Free Press posted the audio and video files of Bill Moyers’ speech at the close of the National Conference for Media Reform in St. Louis. So many people went to the Free Press site to hear Bill Moyers' speech that our web server slowed to a crawl. As a result, many couldn’t download the speech. It's an important speech that cuts to the core of the problems of American media. I was there in the front row and am making it now available to you. To learn more, follow this link:
Moyers Fights for the Soul of PBS
And take action at Free Press to end Kenneth Tomlinson's partisan reign.
3 comments:
Thanks to Free Press for offering this important opportunity. What must be emphasized is this measure, to oust Tomlinson, is not a rallying cry of a political ideology to protect Bill Moyers or Big Bird or any other PBS personality. It is a measure to protect public broadcasting as an institution, and as an unfettered and independent source of quality programming and journalism. As a PBS supporter, I act here today, but as a PBS viewer I encourage anyone and everyone to demand an unmitigated PBS. Tomlinson must go, not because of his political ideology, but because of his atrocious and dangerous decisions.
It is not only PBS that suffers under the CPB's efforts to foist a "fascist" agenda on public broadcasting. NPR local and community radio stations, under PBS and CPB have been supported by direct grants, many of which could be curtailed by this agenda. Access to programs such as Democracy Now and other perceived liberal sources would be cut off from the bulk of this country's listenership, who do not have independently financed community owned stations. It is only a matter of time before the CPB discovers that Prairie Home Companion is a dangerously communist program.
The Facts are The Facts, no matter who is embarrassed or affected by them. It is the legal duty of PBS and NPR to report on the facts without concern for the consequences to any political party (required by the Public Broadcasting Act).
Factual news stories that report on events that are alleged to have happened and verified by multiple sources or evidence can never be considered to have a liberal or conservative bias.
Opinion shows are a different matter entirely. Opinions are expected to be biased towards the point of view of the speaker.
If Kenneth Tomlinson and the Republicans in congress want "Balance" in opinions on PBS then they should be given exactly what they are asking for.
If every speaker and statement of opinion on every PBS news and opinion show is evaluated and every conservative speaker or minute of conservative opinion is required to be balanced by a liberal speaker or minute of liberal opinion and vice versa, the conservatives will have screaming fits since they currently enjoy a better than 3 to 2 bias in favor of conservative speakers and opinions.
Post a Comment