Republican will be new CPB president (death of PBS)

[Lochloosa]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8333144/
The Associated Press
Updated: 1:45 p.m. ET June 23, 2005WASHINGTON - The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, already embroiled in controversy over allegations of a liberal-leaning bias in PBS programming, chose a former Republican Party co-chairman Thursday as its president and chief executive.

Patricia S. Harrison, the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs, was selected following three days of closed-door meetings by the corporation’s board of directors.

<snip>

In a letter to Tomlinson, Sens. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., and others expressed dismay at the expected appointment of Harrison.

“We find it astonishing that Ms. Harrison, given her former prominence as a partisan political figure, would even be considered as a candidate for a job that demands that the occupant be non-political,” the senators said in their letter.

[meegbear]

1. Goodbye Elmo!

[stevedeshazer]

22. EEEEKKK!!!

That pic says it all.

[Javaman]

26. The gospel according to Elmo...

"Hi, I'm cute and cuddly Elmo, ha ha ha, hiya kids! today we talk god, yeah, as in the allllll mighty, ha ha ha, can you say amen? that's ay-men, I know you could, ha ha ha otherwise you will burn in hell and never see your parents again! ha ha ha! I love you too!"

[jojo54]

2. So then, does this mean that very shortly

Big Bird and Grover will be singing "onward christian soldiers"?

[SaveElmer]

3. Cut their funding...

I don't really care anymore...I already let them know that since they were simply going to become another cog in the right wing media machine, they could no longer count on my contribution.

[wtbymark]

4. this is a heated battle RIGHT NOW....

and you want to give up and quit?
On behalf of Vermont Public Television
Thanks a lot - buddy NOT!

[SaveElmer]

17. Until they reverse their decision...

To appoint Bush cronies to be in charge, I don;t want them funded. I will fight to get this reversed, I will not pay them to put out their progaganda!!!

[mopinko]

20. my reluctant decision as well

not gonna polish the straps on my own electric chair.

[AllyCat]

14. Call your reps now!!!

Just called Tammy Baldwin and the staffer said they are debating PBS NOW. They need to hear from you! They won't know what their constituents think if we don't call them! Don't give up!

[liberal N proud]

5. Poll on the page: Is the Bush administration playing politics

Is the Bush administration playing politics with the Corporation for Public Broadcasting? * 214 responses


Yes, this is payback
93%

No, they're just making needed changes
7%
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/8333256/

[Lochloosa]

13. Thanks Proud...missed that one

:toast:

[rocktivity]

16. "Yes, this is payback?" Why not just "Yes"?

What's with MSNBC pre-supposing that there's something to be paid back FOR??? So much for being fair and balanced.

But seriously, folks, this is just another example of the Bush empire not caring what people think. They want someone who has shown contempt for the UN to be its ambassador; now they want the leader of a political commitee to ensure that PBS is fair and balanced.

:headbang:
rocknation

[DeepModem Mom]

6. One of my kids was in tears this morning...

watching the news coverage of all this, and remembering beloved TV friends from her earliest years. Shame on these killers of enlightenment and joy.

[mahina]

11. Bill Moyers said to call, write and fax CPB demanding they air Amy Goodman

's Democracy Now. She interviewed him yesterday, it should still be up on the site. He said that nowhere on public broadcasting could we find news she gives, (paraphrasing here) saying the regular news is censored. He mentioned the full hour program given to the Wall Street Journal, plus Wall Street Week. Speaking for myself I LOATHE seeing *ucker Carlson on PBS, just can't turn it off fast enough after NOW.
What else to do till they are gone? They could really destroy this thing that took so long to build and could not be built now. There is no word bad enough to call them.

[DemBeans]

7. what a crock of horseshit...

MSNBC just vomits up Republican talking points as "news"...

embroiled in controversy over allegations of a liberal-leaning bias in PBS programming..."

Absolute, utter, complete bullshit, another incarnation of the myth of the "liberal" media.

[HuckleB]

10. Exactly.

A real reporter would, at the very least, write "unsubstantiated, politically motivated allegations of liberal-leaning bias...."

[Oversea Visitor]

8. PICKET IT

NO MORE MEDIA CURTAIN

[maxsolomon]

9. its over. NPR is dead. PBS has been dead for a while.

bill moyers & frontline were the last vestiges of thoughtful television left. they are the first on the chopping block.

long live pacifica!

[katty]

24. Yup, fini - going underground

[KansDem]

12. Uh-oh! Bring on the WalMart commercials...

I mean the real ones, not the mention of WalMart in features on "Morning Edition" like a couple of months ago when NPR did a feature on a small town in California whose water supply turned poisonous. WalMart was mentioned during the story as one who donated bottled water to the residents. Oh, and WalMart also underwrote the half hour the story appeared in.

But now the facade of non-commercialism and be completely eliminated and we can have an NPR/FOX-like "Good Morning! Edition" to keep us informed.

[mom cat]

15. and welcome to Pentagon Broarcasting System

Get behind indy media...It is all we have left!

[TroglodyteScholar]

18. It's time...

Time for everyone to write to PBS and tell them exactly why they won't see any more checks from us.

Despite its rightward trajectory, I've given generously to my local Public Broadcasting stations -- simply because it's STILL head-and-shoulders above everything else on the airwaves in Macon, GA. If any of you decide to stop donating, please make sure you write a letter that explains why.

Maybe they'll get the message.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

27. That's what they want

They know that -- by and large -- it's Democrats and left-leaning types who make the majority of the contributions during pledge drives. And they know that once NPR and PBS are skewed towards the right, these sources of funding will dry up.

All this leads to -- no more PBS or NPR. Which is evidently a goal of the Bush admin.

I'm not saying that I still want to contribute, but I think that one of the admin's goals is to ensure that private funding dries up. There has to be some sort of happy medium with respect to donations. I just don't know what it is.

(I have some friends who work for NPR, and they are broken up over this whole business.)

[dbt]

19. Does she have ANY broadcasting experience?

Google turns up an article or two that refers to "no public broadcasting experience," but I wonder if she's ever run any sort of TV network.

[Redleg]

21. Conservative bias is all right since 51% of the country reportedly voted

for Bush.

[katty]

23. Rightwing cockroaches keep devouring Public infrastructures

They can't wait to launch the Bolton bomb on the UN...witness these ceaseless attacks and collapse of the public trust across the board.
the Rabid right are just loving every moment of this.

[second edition]

25. Well, I won't be donating any longer!

I never believed the Public Broadcasting System was liberally biased. This is just an attempt by the repubs to control all messages being sent out to the public. I'm not paying for repub garbage. Public Broadcasting offered arts,entertainment,Educational Children's programing,documentaries and real journalism. Republicans support none of these things. Just let them try and solicit money off of me. No way. They aren't going to get me to support mediocrity.

[Kikosexy2]

28. Time to boycott..

PBS...write Ms. Harrison and let them know CPB will not have your support until she and Tomlinson resign or are fired!