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Liberal-Conservative balance on TV

The following letter appeared in the New York Times on August 30 and
is an estimate of the liberal-conservative balance.  I don't watch
TV, so I would be interested in other people's agreement or
disagreement with his characterization of the liberal or
conservative orientation of the individuals he mentions.

     Eric Alterman pays high tribute to a handful of
     conservative commentators who appear frequently on
     television and whose articles are often published in
     some of our leading newspapers (Op-Ed, Aug. 2).  Mr.
     Alterman seems to believe that John McLaughlin, Bob
     Novak, Pat Buchanan, Morton Kondracke (all of the
     McLaughlin television program), William F. Buckley Jr.
     (who has his own television program) and George Will
     (who is one of the crowd on ABC's ``This Week with
     David Brinkley) have succeedded not only in shifting
     the terms of the political debate, but also in
     redefining the English language.

	     Mr. Alterman fails to mention any of the
     liberals who appear on these and other popular
     television programs.  Are they such insignificant
     personalities?  Or is he angry at them because they have
     failed to put those upstart conservatives in their
     place?

     The McLaughlin group is noted for including articulate
     liberals and conservatives, all of whom speak their
     minds forcefully.  There is Jack Germond, Eleanor
     Clift, Hodding Carter and Michael Kinsley, to name a
     few.  Mr. Will has to offset such liberal heavyweights
     as Sam Donaldson, Tom Wicker, Mr. Carter ann Mary Ann
     Dolan.  Mr. Buckley is noted for inviting liberals and
     leftists to joust with him on ``Firing Line.''

     There are also numerous programs whoe hosts are
     liberals: Chris Wallace on ``Meet the Press,'' Lesley
     Stahl on ``Face the Nation'' and Ted Koppel on
     ``Nightline'' for half an hour five days a week.  There
     is the very popular and influential liberal Phil
     Donahue, who works his magic for an hour each day.
     There is PBS's "Washington Week in Review,", where the
     liberal host and liberal reporters seldom if ever
     disagree with one another in interpreting the week's
     events.

     And how could Mr. Alterman have overlooked that John
     Chancellor, a liberal, has the great privilege of
     editorializing on the NBC Nightly News several times a
     week, doing explicitly what the liberal anchors and
     reporters of the network news organizations do
     covertly?  - Reed Irvine

Opinions are also solicited on whether the letter omits important
commentators on either side.