In Defense of KTEH

Metro's recent article about KTEH and PBS ("Public Warning," Cover Story, Jan. 17) raises some good points about the programming needing to be more representative of the local community, radical, and youth-driven.

However, as a 27-year-old who grew up in the South Bay, who's enjoyed gritty, populist British programming like Doctor Who and EastEnders on KTEH for almost twenty years, and who is currently a member of KTEH, I feel my voice is not represented in this Metro article. Community radio people and activists seem to be the only youth quoted, and they are juxtaposed against representatives of the station as if they alone represent the "YouTube generation" vs. the "old guard."

I'm not the only young person who has appreciated the unique programming alternative that KTEH has provided over the years—I grew up with several others at the very same high school, and I've met others online. Doctor Who and EastEnders are meaningful, relatable, populist programs that I would never have found on the mainstream broadcast channels, and I'm very grateful to KTEH for showing them.

But someone reading your article would think that the station staff was just being unresponsive to "the community" by insisting that much of its lineup was indeed still relevant.

You make a good point, Metro, but you fall victim to the same thing you implicitly accuse KTEH of doing—not being adequately representative, only relying on the people who are most easily accessible or powerful to tell the story. I hope that in future, when you are writing what almost seems like a hit piece on a community institution, you will try harder to represent opposing viewpoints to the thrust of your article.

Jim Fung, Albany

Yay for JJ

Re "Bid Marks" (MetroNews, Feb. 21): Thank God for people like JJ Vogel, because he's still at it.

In Hollister, he brought out about all the bad construction on homes and caused a Grand Jury investigation and got homeowners over $100,000,000 for construction defects in their homes.

Barbra Bond, Hollister

DeCinzo's Return

Thanks for bringing Steve DeCinzo back to Metro. I've missed him.

Bob Dennis, San Jose

We've Got Cow Pie

Re Silicon Alleys: Well, I think that any city that has a big cow pie (Quetzalcoatl) smack in its downtown park, and a rather odd looking City Hall with big Tinkertoy pieces nearby, can't be all that bad.

What "I hate about San José" is the fact that we can't seem to get over being compared to San Francisco. Even though I live and work in San José, for some time I had been writing for Metroblogging San Francisco. The reason for this was that the world's largest network of city-focused blogs didn't have a San José site. That was until this Valentine's Day when San José became the 53rd city to be welcomed to the Metroblogging family!

Our small but growing list of San José bloggers are ready to investigate and report on "any number of adventures" and happenings in and around the South Bay. (FWIW, Metroactive is listed on our Blogroll.)

Gary, just let us know the next time you go "toy shopping" we will make sure it's covered by Metroblogging San José.

Joann Landers, San Jose

King and Story ...

Re King and Story ("Petty Cash," The Fly, Nov. 22): Damn, this was a flash from the past. I remember the days when King and Story ruled the Lowrider scene. I was Rollin in a Brown Monte Carlo with old school Mag wheels. Back when the Homeboys stuck together. But somewhere between '80s-'90s, the Streets got crazy. All my family was from Sunny Hills and Milpitas area, and San Jose (east side).

But I can tell you this on a more positive note: I have been living in Hawaii for about 15 years. We got some down-ass Vato-locos out here that are from all over the world. But there aint no fights or shootings when we get together. It's all about the family!! Chicanos aint gotta worry about shit here. Hawaiians are all about respect, just like Chicanos.

Louis D. Zamora IV, Oahu, Hawaii

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