Public broadcasting in Maine recently changed its name. Instead of multiple names for their corporation and radio and television stations, they are now known simply as the Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPBN). Thus it seems an appropriate time to discuss how they contribute to political discourse in Maine and how they differ from the majority of commercial mass media.

Most people know MPBN through its radio and television broadcasting. The first thing I do each morning is turn on public radio. I enjoy “Morning Edition” primarily because I know that the news will not be interrupted every six minutes with someone trying to sell me something. Additionally, the news is usually straightforward and delivered with restraint.

On the weekdays, MPBN airs public affairs forums after lunch, international news in the mid-afternoon and “All Things Considered” and “Maine Things Considered” in the evening. “Marketplace” makes business and economic news interesting.

Public television also has many quality news programs. Nationally, the “News Hour” provides almost a full hour of serious news each weekday, “Frontline” investigates controversial issues and NOW provides a rare progressive prospective on current events. Within Maine, “Capitol Connection” and “MaineWatch” air news and opinions on current state issues.

The best aspect of MPBN relates to time. The length of the programs allows the complexities of challenging political issues to be explored in depth. The segments are long enough so that I can comprehend, at least to some extent, the fullness and complexity of the event or controversy.

For example, health care, Social Security and state tax policy are issues that are complicated. All of them have a historical backdrop, an ideological framework, differing partisan interpretations, and important potential economic and political consequences. Longer news segments allow for these different components to be integrated into a whole, which hopefully leads to better understanding.

Successful broadcasting is impossible without communicating with your audience. More often than not, MPBN manages to report on and illustrate meaningful issues without resorting to condescension. I rarely get the feeling that I am being “talked down” to. MPBN has shown that elitism is not a necessary byproduct of communicating complex public issues. At their best, they approach Mainers as citizens, not consumers.

Can you hear a thoughtful analysis of political and economic issues on the commercial media? If you have cable or a satellite dish, you can. For example, local Chamber of Commerce President Chip Morrison hosts a monthly talk show on public issues that effect business on Great Falls television.

But forget about the broadcast networks. With the exception of the Sunday talk shows, “Nightline” and “60 Minutes” there is practically nothing. The half-hour network news shows are 22 minutes of headlines and consumer and health news for aging baby-boomers.

Meaningful news programming is even more difficult to find on commercial radio. The airwaves are full of right-wing (and some left-wing) talk shows and headline news in major cities. An exception is CNN 1240. It is an Auburn-based station that airs state and local news.

MPBN is not perfect. Like most of public broadcasting nationally, it tends to be a little timid in tackling controversial issues. It is my hope that they will start taking a few more risks.

For example, I am still waiting to hear a current, in-depth investigation of the tradeoffs between clean rivers and job protection in this part of the state. The health of the Androscoggin River seems to be less important than the health of other major state rivers. Wouldn’t it be illuminating if MPBN produced a 90-minute special that analyzed the relationship between the up-stream paper mills, local and state public officials, and the state department of environmental protection? Even better, follow it up with a 30 minutes of live phone calls from viewers.

The tension between local control and regionalizing public services would be another worthwhile subject to analyze. Gov. Baldacci considers it critical to the future economic health of the state. Why not produce a week-long series that asks Mainers living in small and medium-sized towns difficult questions such as: Will you accept high tax rates as the price to keep local control of your public services? Do you identify more with your town or the state? The Guay brothers could be interviewed about how L/A is dealing with this issue. This topic rests on important and diverse political assumptions. Shouldn’t the assumptions be aired before our communities and the state goes further along the process? MPBN would be a great venue for this discussion.

A second, digital public radio service may soon be available. The member opinion form I received in the mail asks which programs I would like included should it begin. That type of openness from the media is refreshing. When was the last time that a commercial radio or television station asked you what programs should be aired?

Karl Trautman is the chairperson of the Department of Social Sciences at Central Maine Community College. He was a policy analyst with the Michigan Legislature from 1997 to 2001.

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