Dear Sir,

Recently, talk radio programmes in Bermuda have been cut, leaving fewer options for members of the public to express their opinion.

One island communication company offers a midday programme on Magic 102.7 that purports to offer “the best audience in the world” a venue in which to express their opinions freely.

Unfortunately, it has become clear that only those members of the public who adhere to the “party line” are allowed to air their opinions; those who provide an alternative view, or play devil’s advocate, are ignored.

I say this because e-mails to her talk programme that challenge partisan politics or question party propaganda are routinely ignored by the host.

This hypothesis has been tested by persons submitting e-mails from multiple accounts.

E-mails perceived to be against a certain bias were more likely to be ignored.

Even in cases where the content of the e-mails were similar, the e-mail that was sent — at the same time, on the same subject — from the listener she was known to routinely disagree with was the one she repeatedly ignored. Were it not for the shrinking outlets for public discourse, this censorship would be less worrisome.

But as talk shows decrease, the need for free and open debate increases; it should not be constrained.

Further, the host of this programme recently gave a vast amount of publicity to the head of the Bermuda Public Services Union as a result of his legal concerns, advising her audience that she and her husband had donated to his legal fund because she feels strongly that it is important that no one should ever infringe on the right of another citizen to speak, to question authority, or to “speak truth to power”, as she is fond of saying.

Was this mere lip service? Does she not practise what she preaches?

I’m not sure what the readers or the editors of this newspaper can do, but it is becoming clear that the shrinking airwaves are becoming more restricted to a vocal, toxic few who wish to bind and hold hostage the voices of those who dissent.

It may be time, in the words of Will Reagan, to “break every chain” that constrains open dialogue.

Hopefully, NOT SILENCED YET