THE RIGHT'S WAR ON PBS (reshaping PBS in the image of Fox News---indusrial strength barfer)

NY POST ^ | July 6, 2005 | LETTERS

[Liz]

As a widow on a very tight budget, I am utterly appalled by your callous editorial, "Put PBS Out to Pasture" (June 26). After my husband died last year, cable TV became a luxury I could no longer afford, so I said a reluctant farewell to MSNBC, CNBC, Fox News et al. Now PBS picks up the slack — and for once I can honestly say that my tax dollars are well spent. Sharon Rutman Far Rockaway

*****

If conservative Republicans had their way, there would be no "public" anything. Everything would be privatized to benefit the greedy at the expense of the needy. It fits right into their "survival of the fittest" mindset. The common good that benefits all is totally absent from GOP thinking and practice. Paul L. Whiteley Sr. Louisville, Ky.

*****

PBS has, up to now, been recognized throughout the world as representing the greatness of the United States of America: unbiased, nonpolitical freedom of speech and expression by the citizens, the epitome of a democracy. But.....Republicans control Congress, which controls....funding. "He who holds the purse strings of the country, holds the power".......The goal: reshaping PBS in the image of Fox News.........Nicholas Zizelis Bayside

[varyouga]

[Liz]

Hanging us out to dry.

[A.B.Normal]

IRS allowed millions of dollars in refunds based on Slavery Reparations, I doubt if they would even catch the deduction; but I am not advocating the presently illegal deduction. There is a need to challenge not getting credit for an unfair tax.

Remember when Reagan made people pay a "User's Fee" for entry into the Federal Parks? Why hasn't Bush done the same on Spanish Language TV, instead of implementing additional tax spending?

My protest? I walked into Comcast and dropped HBO. Then I dropped Comcast. There is no way around the garbage on Cable or Satellite, however, if everyone dropped cable, something would get through to the government.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

But, but, but its a non-profit outfit, so Sarbanes-Oxley wouldn't apply.

[Liz]

Eric in the Ozarks wrote: "The dirty little secret PBS holds behind its back is their children's characters are worth millions a year in licensing fees, which they collect. This cash flow never appears on their books, however."

---

REPLY PBS has a N/P Foundation where they are probably hiding the monies. The IRS is onto these non-profits, and is investigating them as we type.

Moreover, the IRS, FCC and SEC might determine whether PBS' corporate contributors--or individuals posing as corporate contributors--misused corporate reserve accounts, concealed losses, inflated asset values and improperly accounted for transactions, as well as deferring profits into reserve accounts, improperly shifting capital funding to other projects to hide illegal contributions, and so on.


The IRS, FCC and SEC might determine whether PBS business donors booked proper accounting procedures for the activities, whether they were inflating costs, and using income for the purposes stated.

We need to know the extent to which PBS donors engaged in Enron-style accounting and spending practices........and whether Global Crossing stock deals ala Terry McAuliffe took place.


Any of these practices could jeopardize the financial interests of stockholders and would compel the SEC to step in. EMAIL SEC here: enforcement@SEC.gov

Anyone with concerns about these issues should contact the
FCC. Links to contact FCC principals:
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:eApUxAiR3RwJ:www.fcc.gov/contacts.html

[Brilliant]

Liquidate PBS. They can sell the children's characters to CBS, which would dramatically improve CBS's line up, and then PBS would be completely obsolete, and ready to be shut down. They could use the proceeds from those sales to reimburse the taxpayer for some of the subsidies they've received over the years.

[Psalm 73]

"....PBS holds behind its back is their children's characters are worth millions a year in licensing fees...."

I have always wondered - if these shows (Sesame Street, Arthur, etc,) are so popular (and they are) then why do we need to support them with tax dollars?
Surely they can (and do) generate enough advertising revenue to pay their own way.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

As a matter of fact, they do. Congress has long known (and a couple of tell-all books have been published) about the self-dealing that goes on at PBS and NPR. In the Twin Cities, the GM of the local public radio station rakes in more than a half million dollars annually from merchandise sold over his "non-profit" station.

[Erik Latranyi]

"If conservative Republicans had their way, there would be no "public" anything."

My response:

If liberal Democrats had their way, there would be no "private" anything.

[martin_fierro]

I rarely miss Brit Hume's Special Report on Fox. I've become used to the sharp, tough questionssed on that broadcast, both by Hume and others.

Tuned in to PBS's News Hour last night and watched an interview conducted by Ray Suarez (like Geraldo, but without the flair). Could not believe what I was hearing. His questions were for the most part STUPID.

An example (not a direct quote): "Why is it important to catch the perpetrators of the London bombings?"

Defund PBS NOW.

[martin_fierro]

See for yourself here (first link: "The Challenges of Fighting Terrorism")

[Grampa Dave]

Where PBS is so dangerous, is many of the lies/, mantras and hate GW crap of the street rats, comes from PBS. The rat believers treat the hate talk from PBS as gospel.

[Fedora]

Thanks. BTW that reminds me, when I was looking up stuff on the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation's funding of socialized health care, it mentioned they were a big funder of PBS programs on that topic. I think I also noticed they or another left-wing philanthropy had someone on the PBS board of directors c. 1970, but I can't remember who at the moment.

[Calpernia]

And again

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1438908/posts?page=33#33

[nutmeg]

FoxFan ping!

Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.

[SevenofNine]

SHUT UP PBS only good thing for is Animals shows, Masterpiece theatre, and Brit comedies that is

[jayhorn]

PBS has, up to now, been recognized throughout the world as representing the greatness of the United States of America: unbiased, nonpolitical freedom of speech and expression by the citizens, the epitome of a democracy.

Where to begin?

A) No one I've ever met abroad has ever heard of PBS.

B) PBS is hardly unbiased, nor nonpolitical.

C) The greatness of America is the freedom from government to have the opportunity to make the most of one's talents. At least it was before nimrods like this inflicted socialism on this country.

People this confused about our republic should not be allowed to vote.

[Alamo-Girl]

Thanks for the ping!

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.