beck? He is lower in the ratings for his show on CNN than when he premiered a year ago. Oh maybe it because Glen Beck is Mormon. Yep he claims to be an active Mormon, having been converted by a radio buddy of his from Houston. You can catch a brief report about his conversion here. So the Mormon Church owns Bonneville International and is thinking that Glenn Beck would be an approriate talent?
Bonneville vice president Jim Farley said that he believes the station needs "more conversational elements." The Post reports this morning that to increase ratings, the station is considering hiring right-wing pundit Glenn Beck:
Among the programs that Bonneville is considering is a show hosted by conservative Glenn Beck. However, both Bonneville and The Post must agree on all programming decisions.
Beck’s widely syndicated show is now heard from noon to 3 p.m. on WTNT (570 AM). "Beck is an interesting guy," said Joel Oxley, Bonneville’s top local executive. "He does a good job in some other markets."
Intersting to who? Homophobes and bigots? Isn't there enough of that on the radio already with Limbaugh and Savage? As Think Progress observed:
Beck may be an "interesting guy," but for all the wrong reasons. He has repeatedly made homophobic, sexist, and racist comments on air, at one time calling Katrina survivors in New Orleans "scumbags." Link
What kind of values does Bonneville executives Jim Farley and Joel Oxley have to even think that Beck "the bigot" matches up with these values from Bonneville International. So can the Mormon Church really stand by this guy? What are their values, anyway? Here is what Bonneville International claims as their values:
The philosophy of BIC is summarized in this excerpt from the company's statement of "Mission and Commitments": "We are a values-driven company composed of values-driven people. We are committed to serving and improving individuals, communities, and society
Can the Mormon Church and its wholley owned gigantic media conglomerate afford to have Glenn Beck on the air? In 1978 he Mormon church decided that Blacks could have the priesthood. For many liberals in the Mormon Church, that was a welcome and long past overdue day in Church History. But the promotion and appointment of Glenn "the bigot" Beck will undo any progress that the Mormon Church may have made to look pluralistic in some fashion. If you are in the DC Metro Area be sure and tell WaPo no need to add more bigotry to the airwaves with this moron.
With a Mormon running for President and appearing to be a serious contender, I think that there will be much more attention to high profile Mormons and their political expressions. Hopefully we will not permit homophobic and racist commentary to be ignorred by this church or our society.