“Last November, members of the Association of Public Television Stations met in Baltimore along with officials from the corporation and PBS. Mr. Tomlinson told them they should make sure their programming better reflected the Republican mandate.” Perturbed primarily by Bill Moyers’ Now, Dubya flunky and CPB chairman Kenneth Tomlinson cites objectivity and balance in his attempt to FOX-ify PBS.
Perhaps someone should explain to Tomlinson that many people don’t think of journalistic “objectivity” or “balance” as finding the exact median between the left and whatever loony garbage the far-right is spouting on a given issue, but in holding up political rhetoric of both parties to pesky little things called “facts.” (Hence, the reality-based community.)
I am glad to see that this is being realised. I couldn’t believe it a few months ago when I stumbled upon some show on the Shroud of Turin (enough already!) with such a silly religious slant it would have been funny… had it not been on PBS. We sent a letter to PBS stating that we aren’t going to watch (and aren’t going to pay) if this is what they plan to do with the money.
funny how Tomlinson is now trying to flex his muscles when it comes to the CPB and PBS. just a year ago he was against so-called corporate execs controlling public broadcasting: http://thinkprogress.org/index.php?p=835. Total hypocrite!