I have started listening to Kansas Public Radio during my morning commute. Before, I would listen to music, but then I decided to remove that particular decision from my morning routine and let the content directors over at KPR decide for me.

Informed by my brief Google search, pubic radio is largely funded by individual donors, usually community members who faithfully listen. Other funding comes from corporations who occasionally get a "thanks to our sponsor so-and-so from such-and-such company that does blah blah blah...", and federal and state government grants. To some extent, the purpose of public radio is to provide a wide range of music from cultures around the world, news stories that patiently portray comprehensive views of the issue being discussed, and timeless classics like "The Prarie Home Companion" and "Wait Wait, Don't Tell Me".

I find the goal of public radio to be noble, and effectively swimming up-stream in contrast to most media outlets, that I understand to be whole-heartedly driven by monetary gain.

When the necessary exposure to objective and complete information regarding political, economical, and world issues is corrupted by a lust for wealth, the public's ability to formulate opinions and values is corroded. Our lives are slowly and efficiently invaded by omnipresent news corporations who commit to individuals, and lobbying groups who will inevitably rake in more views and patrons for the news cooperation. Regardless of the individual or lobby's moral compas, relevance, or accuracy, the news outlet inevitably provides air time to those who will be worth more income.

When information about the state of my country and my world is influenced by big-wigs and CEO's profit projections, I am led to question any argument or news clip I am exposed to. However, not everyone can use this wide angle lense.

Assuming my perspective is influenced by a highschool diploma, a bachelors degree, and a middle-class, white privilege, what perspective is available to those who grow up in poverty, don't have access to the Internet, and struggle to complete high school? When the percentage of people who have this experience is so painfully high, the number of citizens and voters in this country who don't have access to the wide angle lense that invites skepticism of large media outlets is becoming the majority.

The country is being provided world and local information that is pervaded by monetary gain, and not the essential need for objective, complete, and accurate news.

I find that public radio, exempt from the wide-spread obsession with gaining wealth, can provide me with reasonable content and well informed opinions from various points of view.