"In the largest state in the nation, this robust political culture is unrepresented on television -- government, public, private, cable, whatever. It's a glaring loss to society," he says.
Sauter blames it on "penurious, shortsighted instincts" of broadcasters. He says the ultimate answer will be a consortium of public and commercial TV, and that there's no reason to shy away from commercial funding. "California is commercial. Commercial is California," he says.
For now, the Cal Channel is slated to start carrying KVIE's political show, Express, which will give Sauter a statewide audience for the first time. And, of course, there're those League clips.
Phyllis Orrick and Susan Rasky can be reached at SF Weekly, Attn: Unspun, 425 Brannan, San Francisco, CA 94107; phone: (415) 536-8139; e-mail: porrick@sfweekly.com.
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