Dear Sir,

Perhaps there are those among your readers that may be able to help with the following conundrum. A talk show rightly runs a disclaimer regarding the views as not necessarily being that of the station or staff. Very often, really off-the-rails and sometimes radical callers that may be considered on the lunatic fringe will posit disturbing opinions.

These kinds of callers validate the disclaimer for the protection of the station and that is clearly understood. What if, however, the host/hostess then gives personal opinions on just about every show?

Does this not make the disclaimer at least to some degree redundant? Is the host entitled to an opinion or is it the expressed job of the host to receive the callers’ views without any influence of the said host?

This is probably a landmine of debate and controversy in the now en vogue discourse re: free speech and its borderless application.

The power of the open microphone and the printed page is endless in this new reality of words such as cyberspace, viral and online hackers in today’s world.

The question of the contradiction of the disclaimer and the free flow of the host, which may drive the narrative and popular opinion, have been given short shrift. I know this to be true from personal experience.

I will now disabuse myself of any accountability for the content my remarks by the following.

The views just expressed are not necessarily that of the writer of this letter. Now, Sir, I feel so much better as this disclaimer now leaves me clear.

WAYNE B SCOTT