PBS Will Replace Top Executive (Right Wing Coup Complete)

[Robbien]

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has decided to replace its president and chief executive, Kathleen A. Cox, who has been in the post about nine months. While it seeks a successor for Ms. Cox, the corporation will be led by W. Kenneth Ferree, a former senior official at the Federal Communications Commission who played a significant role in the failed effort to loosen rules to make it easier for media companies to expand into new businesses and geographic areas. Last month, Mr. Ferree, a telecommunications lawyer, was named chief operating officer of the corporation.

Mr. Ferree said he hoped to be a candidate for the job, and he took issue with statements raised by groups critical of his appointment. Chellie Pingree, president of Common Cause, said on Monday that during Mr. Ferree's time at the F.C.C., he "seemed to be dismissive of the public interest obligations of broadcasters."

"These staff changes are being played out," Ms. Pingree said in a statement, "in what appears to be an increasingly politically charged environment for public broadcasting, roiled by recent administration and Congressional criticisms of certain of its programming decisions." She said Mr. Ferree "seems an unlikely choice to steer C.P.B. in a way that would protect public broadcasting's editorial independence and that would ensure that no political or partisan interference mars its deeply important mission of providing substantive news and information to the American public."

But Mr. Ferree said that the criticism was unfounded.


. . .


Asked whether he shared the criticism by some conservative groups that public broadcasting is either out of touch or too liberal, Mr. Ferree said: "We can always do better in programming. We're for balance. We want balanced programming."

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/12/business/media/12pbs.html?pagewanted=print&position=

[meppie-meppie not]

1. PBS has been pissing me off for some time now and this is the

last straw, I'll not send them finacial support ever again! :mad:

[neuvocat]

33. Same for NPR

I was listening Saturday to one of their programs and while I have come to expect some sort of bias (either left or right), there is no excuse for being a Dennis Miller impersonater (where basically you claim to be an intellectual and yet you don't know jack shit).

That's all I heard and that was enough. I never ever thought that a Clear Channel station would have to serve as a replacement for any other stations.

[Tigress DEM]

43. N*amby P*amby R*adio & P*romotes B*u S*hit

[Quetzal]

39. What exactly has been pissing you off about PBS?

[Tigress DEM]

44. Can I answer that?

If a station claims to be serving the public interests and is actively promoting the Republican Lies, especially a station that HAS been reliable in the past and supposedly supports the honest and well researched facts, this is like Benedict Arnold. This is a very treasonus act because of how highly placed they have been in our collective trust.

Stations like this feeding the Right Wing agenda to mothers and children all in the name of good family programming ARE the reason that otherwise sane individuals voted for an evil man.

"We are so pure and honest that we don't have advertisers" Sponsored by Shell....come on. Bought and paid for by big oil and still pretending to be above it all. Call it an escort service, but screwing your country for money is still being a media whore.

[Voltaire99]

52. Excellent post (n/t)

[meppie-meppie not]

62. I could not have said it any better!!! TY Tigress

:yourock:

[FizzFuzz]

65. Hear Hear!

adding my applause--really well said!

[clem_c_rock]

73. Just watch a PBS documentary that might expose controversial US Foreign Po

licies.

IE. Any PBS documentaries about Iraq. Notice how they take out any
part that might show how the US was a rabid supporter of Saddam
for 30+ years.

This same trend goes for any documentary on Cuba, Latin America,
Africa ect.


I call it propaganda. Of course PBS/NPR are not as bad as it gets (IE CNN) but it's not that far behind.

[ray of light]

41. Never give up, but put your money where you can create change!

Maybe it's time for calls to let them know we want balance and no right wing propagandist media. Sure, as always there should be some limitations, but not the type of hipocracy that Fox has with Christian Fake News on one network and on the other Fox network more promiscuity than the 60's ever had!

Call and complain, and then if they stink, let the neoCONS fund these networks while we donate to real Democratic politicians.

[Tigress DEM]

46. TruthOut.org & INDY News - indymedia.org deserve $$$$$

http://www.truthout.org

http://indymedia.us/en/index.shtml

http://www.chicago.indymedia.org ((Chicago is one site that posts links to other states and other nations as well.))

united states

arizona
arkansas
atlanta
austin
baltimore
binghamton
boston
buffalo
charlottesville
chicago
cleveland
colorado
danbury, ct
dc
hawaii
houston
hudson mohawk
idaho
ithaca
kansas city
la
madison
maine
miami
michigan
milwaukee
minneapolis/st. paul
new hampshire
new jersey
new mexico
new orleans
north carolina
north texas
nyc
oklahoma
philadelphia
pittsburgh
portland
richmond
rochester
rogue valley
san diego
san francisco
san francisco bay area
santa barbara
santa cruz, ca
seattle
st louis
tallahassee-red hills
tennessee
urbana-champaign
utah
vermont
western mass
worcester

[ray of light]

64. Thanks!!!

[ray of light]

69. ACTION ALERT

FIVE MINUTES A DAY FOR DEMOCRACY: ACT
... All it takes for us to have a healthy democracy is 5 minutes a day. Just like brushing your teeth, only easier.

Today's Five Minutes for Democracy is: Get to know the FCC

Topic: Media Reform

Two days ago, Rush Limbaugh made remarks on the air about teenagers and oral sex. (You can listen here, but be forewarned)

"The FCC issues broadcast licenses specifying the community of license, the channel and operating power of the station. The conditions of the license ensure that the broadcast will be picked up without interference within a specified service area. Generally, the FCC does not govern the selection of programming that is broadcast. The main exceptions are: restrictions on indecent programming, limits on the number of commercials aired during children's programming, and rules involving candidates for public office. "


The FCC welcomes consumer feedback, so please go here to comment:

http://www.fcc.gov/cgb/radio.html

http://www.democracycellproject.net

[trekbiker]

74. I'll put my money where it matters..

just not with NPR anymore. Thier poor coverage and lack of hard questioning or follow-up questioning or good analysis of the whole Social Security debate has been pathethic. They've sold out the public trust. The only thing worth listening to is some of the music programs, car talk, Garrison, etc... forget their worthless news

[kaitykaity]

2. Where's the "fair", Mr. Ferree?

:gaack:

It occurs to me that they have always wanted to kill PBS,
whether it be through funding cuts or whatever.

I guess now they've figured out another way to kill it,
in everything but name.

[AnneD]

3. There goes the neighbourhood........

Are they going to put duct tape in everyones pay envelope. PBS is the only news I watch (or can stomach).

[KurtNYC]

4. Next they will give a show to Tucker Carlson...oh wait

they did.

http://mediamatters.org/items/200407090006

[kliljedahl]

7. This Tucker Carlson?

http://www.kliljedahl.net

[Algomas]

57. Hey Klil, there seems to be a spelling error in your photo...

[Ganja Ninja]

5. PBS is hardly worth watching anymore.

The quality and type of programming isn't what it once was. I can't wait for Al Gore's liberal network to go on the air.

[SoCalDem]

10. I rarely watch either.. Now has been reduced to 30 minutes

and we "get" Tucker in the deal?? Sorry..no thanks..

I hope someone is keeping a list somewhere..

There are lots of things to "un-do" if we ever get control back :(

[triguy46]

6. Hopefully this will result

in our local affiliate, OETA, in being able to air Lawrence Welk
reruns 4 times a week over our current 3. Any time there is any
controversial PBS broadcast, you can be assured that Oklahomans will
be spared any pain by being able to watch Lawrence Welk as the preemption show of choice.

I haven't given to those dorks for 10 years.

[SammyBlue]

9. What happened to good shows on PBS?

Square One TV and 3-2-1 Contact.

If PBS is going this route, say goodbye to PBS. It will be another unofficial public relations liason for the Republican Party.

[deacon2]

68. "And a one and a two..." n/t

[mmonk]

8. A no donation movement seems an appropriate

response. Can a national movement be started? Also, a national tune out TV day in protest of a lack of a free press might raise some eyebrows.

[JAbuchan08]

12. If PBS loses its audience because it is becoming too conservative

(as is already happening) every conservative commentator in America will say how PBS's ratings are dipping because it's too liberal (as is already happening).

[GHOSTDANCER]

17. But at the same time it would do just what they want.

A no funded, No watched channel. It seems we are between a rock and a hard place. I really can't believe this is happening.
And has anyone checked out BBC America? God that Channel blows!!

[ooglymoogly]

11. the most diabolical thing is a great institution

has been in the process of being co opted by the right for some time. that does not mean we should give up without a fight. imo

[Robbien]

22. The battle for PBS began years ago when the

editorial staff was beginning to be taken over by the right-wing. Then BushCo put a strong right-winger in charge of the National Endowment for the Arts.

This is the final shot, the coup is over. Most Progressives were barely even aware a battle was going on, much less know they lost it.

[daleo]

13. I find I don't watch it much anymore

Same as the Atlantic Monthly - I hardly ever read it now. It seems to start happening before I actually find out about the formal personnel changes during these conservative takeovers. The content just becomes uninteresting.

[NJCher]

59. yep, that's it

The content just becomes uninteresting.

Boy did you hit home with that one. Atlantic Monthly, many moons ago, was once an interesting magazine. Funny how they lose their charm when they head to the dark side.


Cher

[Festivito]

14. How long will FRONTLINE and NOW last...

BBC TV is already bad. Even the nightly news keeps info at bay.

Here in Detroit WE hide the political shows for three weeks during fundraising, which happens too many times each year. Local PBS is a joke.

Now the national will be a joke also.

[AnneD]

34. Those two shows immediately came to mind

when I read about the take over. Those are my favorite newsy shows. Done in the 'old style'. When news was suppose to inform, not entertain.

[xxqqqzme]

55. once BBC opened a Washington, DC

bureau, a few years ago, the quality rapidly deteriorated. When they announced the 'new' bureau, I thought, 'Oh, no. That was my last hope'.

[The Doctor.]

15. Hmmm.... this sounds familiar;

"We can always do better in programming. We're for balance. We want balanced programming."

... balance... balance... 'for' balance... 'fair'/balance...

Fair and Balanced!

NOW I remember!

[SlowDownFast]

48. .....for balance......balanced....where have i heard this before???

first thing that came to my mind.

[progressoid]

61. Yep, "balanced programming"

I'm using that quote in my email to PBS.

[Rockerdem]

16. Its shows are all geared to upper-middle-class

It started out as an educational tool. Now, it mostly has stuff like remodelling shows for high-end homeowners, antique shows for wealthy hobbyists, and series geared to everyone but the average or the poor. Its been Republican for about 10 years, with the isolated exception of Bill Moyers and Frontline.

When it comes time to renew, they can pound sand.

[GHOSTDANCER]

18. So true. Have you noticed that very same thing happening

on the Discovery Channels too?

[Robbien]

21. And the travel channel

Exclusive resorts and hotels, trailer houses starting at a half-mil, SUV's large enough to hold seating for six and storage for a couple of off-road bikes.

yikes!

[GHOSTDANCER]

63. Only travel show worth watching is Globe Trekker on PBS.

<http://www.pilotguides.com/tv_shows/globe_trekker/>

[leftchick]

25. and HGTV of all places!

A new show... "I HAVE To Have It"! no kidding! :puke:

[Robert Oak]

19. Save FRONTLINE, Karl Rove on tonight

Frontline has done a series of exceptional documentaries
especially on corporate crime, tax shelters and use of offshoring
and the loan sharking practises of the credit card industry.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/architect/

This one on Karl Rove is tonight..

they did one on Rumsfeld that was just damning, really exposed
the neocon mentality:
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/pentagon/

Many of these documentaries, you can watch streaming, online, anytime.

I want so much to see one on Grover Norquist to expose that guy...
and how he has obtained so much power with such insane, nation-state
destruction ideas would be also useful...who is behind this economic
Nazi?

This is one of the last outlets of real investigative journalism.

[mistertrickster]

35. I love Frontline. I say we fight it. Look, we can't just keep abandoning

the media for being too conservative unless we have some alternative.

There're a lot of old timers in the PBS/NPR system that the right-wing can't purge yet--Terri Gross on "Fresh Air" for instance.

Remember when she showed Bill O'Lielly how he was a hypocritical bastard and he walked out on her--that rocked!

If PBS goes under, I won't have anything to watch . . . I can't stand anything else.

[NJCher]

60. the old timers

There're a lot of old timers in the PBS/NPR system that the right-wing can't purge yet--Terri Gross on "Fresh Air" for instance.

It will be hell for the right in the east and especially in NY. This will not go down easily.

Our local NPR has some excellent hosts who work hard to be fair and balanced. They will not accept r-w influence. I'm not sure how this is going to play out but of that much I am sure.


Cher

[yurbud]

54. Pacifica, Air America, internet

[prodigal_green]

20. No more checks from me.

Let's see how long PBS lasts without its "librul" donating viewers.

[DeepModem Mom]

23. They want it all --- all our institutions: government, schools...

churches, media. They want it all. They want us all regimented into mega-churches, that our lives will revolve around, and that will make all our decisions for us. They are totally relentless, and will not rest until they have us all.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

47. "They want it all."

Christian evangelicals are plotting to remake America in their own image

[onenote]

24. ferree isn't a freeper but he was in charge of the effort to gut the FCC's

media ownership rules.

interesting.

onenote

[Robbien]

27. But with his use of the word "balance" he gives a clear signal

all investigative journalism will be halted immediately. We will get the he said/she said boring non-reports that the corporate elite media passes off as news.

[Blue Belle]

26. Is there any TV news program..

that doesn't have some sort of conservative spin on it? Seriously? Does such and animal exist?

[stillcool]

28. Democracy Now is the only one we get. n/t

[Robbien]

29. It is not so much a conservative spin

It just they are not investigating and reporting the facts. Take the Delay issue. Instead of reporting exactly what is going on in the case, they report Dems say corrupt and GOPers say liberal media attack. Meanwhile the viewing public falls asleep.

[Selteri]

30. Sigh, there goes such radical shows like

the BBC News and Buster. :sarcasm:

[Catbird]

31. Nova or Nature on Intelligent Design??

So far the PBS science shows seem to still be showing reasonable science.

I watch many of them but not all. So I may have missed one with visible fundamentalist corruption. But the influence is more likely to show up as omissions. What topics aren't covered or mentioned?

I will know the takeover is complete when "serious" science programs start showing intelligent design ore creationism as science (or at least "alternative theories").

[shanti]

32. they've already gotten there

i've notice a LOT more religious programming on pbs as of late. religion has NO place on pbs, imo.

[drduffy]

36. The coup

of the rightwing depends upon media control. Taking over PBS/NPR may ultimately lead many to stop supporting it. The real goal of facsists is to have it die. Unless the journalists revolt, maybe. The facsists want to control what the sheep know. The public can only vote with their money and, possibly public outcry. Are enough watchers/listeners free minded enough and motivated enough to do it.

[LeftyDarthBrodie]

37. I've kept up watching Frontline

but haven't made a point of catching NOW since Moyers left. Has it retained it's quality? The topics seem to be interesting I've just lost interest in keeping that appointment television and have lost faith in PBS for reasons stated in this thread.

[stlsaxman]

38. NOW is still pretty good...

but i think that's because Moyers left it with "conditions"...

Broncoccio is pretty mamby-pamby but nowhere as bad as
Gwen Ifil... Condi's girlfriend has taken a great show and turned it
into a weekly gab-fest... now I call it "Washington Whores On Parade"

"Frontline" is the only thing left on PBS... sad sad sad....

[MADem]

40. The GOP has wanted to get rid of Public Broadcasting for years

This is how they are doing it--by making it UNWATCHABLE, and by alienating long time supporters thus cutting off the funding. It'll morph into a propaganda arm of the governmenr, or get sold off if this keeps up.

[Mountainman]

42. There is no reason to watch PBS or listen to NPR anymore.

The just whore for the right now.

I challenge NPR to not do a news clip about Bush for at least one day. They can't do it. Bush could have nothing more important to do but to get a boil lanced and NPR will have a report on it and cut to some reporter in the town where it is being done and have a clip of Bush saying something about it.

I stopped watching PBS when the News Hour stopped being objective and had a wing nut to counter every and anything said by a liberal on the show but never the reverse.

In a way I don't care that the MSM is what it is. I read more now and get my news on the Internet. If it wasn't for my wife wanting to watch reality shows I would not even have TV service.

Hey media, you want our dollars cater to us or forget it because we aren't paying attention to you.

[trekbiker]

75. Lehrer sucks... screw PBS

News Hour went off the cliff when McNeill left. Lehrer has basically become MSM. no hard questions or analysis. lets GOP spin bullshit just fly by without a real challenge. he reminds me more and more of Russert. too full of himself

[Horse with no Name]

45. I was going to rant earlier about PBS

I watched Sesame Street this morning with my granddaughter.
The first 20 minutes they sang about fruit.
They then did a 3 minute segment on the letter "o", then returned to promoting fruit and proper diets.
I was torn between thinking that this was a deliberate dumbing down of toddlers--but was astounded. My kids watched Sesame Street and it helped them learn their letters and numbers--but with this format, that isn't possible.
I was also wondering why "No Child Left Behind" was sponsering pre-school television shows? What kind of sense does this make?
Our government spending thousands of dollars on TV advertising when they haven't funded the actual NCLB program.
It just doesn't make sense to me.

[TexasSissy]

49. Oh, God. The RW is taking over the entire media. Now PBS, too.

If you are a member, write or e-mail or call PBS to complain. Loudly! I'm ashamed to say that I am not a member (used to be), or I would.

[w4rma]

50. The neo-cons have total control of our government, it was only a matter of

time before they asserted control over the government's media outlet.

[agincourt]

51. I thought they took a really big dive,

When they stuck on the asinine Tucker, I haven't given them much credibility since.

[Voltaire99]

53. Do. Not. Donate. Money. To. Right. Wing. Media.

Corollary: don't support right wing Democrats, either.

A candidate's merely being labeled "Democrat" or a media outlet "Public" is little indicator today of what's under the surface.

Time to move beyond labels...beyond obedience...beyond rote thinking.

[The Animator]

56. Remember, no Ganues is good Ganues, with Garry Ganue

Man I miss the Great Space Coaster. I was watching PBS not too long ago and they were still playing Reading Rainbow!

It's sad to think that nostalgia will be the only thing worth hanging onto when the Rwingers are done with poor PBS.

What will become of Sesamee Street?

[youthere]

70. Good Heavens!

We can't keep a show like Reading Rainbow on the air...these kids will actually read books and before you know it they'll be thinking...reasoning....questioning...

[izzie]

58. Another Bush show?

Before the empire falls the top people are usually known for their dullness in learning and the very narrow things they learn. We seem to have reached that point with our leaders and the people who put them in power.Queen Victoria is back in Texas.

[VegasWolf]

66. Sad! This should spell the death of PBS. We all know what elite

art aficionados the rednecks are and of their love for supporting
the public arts. PBS could show Larry the Cable Guy 24/7 and
they still wouldn't get a penny from the mullet heads.

[number6]

67. there goes NOW and Frontline next

David Horowitz Show and Sean Hamnutty anal-a-sis ....

[adigal]

71. Fair and balanced? Like Fox News??? n/t

[Aries]

72. And remember Kevin Klose of NPR/CIA

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=2101415

...A former editor, and national and foreign correspondent with The Washington Post, Klose is an award-winning author and international broadcasting executive. Prior to joining NPR in December 1998, Klose served successively as Director of U.S. International Broadcasting, overseeing the U.S. Government's global radio and television news services (1997-98); and President of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), broadcasting to Central Europe and the former Soviet Union (1994-97). Klose first joined RFE/RL in 1992 as Director of Radio Liberty, broadcasting to the former Soviet Union in its national languages....

http://indyweek.com/durham/2003-10-15/cover2.html

...In 1998, when Kevin Klose came on board as new president of NPR, a startling interview was aired on All Things Considered, the kind that stays with anyone who cares about an honest story. "You've been named president at NPR after leading the world-wide propaganda services of our government. I suppose that represents a bit of a shift for you," opened the interviewer. "There's not a dime's worth of difference between and National Public Radio," said Klose....

[cquik18]

76. It's official...

...the U.S. is now the new Soviet Union. The real sad part is that most of the 'Murkin peepul neither know or even CARE about this or any other significant news-but by golly, they know that Britney Spears is PREGGERS...Being informed isn't the issue, being ENTERTAINED is!

We already have a prospective gulag in ANWR now...I guess the purges are next.

[flyarm]

77. THE COUP BEGAN IN DEC 2003..I HAD THIS IN MY FILES!!

SORRY IT IS TOO OLD TO LINK!!


Public Broadcasting as Political Weapon?


CauseNET for December 30, 2003

Public Broadcasting Under Siege!

$800,000 buys two seats on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's board!

The Bush Administration has awarded two major Republican donors seats on the nine-member board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Bush appointees Cheryl Halpern and Gay Hart Gaines and their families have given over $800,000 to Republican causes in recent years.

But just as troubling are the agendas that Halpern and Hart Gaines would bring to the CPB. Both have stated views or espoused causes that call into question their qualifications to service on a board whose mission is to promote and fund public television and radio programming.

Halpern, in her confirmation hearings, indicated that she would welcome empowering the CPB board members to intervene in program content when they felt a program was biased. And, Gaines was an ardent supporter of Representative Newt Gingrich (R-GA) who, as House Speaker in 1994, proposed cutting all federal assistance to public television.

Common Cause will not let this issue slip by without public scrutiny. We need your help to bring this to the public's attention.

We must not let partisan insiders wrest control of public broadcasting from balanced board members and threaten the integrity of the CPB from within.



FLY