Democrats Demand that Bush Fire CPB's Tomlinson

[dogday]

WASHINGTON, June 22: The rancor over political partisanship in U.S. public broadcasting heated up, with 16 Democratic senators calling for President Bush to dismiss Kenneth Tomlinson as head of the Corporation for Pubic Broadcasting because of concerns that he has "actively undermined the nonparitisan, nonprofit corporation."

The senators' statement said in part, "We urge you to immediately replace Mr. Tomlinson with an executive who takes his or her responsibility to the public television system seriously, not one who so seriously undermines the credibility and mission of public television."

The letter comes on the heels of a series of negative reports about Tomlinson, including the disclosure that he hired a researcher to monitor the political leanings of guests on Now, the public policy program hosted by Bill Moyers. Tomlinson also established a controversial ombudsman's office to scrutinize the political content public television and radio programs, and approved payments to two Republican lobbyists. The reports are being investigated by CPB's inspector general.

The Senators' letter added that Tomlinson has concealed public polls that indicate widespread support for PBS as a fair and balanced source of news, and accused him of nominating a highly partisan individual to head PBS: former Republican National Committee chairman Patricia Harrison

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