SATURDAY LETTERS : KFI and the Question of Media Bias

Thank you, Claudia Puig, for the somewhat overdue look at KFI radio’s shift to the far right (“KFI: Turn On, Tune In, Turn Right,” May 20). Although Puig considers balance for Rush Limbaugh, she fails to follow up on the fallacious allegation that “the media” has a liberal bias.

Obviously, it is possible to turn on TV, radio or to pick up a newspaper or magazine and find a “business-oriented” perspective or something that the U.S. government would like the public to believe. However, only by seeking out small-circulation “alternative” publications is it possible to find out, say, American Communist Party views on labor issues, or what our government does not want us to know.

It is precisely because all mass media is limited to a center-to-right ideological spectrum of debate that people can allege a left-wing bias based on the airing of one TV show by a moderate such as Bill Moyers.

In terms of KFI radio and the mass media in general, there is a myriad of excluded voices.

K. KAMATH

Los Angeles

For decades prior to the talk-radio resurrection of KFI, such programming in Los Angeles was dominated by KABC Radio. KABC has always tilted farther to the left than KFI now lists to the right--but I cannot recall any Los Angeles Times article ever criticizing political imbalance at KABC.

KABC over these decades kept one conservative voice, Ray Briem, but it confined his views to the least heard wee hours of the morning, midnight to 6 a.m. On KFI, arch leftist partisan and Democratic Party state chairman Bill Press gets four hours of prime time weekly on Saturday afternoons.

As a whole, KFI provides a far wider variety of ideas and opportunity for discussion than KABC ever has.

LOWELL PONTE

Carlsbad

‘Jugular Wine’

I am writing with regard to the “Cannes Preview” article, “La Vie Hectic in a Little Beach Town” (May 14). My feature film “Jugular Wine” has been grossly misrepresented in your article, and its title was spelled incorrectly.

The article characterizes my film in clearly pejorative terms when it reports that the announcement of my work in the industry trade papers warrants a comparison to films of the “ ‘Toxic Avenger’ stripe,” an unabashedly absurdish parody. My film is a serious exploration of classical vampire motifs within a cerebral context.

Obviously, my work was categorized and therefore judged purely on the basis of the full-page announcement in the Cannes issue of Variety, which also in no way warrants a comparison to those other films.

I am a young, independent, award-winning filmmaker who has struggled for four years to bring this challenging feature to completion. I simply feel I have been wronged when, on the eve of our film’s introduction to the worldwide community, my hometown newspaper denigrates the work without giving it fair consideration.

BLAIR MURPHY

Pagan Pictures

Venice

More on ‘Chorus Line’

In reply to the letter by Rick Talcove (“Aguilar and ‘Chorus Line,’ ” Saturday Letters, May 22) to correct the statement attributed to Thomas J. Aguilar in his obituary about the demise of all but two of the original “17” male cast members:

I thank Talcove for coming to our defense, and, to clear up any further misunderstandings on this matter, there were eight original men on the line, plus two others. Last year we did regrettably lose original cast member Cameron (Rick) Mason. The others of us are very much alive and, if not kicking, certainly happily moving on.

RON DENNIS

Los Angeles

‘Palms’: The Metaphor

I held onto Howard Rosenberg’s dismissal of “Wild Palms” (“ ‘Wild Palms’: Mind-Melting Techno-Babble,” May 14) to compare it to the series. Planning to watch the show regardless of the reviews, I was disappointed to find that one who rallies against the sensationalism and superficiality of modern television had found the show so abysmal.

I enjoyed “Wild Palms” as a highly intelligent metaphor speaking to one of the ‘90s’ great paradigms: societal malaise via passivity and fetishism incited by our political system and the modern “arts.” As social commentary, the show was well-informed and substantial; as art, it was original and clever. Far from perfect, its flaws did not negate my opinion that it was a worthwhile piece of television entertainment.

DAVID LOOMSTEIN

Malibu

Frida and Luis

In “Rethinking Kahlo as ‘Two Fridas’ ” (Calendar, May 19), Luis Valdez cries that he was “betrayed” by his people in his earlier attempt to do a film about Frida Kahlo. Luis Valdez, your people didn’t betray you. You betrayed them, and you are, without shame, ready to betray them again.

Diego Rivera and Frida Kahlo were more than just outstanding painters. They were great Mexicans and patriots who were extraordinarily and justifiably proud of their Native Mexican heritage.

For Valdez to pick Raul Julia (not a Mexican) to play Diego Rivera and Laura San Giacomo (not a Mexican) to play one of the Kahlo roles is a betrayal to his Mexican heritage. Where does Valdez think future Chicano and Mexicano actors are coming from if not from the few films that deal with “Mexican” and Chicano themes?

LEO GUERRA

Chicano Mexicano Empowerment

Committee

Huntington Park

‘Bound by Honor’

As a member of the Chicano community of East Los(t) Angeles and a consultant to Taylor Hackford’s “Bound by Honor,” I was angered by Kenneth Turan’s review “ ‘Bound by Honor’--Boyz ‘n the Barrio?” (April 30).

As far as the “multitude of similarities” “Bound by Honor” shares with “American Me”: It shares a similar culture, so why shouldn’t it have similarities? And how many films share similarities? Westerns? Boy meets girl? Family sagas? Why is it that in our society, in our media, one must be black or white to see themselves?

CONSUELO F. NORTE

Day of the Dead Consultant

“Bound by Honor”

Montebello

What Hackford Forgot

I read Terry Pristin’s article on the Latino community’s continuing problem with crime films with interest (“A Matter of ‘Honor,’ ” May 21). Hollywood seems to prefer to depict Latinos mostly as gangbangers, and anything else is viewed with disdain.

Yet the movie “La Bamba” made millions while recent violent Latin-oriented films have been flops financially. You would think that producers would learn their lesson.

Too bad “Bound by Honor” director Taylor Hackford didn’t follow his own successful formula when he produced “La Bamba.”

JOHN F. MENDEZ

Los Angeles

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