R.I.P. PBS -- Bush pushes public TV to the right

[Armstead]

From Mediachannel.orh via Cong. Bernie Sanders website:
http://bernie.house.gov/documents/articles/20040607172452.asp



Public Television's 'Heat Shield' Withers Under White House Pressure
by Chellie Pingree

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2004 -- Public broadcasting has found itself in the crosshairs of a partisan firing squad. New and intensifying ideological pressures from the Bush Administration have forced the public broadcaster to add new programs and alter others, in an attempt to be "more balanced" in the view of the current leadership.

At a time when Americans are finding it more and more difficult to get past the clutter and partisanship on commercial TV and radio to find truthful sources of information about their government, this ideological pressure may gag one of the few sources of independent, substantive news and commentary that Americans can count on.

The fact that members of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which provides federal funds to public radio and TV, should play politics with its program content should disturb us all, whatever our political views.


EDIT

President George W. Bush's most recent CPB appointees, Gay Hart Gaines and Cheryl Halpern, and their families, have given more than $800,000 to the Republican Party and candidates since 1995. Both these appointees have backgrounds that raise questions about their suitability to serve on the CPB board.

During her confirmation hearing last fall, Halpern indicated that she would welcome giving CPB members the authority to intervene in program content when they felt a program was biased. Gaines chaired Newt Gingrich's political committee GOPAC. Gingrich as House Speaker proposed cutting all federal assistance to public TV.

Board chairman Kenneth Tomlinson has given $7,700 to Republicans since 1995, and has been active in Republican politics. A friend of Karl Rove, he is quoted in The New Yorker as saying that "It is absolutely critical for people on the right to feel they have the same ownership stake in public television as people on the left have," and he objected to Moyers' including commentary in his programs.

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[shraby]

1. That's terrible!!!

PBS always had good educational programming. Guess there is one more channel to boycott.

[jus_the_facts]

6. NOOOOO....don't boycott PBS....PROTEST THIS ACTION!!!

SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL PBS STATIONS....at least untill this takes effect...I guess!!!:(

edited for clarity

[DeepModem Mom]

2. They want it all --

every aspect of our national life, under right-wing control.

[tom_paine]

11. Yes. Yes they do. That is a characteristic of Totalitarianism

It is wholly unsurprising.

Clearly that is the Bushevik aim, still being hampered by the wretched remnants of the Old Republic who I have no doubt the Imperial family would eliminate, if they could.

[Piperay]

3. Just a few more months of this CRAP

and then President Kerry will reverse the evil decisions that chimp has made. Relief is in sight. :bounce:

[AntiCoup2K4]

10. You sure about that?

I seem to remember Kerry saying he didn't have a problem with the media as it exists.

[tom_paine]

12. I believe Kerry will not challenge "The Matrix"

Unfortunately you are correct, though I hope we are both wrong.

[jus_the_facts]

4. OH WELL..there goes the only channel I still have the desire to watch.....

.....those fuckin' BASTARDS!! :grr: :mad: :grr: :mad:

[drkedjr]

8. I've forgotten to mention NPR

For the past few months, it has been so obvious that NPR is suffering with threats from the rightwingnuts.
Programming has included the most disgusting "fair play" reporting from wingers .... now what station do
I listen to?

[NYCGirl]

13. www.airamericaradio.com

Of course...

[libhill]

5. So much for freedom of the press / freedom of expression

funny that the repukes throw the word "freedom" about so much, while they steadily erode all semblance of freedom in this country. It`s nothing but an empty rhetorical phrase to them, to justify atrocities in the Middle East. This country is finished.

[imax2268]

7. oh well...

so much for sending them any money...they can forget getting money from me...

[jus_the_facts]

9. They definitely need to remove *Public* from their Corporations namesake..

.....when this takes effect. :(

[MsMagnificent]

14. Guess that somehow wasn't part of Bush's oath...

...to "preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."

How much longer must we endure until we see this War Criminal --our President-- behind bars?

Gee --whether for Treason or War Crimes-- would he be eligible for the Death Penalty?
Karma would be very interesting seeing how he ignored pleas, regardless of merit, for clemency when Governor of Texas...

[GreenPartyVoter]

15. Ugh