Hands off of PBS!

[cynatnite]

For most of my life PBS has been one of the few constant networks that's I've watched without fail. As an adult I've contributed and supported PBS over the years which I will continue to do.

When Kenneth Tomlinson, former chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, was trying to change the very nature of the network I wrote letters and made phone calls outraged at the interference. He had a vendetta against Bill Moyers...one of the finest reporters today. It didn't take long for that asshole to resign...Tomlinson that is.

PBS only gets 15-20% of it's funding from federal and state government. The majority of it comes from the public. PBS raises money like crazy and I'm proud to be a contributer.

Here are some of the shows:

Fine arts (Great Performances, Live from the Met, Live from Lincoln Center, and Evening at Pops)
Drama (Mystery!, American Playhouse, and Masterpiece Theatre)
Science (Nova and Scientific American Frontiers)
History (American Experience)
Public affairs (Frontline, NOW, The Newshour with Jim Lehrer, Nightly Business Report)
Independent films (P.O.V., and Independent Lens)

Now, this isn't even a full listing nor does it include the fantastic children's programming.

On any show, fiction or nonfiction, a person cannot nor should they expect it to be exactly to their specifications. There is no way a two hour show, even a two-parter, can include everything. There was a lot Frontline didn't cover, but I don't expect it to. There is only so much time they have to tell the story. We can however express our concerns, anger or whatever to the producers.

The point I'm making with all this is that PBS and Frontline is not Faux News. They're not shills for the bush administration...most especially after that fantastic Frontline ep about Cheney. Now, that was impressive. It may be helpful to look through Frontline's programming over the last few years.

PBS provides a valuable public service and shows like Frontline hold to high journalistic standards that is rare in today's world. We may not always agree or we may feel more should be done, but that does not diminish the fact that PBS has continued to educate, inform, entertain and enlighten as it always has done throughout the years.

All I ask is that progressives keep all this in mind before trashing PBS or Frontline for not including a small slice of bush's war. Thanks:)

[frebrd]

1. K&R n/m

[Eagle_Eye]

2. Newt Gingrich tried repeatedly to kill PBS

The republicans know that PBS is operating so close to the financial margins, that even a reduction of 15-20% of it's funding from the government would silence this important service.

So far the good people of this country are winning, let us all do our part to keep it that way.

[ThomWV]

3. K&R - its not perfect by a long shot but it is the best we have

And when I say its the best we have that includes Link.

And by the way, that Frontline show broadcast this past monday and tuesday was probably the best televison show produced yet on the subject of Bush's war against Iraq.

[bdamomma]

4. the ony way to save PBS is through donations from the Public.

Excellent programming on PBS must continue to inform the public and we all know alot of people need it.

[KharmaTrain]

5. PBS Is A Nation Treasure

In addition to the quality programming, they've been a leader in the development of digital and HD TV...Nova and Nature look awesome!!

Frontline has been the best news program on TV for years and NOW and Moyers add to that coverage. Tomlinson tried to mess with the CPB and PBS and failed miserably...and now, hopefully, the Democratic House will protect this national gem (like they did in the 80s).

I did withhold supporting the Chicago PBS station for a couple years. One main reason was they had cut back on local programming and then hired a yuppie asshat to host their nightly news show. When this bastard endorsed booooosh on the air, the station got a nasty letter instead of a contribution. Fortunately he was fired and I'm a proud member again.

Cheers...

[lonestarnot]

6. PBS lives!

and they rock too! :applause:

[Christian30]

7. Agreed.

PBS isn't perfect. In fact, I work for a PBS show. But Frontline in particular has consistently peered deeply into the evils of the Bush administration. I think we err when we assume that the American public (not well-read and having little memory) retains the facts that we political junkies do.

About a year ago, Frontline did a series called "News Wars" that looked at the dumbing down and corporatizing of the American media. That alone is worth being a PBS contributor.

[cynatnite]

8. "News Wars" was an excellent program...

Watched it more than once.

Come to think of it, I watched a lot of the Frontline episodes more than once.

[orleans]

9. why are we not allowed to criticize the content of bush's war on frontline?

i love my family but i still criticize when i feel it is warranted.

why so sensitive about this?

i look at it as constructive criticism -- something the bush administration has never allowed. so why are you so defensive over this show last night and today?

[cynatnite]

11. Some criticism was directed at PBS itself...

for what was not included in the programming.

It's one thing to complain about the content of a show, but an entirely different matter when PBS and the makers of Frontline are accused of being biased in favor of the bush administration regardless of the journalistic integrity that's been so consistent in the past. That's what I read in another thread and the reason for this post.

[Uncle Joe]

10. I agree with everything you said except the part about criticizing, I see a danger in not doing so.

If you don't, this will allow the Republicans to have the only critical voice, and when that happens the dynamic pulls the medium toward the right. This goes to the squeaky wheel gets the grease syndrome. I believe this is in large part as to why the American People have been brain washed in to believing the myth of the "liberal media," when in fact the corporate media's primary concern is the promotion of corporate supremacy at the expense of the American People.

[cynatnite]

13. That is not what I was saying...

I agree in point to some of what you're saying, but I don't see it as applying in this instance. This isn't a case of slanted coverage that many in corporate media are guilty of. The complaints I've read has been mostly about not including other issues...not how the show was presented.

It's fair to be critical as to how one sees fit, but I didn't feel that the criticisms directed at PBS and the makers of Frontline was fair.

[Uncle Joe]

14. Then by all means I believe you should have the right to criticize the critics, I would

just suggest for you to be more specific as to your criticism of the critics so that we can base our criticism of your criticism in more a just way and you won't feel the need to criticize our criticism of your criticism of the critics of PBS, Frontline or anybody else. :)

[NNN0LHI]

12. About the time everyone thought the NYT was great they led us into an illegal and odious occupation

This isn't the America you once thought it was.

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Don