Must Flee TV: GOP on PBS

[raysr]

They've stolen PBS!! No more good concerts.


Conservatives have long warned us that someday the commissars of political correctness are going to take over in Washington and impose their opinions on us with our own tax dollars. What they didn’t tell us is that they would become those commissars, and that their politically correct orthodoxy would be the Republican Party line—as they are now proving at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
http://www.observer.com/pages/conason.asp

[unblock]

1. "no english word is adequate [for this] kind of hypocrisy"

sure there is. the word you're looking for, mr. conason, is "republican".

[cprise]

2. PBS was always awful in the news department.

In fact, they are anti-news. They break no big stories themselves. And then we get to see on Frontline all the awful stuff that happened... after it is too late.

PBS has always been controlled by funding from the (politically-endowed) CPB, commercial sponsors, and well-heeled individuals. That is not "public" funding. It doesn't really serve the interests of the people in the most important sense.

[Toucano]

6. There should be "pre-emptive" news?

A function of the news is to report "what happened" which requires it to "happen" before it's reported.

Aside from that, your characterization of "Frontline" is grossly inaccurate. They covered the "Secret History of the Credit Card" weeks before the Senate voted on the bankruptcy reform bill and aired it again before the House vote.

They frequently cover ongoing problems that don't have the spotlight of the mainstream media.

They covered the crisis in the criminal justice system related to plea bargaining in "The Plea". That's an ongoing crisis.

In "The Soldier's Heart", they uncovered the challenges and troubles facing veterans returning from Iraq. It's an ongoing problem.

They reported on "Israel's Next War?" and challenges to the peace plan. It's an ongoing and future problem.

Finally, "The Choice 2004" did air before the election, so the contrast between Kerry and Bush couldn't have been clearer and there was ample time for people to do something about it.

Their value is in reporting neglected and meaningful stories in depth.

You'll notice no Scott Peterson coverage, no Paula Abdul exposes, no fear mongering over the latest child abduction. It's one of the most responsible and accurate news programs in the world.

[catmandu57]

9. Frontline redeemed themselves

in my eyes this last year, I'd hate to see them muzzled.

[salib]

3. So. What does one do?

Stop contributing to my local PBS station? I still like Nova, but I assume words like "global" and "warming" will never again be allowed on the same episode. Imagine something like Cosmos allowed on at this point! No way.

[shoelace414]

4. billions and billion of years old..

oops.. I meant six thousand

[Kerrytravelers]

5. As species evole... oopp... as God created them...

[Truth__Seeker]

7. Keep your friends close, your enemies closer...

Its more palatable than watching the cable channels, no yelling.

[triguy46]

8. PBS has been dead in the water for years...

They are now trying to come up with some cooking shows to compete with cable/satellite offerings. They aren't even close.

But as long as there are Lawrence Welk reruns to show, there will be a place for public broadcasting.

Give it up and channel surf over to Free Speech TV, offered on Dish Network. Excellent array of programming,including Amy G. , Queer TV, and Democracy Now.

[Hamlette]

10. they called for a donation yesterday, I told them PBS used to be

my alternative to propaganda like Fox and now they are becoming just like Fox. I told them to get their money from the right wing, I will donate no more.

I thought it would feel good but it pissed me off. Now there is nothing. (Although there was a good global warming show on last night. Probably the last.)