All Riled Up Over KCET’s ‘Life’ Changes

Howard Rosenberg beat us to it (“ ‘Life & Times’ Goes Dangerously Adrift,” March 3).

We have been gearing up to write to KCET, which we support with our mouths and our money. “Life & Times” had been the only local news we could tolerate, until now. Jerry Nachman has proven himself to be rude, obnoxious and annoying, interrupting his guests, interjecting his own views instead of listening to his guests.

Please return the program to its professional quality.

HERBERT and SYLVIA LAMONT

Gardena

*

I couldn’t agree more with Rosenberg’s strong comments. I say, bring back the vital arguing heads of Patt Morrison, Hugh Hewitt and Ruben Martinez or Kerman Maddox! Forget the “production values”! Forget the new guy who interrupts everyone and doesn’t know L.A. from peanuts! Please!

SALLY O. NORTON

Laguna Hills

*

I enjoy the new kid on the block, Jerry Nachman. I find him a refreshing addition to “Life & Times.” He’s an Easterner and he may appear rude and pugnacious, but he’s open-minded and aims for the facts.

Nachman did a most outstanding job of hosting an hourlong debate with a round-table of Latino and black Angelenos. The discussion was reminiscent of the late Fred Friendly’s outstanding series “The Delicate Balance.” I agree with Nachman that “Life & Times” should be expanded to an hour.

SAMUEL M. ROSEN

Newbury Park

*

Hugh Hewitt, Patt Morrison and Kerman Maddox are knowledgeable of the region and its history, intelligent, articulate and gracious.

As a KCET member, I cringe every time Nachman speaks. If I might make a crude analogy, in the former group of pundits, Nachman is the foreign body in the punch bowl.

ESTRELDA C. THOMAS

Fontana

*

We find it curious that Hugh Hewitt seems to have immunity from criticism. He is commonly pretentious and arrogant, frequently insulting and condescending. And his extreme political and social right-wing bias simply overwhelms the moderate centrism-liberalism of Kerman Maddox.

CARL and MONA TERWILLIGER

Glendale

*

The wit of Patt Morrison is rivaled only by Hugh Hewitt’s, and Kerman Maddox lends a perfect liberal balance to Hugh’s conservatism. What a shame to see the wonderful commentary of these three clever people eclipsed by the pedestrianism of standard, sensationalized news!

BERNARD W. BARON

Redondo Beach

*

I have yet to see a sharper interviewer on television than Jerry Nachman and have rarely missed “Life & Times” since he began fronting the program. Conducting productive interviews is what Rosenberg calls being rude to guests. As a viewer, I feel well-served when an interviewer attempts to avert long-winded generalizations and to press for concrete detail.

As for Nachman seeming uneasy on camera, compared to whom? Rosenberg surely should know this is the general condition of new anchor people everywhere. In his first weeks as anchorman of the “CBS Evening News,” Dan Rather looked as if he were sitting in the electric chair. The stiffness wore off.

RANDY RIDDLE

Los Angeles

*

As a longtime fan and supporter of KCET, I share Rosenberg’s concern relative to the commercialization of our fine public TV station.

However, let us place the blame for this unfortunate development squarely on the shoulders of those responsible: i.e., the deadbeats who have opted to let the rest of us pay for their entertainment and education.

LEW B. STEARNS

Pico Rivera