Sesame Streetfight, <em>"B" is for Bias</em>

Granddaddy Long Legs ^

[cchandler]

It's time to set the record straight about Kenneth Tomlinson and his role at the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB). Ken is under fire for having hired a consultant to assess the political slant of the television and radio stations that receive public funds from CPB. He found that some news shows on PBS & NPR have a liberal tilt, and expressed that opinion and commentary should at least be clarified so that it is not confused with facts. He further enraged supporters of the public broadcasting status quo by endorsing Patricia Harrison, a former co-chair of the Republican National Committee (RNC), to be the new CPB President.

I've enjoyed following this story because, in many ways, the mainstream media has proven Mr. Tomlinson's point. The more they depict him as an evil villain, the more they show their true colors. For instance, an AP article titled, PBS embroiled in political fray/Republican says public television has liberal slant, explained that: Democratic lawmakers worry that Tomlinson is angling to turn public TV into a spokesman for the GOP -- contrary to the mission of the corporation, which Congress set up in 1967 to shield public broadcasting from political influence.

I'm sure that everyone in the press corps would argue that all American journalists are careful to keep their personal biases out of their reporting and are autonomous of any political party. But if we review the talking points that are emanating from the Democratic Party and its affiliate organizations, we see that the mainstream media has turned into a spokesman for the DNC. As a result, most news reporting is so slanted to the left that any attempt to return to the middle is merely chided as movement toward the right....

[cchandler]

I'm getting tired of reading that CPB Chair Ken Tomlinson was installed or appointed by Bush. He was noiminated to the CPB Board by Clinton and was confirmed by the US Senate in September of 2000. Even though Bush appointed him to be Chairman of the Board, the Board still had to vote for him.

The MSM is stepping outside the realms of liberal bias and into 'minsinformation' with their coverage of this story/hatchet job.

I can't say I agree with everything Mr. Tomlinson has done while at the helm, but none of it has been so villainous as to deserve this kind of treatment.

[Deb]

I didn't know he was nominated by Clinton. That's interesting to know. Thanks.