Posted on 06/09/2005 6:23:55 PM PDT by CHARLITE
The growing controversy over the Bush administration’s attempts to alter the perceived liberal bias in PBS programming has led one media insider to urge: Consider pulling the plug on the network.
In his Media Matters column in the Los Angeles Times, David Shaw asks, "Do we really want or need PBS anymore?"
Shaw points out that when PBS’s parent, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, was created in 1967, television was largely dominated by three commercial networks, while today we live in a "500-channel universe."
"But politics, not the availability of more alternatives, is the primary reason to question the continued viability of PBS," Shaw writes.
"PBS has become a political football, and in our increasingly polarized and poisonous political climate, that is not likely to change."
Republican Kenneth Tomlinson, the new chairman of the CPB, has been pressing PBS to correct what he views as a liberal bias, and he insists the CPB needs to take a more balanced approach to politics in order to attract a wider range of donors.
As NewMax.com reported on May 2, Tomlinson has stated: "I frankly feel at PBS headquarters there is a tone deafness to issues of tone and balance."
He recently hired the director of the White House Office of Global Communications as a senior staff member.
His choice for the CPB’s president and chief executive is Patricia Harrison, a former co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee.
And last year he hired an outside consultant to monitor the political leanings of the PBS show "Now With Bill Moyers."
Democratic Reps. David Obey of Wisconsin and John Dingell of Michigan have called for an investigation into possible political interference at PBS.
"It’s not surprising that if the federal government is going to help finance public broadcasting, it may occasionally demand a say in the programming, even if public broadcasting is supposed to have editorial independence," Shaw writes.
"It’s that cliché come to TV life – let the governmental camel stick its nose inside the broadcast tent, and the entire camel, foul smell and all, may follow.
"So maybe it’s time to get rid of this particular tent and the camel as well, to do away with PBS and its unhappy status as a political football and political target."
Shaw adds that he’s not certain pulling the plug on PBS is the best solution, but says: "I think it’s at least worth discussing."
pull the plug on the nea as well
Better to kill it than fix it where it tells the truth. / < sarcasm>
I remember when PBS was "ETV" .
Nowadays, I notice that there are several commercial sponsors for some progrsms . Also, they have a monthly "begathon", wherein they solicit donstions from viewers . ain light of all that, why should there be ANY government subsidy for public television ?
They should "pull the plug "
They'll just plug it back in after Hillary's elected.
(Aargh I triggered my own gag reflex).
You know, if PBS put stuff on the screen that was intellectually honest, they wouldn't have to beg.
Throw in NPR as well.
Now that it's apparent that the conservatives will soon be in control of PBS, the liberals are ready to cut it loose. I've been predicting this for some time.
Now, Brilliant, that really is BRILLIANT! I must be very slow tonight, because I didn't think of that angle, but you're absolutely right. Their turf is slipping out from under them, so they call for a shut down.
Thanks so much for your comments........and....I agree with you, onedoug. The NPR should either go off the air, or undergo a major overhaul.
Char :)
A time audit would reveal they advertise [including their "drives"] as much if not more than anyone else.
They unquestionably lean so far left Stalin looks like a rightwinger.
Bill Moyers was LBJ's hatchet man--but now that Republicans are positioned for executive positions the Dems are going cardiac.
And what do PBS' ratings indicate?
I posit they're losing share.
Both NEA's -
And that would still be just a start
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