"Another case of the media sticking its nose where it doesn't belong."
The media sticks its nose EVERYWHERE, the public has a right to know! (Free Press)
"While such applications weren't what I'd call "a secret", they weren't exactly what I'd call "common knowledge" either."
And therein lies a problem, knowledge of how it works still isn't exactly common.
"However, everybody and their brother are aware of them now, at least in the areas where the stories were printed or aired."
Aware yes, knowledgeable no.
"The media, in its infinite wisdom, just made things more difficult for all parties concerned."
That's usually the case, live with it. "Lord, grant me the power to deal with that which I can control and the serenity to suffer that which I cannot."
"Tell me why agencies (in this economy especially) are going to encrypt because Joe Public, sitting 500 miles away in his car driving to work, can hear 1-3 minute delayed comms with no ability to hold on any freq/talkgroup and no control over the channels being received."
Typical knee jerk reaction to that which they do not understand.
Bat, with comments like that you may expect to catch a lot of heat. My guess that's why you're wingless, only smoking little stumps now as you go down in flames.