We may be wrong, but we're not unconfident

A few years back, people's expectations about the usefulness and profitability of the internet were ludicrously over-inflated. Now, after the collapse of the dot-communists, people seem to be in the dark throes of a hangover, grimly discussing the death of new media and the money-pit of the web. The latest edition of Current, the semi-official house organ for public broadcasters, ran a front-page article, "For pubradio, Web generally just a helpmate." Its general thrust is that no one has the time and resources to create and manage web-only programming, and that the most productive role for public radio websites is in broadcast program support, member services, and station-related e-commerce. Pretty low aim, we think. The best countercurrent came from KQED's Richard Winefield, who said, "It's as if when TV came out, it was simply used as a radio program guide." We're with you, Richard. You can read below about NCPR's latest foray into web-only programming, the UpNorth Forum. To let us know what you think the best use of our online resources would be, click on your e-mail reply button.