WNET to Return $3.5 Million Grant for Pension Series

[alp227]

Last edited Fri Feb 14, 2014, 10:29 PM - Edit history (1)

Source: NY Times

WNET, the New York City public television broadcaster, said on Friday that it would return a $3.5 million grant it received to sponsor an ambitious project on public pensions in the face of charges that it solicited inappropriate underwriting for the series.

In the absence of the funding from the Laura and John Arnold Foundation, the project, called “Pension Peril,” will go on hiatus, although WNET will continue to report on the topic. The series, which began in September, was examining the economic sustainability of public pensions.

Earlier, after a critical report on Wednesday by David Sirota on the website PandoDaily, WNET officials said they were comfortable with the foundation’s funding. Mr. Sirota sharply criticized WNET for accepting the Arnold Foundation money because John Arnold, a former hedge fund manager, has financially backed efforts to persuade municipalities to cut public employee pension benefits. On its website, the foundation said that for three years it “has encouraged governments to face the true magnitude of their pension problems and to develop structural reforms that are comprehensive, sustainable and fair.”

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/15/business/media/wnet-to-return-3-5-million-grant-for-pension-series.html

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Sirota on "The Thom Hartmann Program" today

[Eleanors38]

1. But Koch like science, you know?

[BodieTown]

2. Billionaire BLOOD Money

I'm happy to hear this, but WNET/PBS is now scarred by right-wing blood money.

Still refusing to watch PBS Nova anymore, not as long as the other billionaire blood money is associated with it.

[KoKo]

3. Oh My! This is really Important. I read Sirota's Article...and

assumed like all revelations of disgusting behavior these days that his article would go NOWHERE.

But...this is really interesting..and Thank You, David Sirota!

From the Statement:

Late Friday, the PBS ombudsman, Michael Getler, weighed in, saying Mr. Sirota’s article shined a light on “what seems to me to be ethical compromises in funding arrangements and lack of real transparency for viewers.”

[alp227]

4. Added Thom Hartmann interview w/Sirota in OP nt

[FairWinds]

5. Meanwhile, those cowards at PBS . .

are refusing to broadcast the award winning documentary (which they already partially paid for!!)
by Adam Horowitz - about the abuse of the Marshall Islands and their people
by the nuclear weapons death establishment.
http://www.nuclearsavage.com/#!filmmaker
Please join me in calling out PBS on this outrage . .
Full disclosure - I have no connection whatsoever with Adam or the documentary
other than admiring its quality.
[I moved this important post here because the other one was a dupe.]

[SharonAnn]

6. Wow! Good reporting causes change!