Posted on 11/30/2005 6:19:21 PM PST by new yorker 77
After being caught in a storm over political influence at PBS, a weekly talk show featuring members of the Wall Street Journal editorial staff is shifting to Fox News Channel.
It was the "Journal Editorial Report" that was cited last month by an internal investigator at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting when he accused the CPB's former chairman, Kenneth Tomlinson, of meddling in PBS programming to promote a conservative agenda.
The last PBS edition of the conservative-leaning talk show anchored by Journal editorial page editor Paul Gigot will air on Friday. A new season will start on Fox News Channel on Saturdays in January.
Fox News approached Journal executives about making the move several months ago, before release of the report by CPB inspector general Kenneth Konz that accused Tomlinson of violating ethical standards by dealing directly with Journal staffers. The CPB helps fund PBS but is not supposed to be involved in programming decisions.
Bill Shine, Fox senior vice president of programming, said Fox was drawn to the show because it is an interesting, well-produced show likely to draw an affluent audience — always a plus for television advertisers.
When the show became a subject of a political battle over PBS, he said he figured some people would suggest Fox, with a Republican-dominated audience, was welcoming the "Journal Editorial Report" to make a point.
"I've been dealing with issues like that for nine years, and after four or five years it rolls off your back," Shine said.
Gigot said that Fox chief Roger Ailes and his team "have proven they can attract viewers with serious news programming and commentary. I look forward to working with them to make the `Journal Editorial Report' part of their successful lineup."
The Journal, in an editorial that ran last month after it announced it would no longer work with PBS on the show, said the "Journal Editorial Report" had been blackballed by some of the largest PBS stations.
PBS stations in eight of the top 30 markets didn't run the show at all, and four ran it in the middle of the night, the Journal said. On PBS, local stations determine their own schedules, not the network as a whole.
"Suffice it to say we know how Mr. Tomlinson must feel as he reads the stories about his profound influence over PBS," the Journal said. "The reality is just the opposite."
Stephanie Aaronson, spokeswoman for PBS, wished the "Journal Editorial Report" well. "It was a privilege working with them," she said.
Copyright © 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. The information contained in the AP News report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written authority of The Associated Press.
Yessss!
Finally something worth watching on FNC besides Britt?
Wait, that can't be right. There IS NO political influence at PBS.
Isn't that what Bill Moyers said?
The government has GOT to stop funding PBS. They can be as liberal as they like, but not on OUR dollar.
Glad to see this. Thanks for the post. Can't wait till it goes back on air in January. Hooray for Fox! Again!
I would love to see a show on Fox, that does nothing other than pick apart the various polls, showing what the questions were, where polled, etc (how could they get such info?) and THEN sponsor their OWN polls, showing exactly how and what was asked, etc. Might educate some people. Might come up with how crooked some of the "pollsters" are,how the Dems are using them, once again, to shape public opinion, even when they are losing elections.
Wouldn't it be unfunny if the Dems, now realizing that they are losing judicial influence as well as electoral influence, are turning to "polls" to drive their agenda?
Yessireee, no political bias at PBS. Uh-huh.
The Journal reported detials of this divorce a week or so ago on the editorial page. (It may be on OpinionJournal.com, I dunno.) It is an outrage, really, showing how unaccountable PBS is. This is related to the ouster of Kenneth Y. Tomlinson.
Please FReepmail me if you want on or off my FoxFan list. *Warning: This can be a high-volume ping list at times.
I knew James Taranto, the voice of opinionjournal.com, when he was a user on my BBS in the last 1980s. A bit of a brush with fame, before we knew it would happen.
He came on my system as "THE BOOD" and wrote a mix of very rude and very insightful posts. I liked him. Of course he shared my poltical views, and it looks like as my views have shifted over time his have shifted in about the same way. I'm very pleased that he managed to get what just about anybody would have thought would be his dream job. I hope he's very happy with it.
I dropped him a line once when I realized "Hey, I knew this guy!" but never heard back from him. Pity.
D
PS Ambrose, you can ping any other ex-DABBS users who might be wandering around here.
" ... PBS. They can be as liberal as they like, but not on OUR dollar."
Dittttoooooo. Is it impossible to get a report on their tax funding? Aren't they "non-profit" and because of that, we taxpayers CAN get a hold of their funding records??? I have heard, over the years, that that is an impossibility. Say it ain't so.
It will be nice to see Varney, Gigot and Dorothy Rabinowitz together again.
God, I hope they don't stick it in that Saturday morning business block. Those programs have become so annoying....
My local PBS station had "Journal Editorial Report" on at 2 AM last week. If it weren't for TIVO it would be hard to prove how unbiased and balanced PBS has become. (/sarcasm off)
Hey M. Working on homework?
I used to see them on CNBC, I think, and I liked their reasoning, and I especially like the perspective of Dan Henninger. Always seemed well founded.
They will be an asset to FNC.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.