Arguing that public radio and television are competing for the same audience assumes that there’s some crossover between the two. You’re doing different things.
Respectable news organizations should not bend their standards for access. It’s a decision that damages their reputations as independent, first amendment protected members of the free press.
"The media often uses social issues to mount their high horses, seeking some holier-than-thou high moral ground. In the case of what happened in Cleveland, however, the response is justified"