On Friday’s 6/15 show (KPFT 90.1 FM, 9-9:30AM CDT), I want to discuss this incident which I reported in an earlier post, duplicated below. I think it’s important on several levels.
- Is government office space now part of a ‘media spoils system’ where ‘winners’ can inflict their ideologically-based programming on a captive audience?
- How many complaints about this media infliction of the winner’s ideology on innocent citizens should it take to make a change?
- If the intent of this arrangement between Fox News and Don Sumners’ Tax Assessor-Collector’s office os so innocent, why not CNN or MSNBC, or ABC World News Now? Why not a mix of Public Service Announcements?
- Or, heaven forbid, why not run helpful government information and pointers on accomplishing bureaucratic objectives more easily? Or even the Game Show Channel?
No, this is unquestionably an effort at propagandistic indoctrination foisted upon a public doing government business in a government office, with no other options. Imagine the uproar if a Democratic Tax Assessor-Collector was running MSNBC and/or KPFT as entertainment for the ‘customers’.
While this original blog post was written on November 17, 2011, I visited the Griggs Road office today (June 14, 2012) and confirmed that nothing has changed. It’s despicable, and we need to talk about how to embarrass Don Sumners and his office into changing their policy.
I urge you to call and complain. Write and complain. Post comments on this article and tell me if you’ve taken action, what sort, and what if any response was obtained.
You can reach Don Sumners or Fred King by calling the main office and asking for them.
| Main Telephone Number: 713-368-2000 |
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| Physical Address Downtown: 1001 Preston Houston, Texas 77002 |
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| Office Hours: Downtown and Branch Offices normal hours, Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM thru 4:30 PM |
This article was revised 6/11/2012: Contact information for the Harris County Tax Office was added at the bottom. ~ Mike
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Back in February of 2011, I posted this tidbit about the Ohio Department of Transportation (DOT) headquarters televisions suddenly becoming Fox News-centric after John Kasich was elected governor. You can read that bit here: “You watch, we decide what” (Cleveland.com, Posted on February 4, 2011)
Don Sumners, Houston Tax Assessor-Collector
Apparently, similar affliction of Fox News on innocent (and helpless) government office patrons has now come to Harris County, Texas.
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