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Our CEO at Vermont Public Television invited us to respond to an article in NYT by Peggy Noonan forwarded by Kenneth Tomlinson, here's my response:
Hi John - I am going to send this to Mr. Tomlinson, I am waiting for your approval as to it's content pertaining to being an employee here.
In regards to Ms. Noonan's article,
If by liberal, Ms. Noonan means (as in science programs) opening the mind to new ideas that challenge conventional wisdom, then by all means the country, and the world, should embrase, discuss and debate. If by liberal, Ms. Noonan means finding new answers to old problems, then by all means the world should embrace it. In my view, PBS has evolved throughout it's existance, to ask new questions, to find new answers, weather it be in the manner of innovative ways to help teach children or educating adults on the reality of their existance. If this as viewed as an "evil liberal view", then so be it. The definition of being conservative is to not push the envelope, to stay or return to the way things were done. This has never been PBS's mission. Programs such as Ready to Learn are designed to be innovative and look for new ways to challenge the mind.
Programming, such as 'Now' and 'Frontline' taught millions of viewers about the facts of genocide in Ruwanda, in depth reporting of the Palistinean/Isreali conflict, about the plight of STD/AIDS in africa. The major networks only have time to cover these subjects with a blurb in their evening news. Otherwise, 'their' programming consists of mindless entertainment like 'Freinds' or 'American Idol'. At PBS, we like to challenge minds, that's why I work here.
Current issues is why there is a present attack on the programming from PBS. Bill Moyers is not a left wing radical - he is a concerned citizen. He is concerned with the social welfare of the people on our planet. It is obvious that the current administration doesn't hold the social welfare of its constituants in high regard given the attenpts to dismantle every social program put into place in the 20th century. Just because Bill Moyers points out this fact is why you, Mr. Tomlinson, have been placed into your position by the president. I (as an employee of VPT and a member of DU) know your job and that job is to dismantle any organization that doesn't regurgitate GOP talking points as fact (in which they are far from). Why else did you refuse to sit with Bill Moyers and discuss this, because you know that Bill is correct in his assesment and that you are a cog in the GOP nightmare. My father was a republican, but not your kind. My mother is a DAR, my family settled here 80 years before this was a country, and quite frankly I am disgusted with what has happened to this country in the past 35 years, mainly due to an over zealous republican party and half of the democrats that go along with your ideal of social Darwinism.
You are right Mr. Tomlinson, things are changing. It has yet to be seen who is on the right side of history, but the writing's on the wall and your name's not listed.
Quite sincerely,
Mark W. Materne B.A.ph., B.A.music
WETK, Vermont Public Television
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