The 411

The 4-11

Yes, that's the date today. Information day.
I went to college at San Diego State, majored in English with a minor in Journalism. I was taught that the most important obligation in joining the ranks of the esteemed 4th estate is, objectivity. The facts, and nothing but the facts.

In news today we have a plethora of opinionators who funnel facts through a selective sieve and squeeze out the the details that don't align with their agenda. While I chose not to be a journalist, I do enjoy this editorial position. I do not pretend that I report the news I simply comment on it. The news comes to us here at KZYX through the efforts of local reporters here in Mendocino and at our sister station KMUD in Humboldt. We all remember the timber wars brought to us via the silver tones of Annie Esposito, then came the cutting edge of Christine Anistad, (Both now editors of Mendocino Country, the newspaper left to us by our outrageous and beloved Richard Johnson, May he rest in peace), and our most recently retired news director Paul Hanson.

At the moment we are looking to fill that precious seat with one who knows us well, who respects and understands the woven history of this county and it's wild, active and restless inhabitants. Someone with a keen curiosity and sharp vocabulary. Are you out there?

It seems as though investigative reporters are an endangered species. The blogosphere has become the popular format of professional and amateur journalists of late and Many on the ground journalists are under fire and die trying to tell the story. Almost 150 journalist were killed since 2009 and many kidnapped. Reporters without Borders do their best to go where the danger is and document, witness and do their best to keep us informed. It's terribly courageous to tell the truth these days.

Just think about Bradley Manning who, as we speak, sits in solitary confinement subjected to cruel and unusual punishment, still only accused of leaking vital news information, or Julian Assange who brings us Wikileaks. Straight from the horses mouth, or should I say ass. Journalists in Mexico killed for reporting on the drug wars. Pakistani reporters are extremely vulnerable right now, 11 killed since April. And many may remember the killing of Spanish Journalists at the Palestine Hotel in Iraq when the war was first getting under way. Wall Street Journal reporter Daniel Pearl beheaded by Al Queda. CNN's Anderson Cooper beaten in Egypt. Yes, it takes courage.

This radio station brings you Amy Goodman, Free Speech radio News, NPR, comity news, Alternative Radio, TUC. Jounalists from Maria Gallarding to Mitch Jesowitz, to Cyntyhia Elkins bring you as much information from those who are directly affected by current events. Amy Goodman's producer, Sharif Abdul Kaduz, present in Tahrir square, during the Egyptian revolution.

Then there's me, not a reporter, but doing my best to bring the 411 from the Elders, the seekers, the solution makers, the grandmothers, the dreamers. Good news and honest discussion that reminds you of your own responsibilities and roles to change the world and make it a better place.

Of late we have the phenomenon of TMI, shorthand for Too much information. like posting how your fart smelled when you first woke up this morning. Sometimes I get that feeling when I'm surfing the WWW. There's just to damn much information and people including myself can get tangled in the web and then have the blood sucked out of us by the spiders of doom, despair and disaster. Or we spun out on stupid silly strings, or get hooked on the fangs of Facebook, but here on the radio, it's like a companion, a friend, a very smart, focused friend, with a balance of information and entertainment. A friend that gives us the 411 and then sings us the sweetest songs to soothe the savage beast, stories that make us laugh, human voices, flaws and all. familiar voices that we have built a mutual trust with and when the shift hits the fan, will be there as long as the transmitters stay up. Hey, I'm not saying that this radio station is perfect, I'm saying it provides the 411 that I need, the most succinct, present, local, global, vital information that we can get. I hope the next news director understands and appreciates the timing here.

As we turn to face 2012 and that they deliver the news and information with a clear intelligent mind and integrity bringing us basic facts and current events. And leave the editorializing to me.