Reply #36: You raise an interesting point

[Tina H]

News reporting on PBS is fine by me, and it sounds like you are describing news reporting.

However, I am getting at commentary. By its very nature, commentary expresses opinion primarily, and is not to be regarded as a primary source of factual reporting.

A clear separation between news and commentary on PBS is a good thing so that the news reporting doesn't get too politicized. In fact, it might be a good idea if they made this separation clearer and more manifest on PBS.

However, this still leaves the problem of what to do about objectivity and balance in the commentary area. I don't think that taking opinions out of the commentary would help because then the commentary portion wouldn't be commentary any more.