CPB Czar fails to disclose $15,000 payments to GOP lobbyists to CPB Board

[BurtWorm]

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/16/politics/16broadcast.html?ei=5094&en=02dcdebd6ba03122&hp=&ex=1118980800&partner=homepage&pagewanted=print


Lobbyists' Role for Public TV Is Investigated
By STEPHEN LABATON

WASHINGTON, June 15 - Investigators at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting are examining $15,000 in payments to two Republican lobbyists last year that were not disclosed to the corporation's board, people involved in the inquiry said on Wednesday.

One of the lobbyists was retained at the direction of the corporation's Republican chairman, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, they said, and the other at the suggestion of his Republican predecessor, who remains on the board.

The investigators, in the corporation's inspector general's office, are also examining $14,170 in payments made under contracts - which Mr. Tomlinson took the unusual step of signing personally, also without the knowledge of board members - with a man in Indiana who provided him with reports about the political leanings of guests on the "Now" program when its host was Bill Moyers.

While the amounts of the contracts are relatively small, the issues they pose are part of a broader examination by the inspector general of Mr. Tomlinson's efforts to bring what he says is more political balance to public television and radio and what critics say is political interference in programming.

[salin]

1. remember the hullaballo about the senate memo on how to politicize

Schaivo's situation? The staffer who got fired from Sen. Martinez's staff for that memo? That is one of the lobbyists who got paid without the Board's knowledge.

[salin]

2. and what was he paid for?

to determine the political climate (and how to exploit it) around the issue before congress to expand the Board (or change the representation) to include more representation from local radio and tv stations - you know - those who represent the folks who pay the bulk of the costs (through donations) to Public Broadcasting. The Board wanted the expansion - the WhiteHouse and Tomlinson didn't (duh!) - and the WH and Tomlinson won.

[BurtWorm]

3. Small Republican world.

:eyes:

[izzie]

4. Guess the GOP wants every one to think as they do.

I am waiting for them to go for the INTERNET. First corp. will have to see how they can milk every one on it for cash.If the tax payers set this up I am sure it will be handed over to some big corp.

[Deja Q]

5. Infiltrate and destroy.

CPB is the only bastion of freedom remaining, in terms of news that is. The repukes hate that, hence their desire to (a) bring in more repuke propaganda and if that fails, (b) nix subsidies entirely.

(but I will say, why can't CPB put a royalty on those oversold puppets?)

[Bonhomme Richard]

6. I would love to know why Pres. Clinton..................

appointed the SOB to the board in 2000? From what I read, that is the case.

[BurtWorm]

7. kick