As many of you already know by now, the awesome KFUO program, Issues Etc, was taken off the air after the firing of the host of the show, Pastor Todd Wilkins and the producer, Jeff Schwartz.
The Synod is giving "for programmatic and business reasons" as the reason why the show was canceled and why Pr Wilkins and Mr. Schwartz were fired. They state that the show never received more than (about) 1600 local listeners and 37 streaming audio listeners on any given day. The numbers released were from 2004. They did not take into account the numbers of people who download the podcasts or who listen via WMA or find the podcasts via itunes or other podcast sites.
An online petition disputing the termination of Pr. Wilkins and Mr. Schwartz and to protest the cancellation of this program has been signed by almost 6000 people. A pretty big change from "just" 1600 listeners huh? In fact, the almost 6000 signers represent people from every state in the union (except one) and over 21 countries around the world! This show was spreading the Gospel folks! (Isn't that what Kieschnick wants for his "Ablaze (tm)" movement? But I guess the Gospel isn't enough for K. We have to have the Gospel told in the "new" way. Let's all be happy clappy people! *eyerolls*)
This action has also been noted in the Wall Street Journal's March 28th 2008 edition in a piece called Radio Silence by Mollie Ziegler Hemingway, a former member of the Board of Communications. It's an excellent article and I highly recommend going to read it.
Ms. Hemingway also speaks to Mike Horton of White Horse Inn about all of the controversy going on because of the cancellation of Issues Etc.
There are grass roots blogs popping up all over the place including:
Save the LCMS
and
Bring Back Issues Etc
In fact, if you google "Issues Etc LCMS" you'll wind up with 169,000 hits. Staggering.
If you've never heard of Issues Etc, I highly encourage you to go out and grab the podcasts while they're still available. Goodness knows when they'll be pulled...again.
1 comment:
I can't tell you what an honor this is. Who'd have thunk that widdle ole me would be the first one to coment on your blog and thus deflower it.
::revels in the moment::
Yeah, I can't believe they cancelled Issues, Etc. just like that. Now how am I gonna get my "I have Issues" T-Shirt? And let's be honest, no noe has more issues than me! LOL
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