WP: Major GOP Donor Favored as Next Corp. for Public Broadcasting Chairman

[DeepModem Mom]

Major GOP Donor Favored as Next CPB Chairman

By Paul Farhi
Washington Post Staff Writer
Friday, July 15, 2005; Page C01


A leading Republican donor who once suggested that public broadcasting journalists should be penalized for biased programs is the top candidate to succeed the controversial chairman at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to people at CPB and others in public broadcasting.

Cheryl F. Halpern, who was appointed to the CPB board by President Bush three years ago, is in line to replace Kenneth Y. Tomlinson as the head of the agency that distributes federal funds to noncommercial radio and TV stations and serves as a buffer between public broadcasting and politicians seeking to influence its news reporting and programming.

Tomlinson's second one-year term expires in September and he cannot be reappointed. He has stirred debate in recent months by contending that programs carried by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR) favor liberal views. He has spearheaded an effort to address the issue, amid denials of bias by NPR and PBS officials.

Halpern, a lawyer and real-estate developer in New Jersey, is a close ally of Tomlinson's and is part of the five-member Republican majority that controls the CPB board (Democrats hold three seats, one of which is vacant). Halpern's association with Tomlinson stretches back more than a decade, to when both were on the board of the agency that oversees the federal government's international broadcasting services, such as Voice of America and Radio Free Europe....

***

Halpern's political activity and confirmation-hearing comments could make her elevation to chairman as controversial as CPB's recent hiring of its new president, Patricia Harrison, a former co-chairman of the Republican National Committee. The appointment of Harrison last month touched off allegations of partisanship by public broadcasting executives, as well as calls by Democrats for Tomlinson's resignation and for an investigation by CPB's inspector general. The inspector general said this week that he has launched such a probe....


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/14/AR2005071402099.html

[Gloria]

1. It just gets suckier and suckier, doesn't it???

A real estate from NJ....having escaped 5 years ago, I'm sure Halpern has done a great deal to preserve NJ's natural beauty/environment....

[drhilarius]

2. I can already see the new PBS motto he'd put in place...

God made Bert and Erin, not Bert and Ernie!

[Erika]

4. and check all programming thru Falwell & Roberts

Pink teletubbies and Square Bob are truly, truly, evil and PBS, under Bush should not condone them. He wants theocracy to reign in this country and save them.

Now Falwell and Roberts have investments in Diamond mines in South Africa where child labor is common and corruption runs wild, but they keep their mouths shut on those issues. They have their priorities, and personal greed is on the top.

[DeepModem Mom]

6. Good one! Also see post #3. nt

[Endangered Specie]

3. Wont be long and it'll be "All Things Conservative"

and "Mr. Bushs Neighborhood"

[Erika]

5. All things conservative translates to condemnaition of the poor

Under Bush, conservatism means the reverse Robin Hood. Squeeze the poor to profit the rich. That is Bush's policy.

[DeepModem Mom]

7. Good one! Also see post #2. nt