Posted on 02/16/2005 12:42:43 PM PST by Jenya
Embattled PBS Chief Will Step Down in 2006
By SIOBHAN McDONOUGH
WASHINGTON (AP) - Pat Mitchell, the Public Broadcasting Service chief under fire for spending public money on a cartoon show that also featured a real-life lesbian couple, will step down when her contract expires in June 2006.
Mitchell, the nonprofit network's fifth president and chief executive officer, also faced significant fund-raising challenges.
She drew recent criticism from both liberals and conservatives for "Postcards From Buster," in which the title character, an animated bunny named Buster, traveled to Vermont - a state known for recognizing same-sex civil unions. Though the focus was on farm life and maple sugaring, the episode, entitled "Sugartime," featured an actual lesbian couple.
Newly appointed Education Secretary Margaret Spellings contended that the episode did not fulfill the intent Congress had in mind for programming and said many parents would not want children exposed to such lifestyles.
Mitchell, 62, who joined PBS in 2000, told PBS managers at its annual meeting Monday that she would not seek a third three-year term when her contract expired in June 2006. In a statement to the media, Mitchell made no reference to the "Buster" controversy.
The network decided not to distribute the episode to its 349 stations. But the Boston public television station, WGBH-TV, which produced the series, has made it available to other stations.
PBS depends on Congress to for funding and also relies on contributions from individuals, local stations, state governments and foundations. The network receives money for the "Postcards from Buster" series through the federal Ready-To-Learn program aimed at helping young children learn through television.
Under Mitchell's leadership, prime-time ratings rose to the highest ever and PBS stations extended their reach for digital broadcasting to over 89 percent of the country.
Mitchell also added diversity to the schedule - including the "American Family," an emmy-nominated series featuring a Latino family, and "American Mystery!" a special featuring Indians living in the Southwest.
At the meeting with managers, Mitchell outlined an agenda for the remainder of her term, including securing sustainable funding on a national and local level, broadening public television's reach and resources in education and setting new benchmarks for children's programming.
"We have a lot to do in the next 15 months," she said in the statement. "I have a big agenda and am happy to be in the midst of spearheading some of PBS' greatest successes."
My vote goes to Big Bird. Where's Mr. Rogers when you need him?
One more mega-weasel down, a few thousand more to go.
Yep, "Another one bites the dust." :o)
Who get to name the new head of PBS?
Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust
Hey, I’m gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust
She can say that again.
She should step down now and allow the contract to be terminated.
PBS/NPR funding is totally unjustifiable in a free society. The govt. has no business funding one set of content at the expense of others... especially if it has a blatant political agenda.
Like Jim McGreevey quit. Almost a year before he quit.
IN OTHER WORDS SHE IS DOING NOTHING
Barney was definitely gay acting, and the upsurge in homosexuality among teens from that era would seem to bear that out.
Cross linking to earlier post
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1344401/posts
Please tell me he'll get a nice 6 figure pension so I won't lay awake nights worrying about it...
PBS is a wretchedly left-wing organization. This "Postcards From Buster" tempest is just another example of the cluelessness of their programmers. I can picture these PBS lefties throwing up their hands in despair over these red-staters not wanting to explain to their rugrats why so-and-so has two mommies. Sheesh! Blip PBS!!! Arthur the aardvark...and if he's a frigging aardvark why does he have no snout?..and his pal Buster will no doubt end up partners in an antiques shop in Woodbury, Conn. PBS should start showing Warner Bros. cartoons from the Tex Avery days or the old Fleischer Popeye shorts if they want to edify their grammar school audience. PBS spews liberal propaganda at every opportunity. Just last night I saw a NOVA special on preserving American documents such as the Declaration of Independence,etc. While interesting from a technical standpoint, the closing narration emphasized the "evolution" of the Constitution and Bill of Rights and ended with the cheery blurb that our grandchildren will live in a society that "interprets" these documents in ways the Founders and even those of us unfortunate enough to suffer through the current age of judicial absurdity would find incomprehensible!!! Educational programming my tuchis!!! PBS, the propagandist broadcasting system. A bloody joke.
Let start with PBS when the next round of budget cuts come.
Good. Next step: Shut down PBS. Why should taxpayers have to shoulder the burden?
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