Fliers get choice of news channels.

Byline: Susan Palmer The Register-Guard

Fox News Channel, the television network despised by many liberals and revered by many conservatives, has lost its monopoly on television screens in departure lounges at the Eugene Airport.

Beginning Thursday afternoon, people waiting for flights have a choice of either Fox News or CNN News. For the past three years, only Fox News was available in departure areas.

Thank a concerned traveler, a responsive airport manager and a generous TV station for the change.

Retired anthropology professor Jim Patterson, who travels six or eight times a year, got tired of the Fox News broadcasts, believing them to be less critical of the Bush administration and generally more conservative than other news programs, a perception shared by many viewers and some media experts.

While the airport restaurant, bar and coffee shop all have televisions that offer CNN and ESPN programming, only Fox News aired in the departure areas.

"My complaint is that I'm a taxpayer, and I'm a captive audience," he said. "I find Fox too partisan. I'm not an extremist. I'm fairly middle of the road in my politics. I don't think CNN is totally unbiased, but I really can't handle some of the invective you get on Fox."

Programs such as Bill O'Reilly's "O'Reilly Factor" prompted Patterson to complain to Mayor Jim Torrey and City Councilor Bonnie Bettman.

No vast right-wing conspiracy was at work, airport manager Bob Noble said.

TV station KLSR, the local Fox affiliate, provided four televisions in the two departure areas in 2001 just after the Sept. 11 attacks, to help keep travelers informed with the stipulation that only Fox programming be aired. Noble wanted to air only news, so that meant Fox news. A small plaque on each TV indicates that KLSR provided it.

"Until recently, we haven't had any consternation, other than a report from one city councilor. I didn't think it was an issue of significance," Noble said.

Airport staff had looked into subscribing to CNN's Airport Network, a special channel devoted to news of interest to travelers, but found it too expensive, he said.

"Neither KLSR nor the airport had any intention of airing news of a particular slant," he said.

After complaints surfaced, Noble contacted KLSR general manager Mark Metzger, who agreed to foot the bill to install additional equipment to pick up CNN. Now both departure lounges have one TV tuned to Fox and the other tuned to CNN.

"We feel that this is a compromise, a favorable win-win situation," Metzger said.

Nobody knows how many airports offer TVs in departure areas, or how many offer a choice of programming, according to a spokeswoman for the American Association of Airport Executives. According to CNN, 39 U.S. airports offer CNN's Airport Network News on departure area monitors.

The hubbub surprised travelers watching TV and waiting for flights on Thursday afternoon.

"That's a controversy?" said Sarah Lawson, who listened to a Fox News broadcast of an interview with Secretary of State Collin Powell as she watched her 2-year-old son, Caleb.

Lawson, who was heading home to Oklahoma after visiting family in Eugene, said she likes being able to watch the news at the airport. It helps pass the time and keeps travelers up on current events, which can be difficult when people are away from home, she said.

Lawson isn't familiar with Fox News, but said the airport's solution made sense.

"I think that's great," she said. "Cover it all."

Patterson said he was pleased to learn the airport will now offer a choice.

"It's nice to live in Eugene," he said. "It's a responsive political town."

CAPTION(S):

Complaints that only Fox News was aired in the departure areas sparked changes at the airport. "We feel that this is a compromise, a favorable win-win situation." - MARK METZGER, KLSR GENERAL MANAGER