PBSgate

http://www.ifeminists.net/introduction/editorials/2005/1130finley.html ^ | November 30, 2005 | Gordon Finley

[FreeManDC]

PBSgate

November 30, 2005 by Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D.

In airing Breaking the Silence: Children's Stories, PBS tragically has chosen to play the Dan Rather role in tonight's performance of "How to Lose the Public Trust."

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) web site states that "in selecting programs and other content for its services, PBS seeks the highest quality available. Selection decisions require professional judgments about many different aspects of content quality, including but not limited to excellence, creativity, artistry, accuracy, balance, fairness, timeliness, innovation, boldness, thoroughness, credibility, and technical virtuosity."

Over the years, PBS has aired many wonderful programs, such as the NOVA series, that have met those standards. However, with the recent airing of Breaking the Silence: Children's Stories, PBS not only clearly has lost its way but it has sled down the slippery slope of ideology so that one is left with nothing but fraudulent propaganda. Big Bird and Gordon, where were you when we needed you?

Numerous commentators have pointed out the slanted viewpoint, deceptions, and bizarre "statistics" presented in this program. Yet PBS continues to distribute and defend this program. How sad that PBS has chosen to cast itself as Dan Rather in his career-ending role as the newsman who refused to accept that he had broadcast a blatantly fraudulent program. Welcome to PBSgate.

What can PBS do to salvage its reputation? The production and airing of Breaking the Silence is so far from the lofty claims of its website that it is not at all clear that PBS can restore the public trust in its programming. If PBS wishes to try, however, it must do the following:

First, PBS must acknowledge that the critics of the program are correct, and that something went terribly wrong with its production and internal review process that allowed this massively flawed program to be aired. A candid and forthright acknowledgement is the first step.

Second, PBS must apologize to those harmed by the airing of this program -- the children and fathers of divorce along with the many individuals and organizations slandered. This would include individual fathers libeled by this program and the American Psychological Association (APA) whose position on the Parental Alienation Syndrome was so maligned that the APA issued a public statement labeling the PBS position as "incorrect."

Third, PBS must counter the disinformation of its original broadcast and make restitution for the harm it has done. To do this, PBS must fund, produce, and broadcast a truly balanced and top quality program on the same subject that includes those voices silenced by Breaking the Silence -- the voices of the children and the fathers of divorce.

Fourth, PBS must strive to correct its internal review process to ensure that this lapse into propaganda does not happen again. As one who has viewed Breaking the Silence, I find it incomprehensible how any competent review panel could have approved this program. Even my 15 year old daughter who viewed part of the program with me immediately recognized most of the flaws.

Fifth, and lastly, everyone involved in this project must be held transparently accountable. PBS should put all parties involved in the production, internal review, and support of this program -- from top to bottom -- under review with an an eye to dismissal for foisting propaganda rather than truth and balance on a trusting public.

Gordon E. Finley, Ph.D. is Professor of Psychology at Florida International University in Miami.

[fat city]

I don't know what the thrust of the program was but if the APA is bailing on PBS then it must have been outrageously wrong.

[Mr. Rational]

The stated goals of the funding group - Mary Kay Ashe Foundation - are sexist. They seek only to futher the goals of women - not children, not families, not society as a whole. Their only goals - from their website -

We are committed to eliminating cancers affecting women by supporting top medical scientists who are searching for a cure for breast, uterine, cervical and ovarian cancers.
• We are committed to ending the epidemic of violence against women by providing grants to women’s shelters and supporting community outreach programs.

This propaganda piece was not even thinly veiled. It was funded by sexist group with a clearly stated agenda.

[Izzy Dunne]

I don't know what the thrust of the program was

Stunning Critique of PBS' "Breaking the Silence"

[Mr_Moonlight]

There is nothing more valuable in journalism than credibility, once that is lost (aka: Dan Rather) then all is lost. Some in the MSM still haven't figured that out.

[okie01]

There is nothing more valuable in journalism than credibility, once that is lost (aka: Dan Rather) then all is lost. Some in the MSM still haven't figured that out.

Some are evidently satisfied with the job title: Propagandist.

[Fido969]

This is only the tip of the iceberg for this story.

This phony "documentary" was shown dozens of times this October and November as part of Domestic Violence fundraising ans "education sessions" - including being shown to family court judges and workers under the guise of "training".

The stink raised by the discovery of the fraudulent claims and radical political agenda of the filmmakers has been mostly contained to conservative blogs and websites, and the small handful of "fathers' rights" groups.

But the lies of spread by the documentary are still out there, and will continue to be shown - and this urban myth will take on a life of its own. Even thigh the film has been debunked - there is no activity in the radical feminist community to correct the misimpression given to the judges and other persons subject to the "training" by the presenters of this film.

And you can bet this film will continue to circulate for years after the firestorm of criticism has died down.

Make no mistake about what an evil and dangerous thing this is. And for those who are painfully aware of the corruption of the courts by the imposition for the liberal philosophy - this is a very good example of how it is happens.

I am surprised at how many see this just as an isolated "fathers' rights" issue. If you look at it carefully - look at the characters involved - it quickly becomes apparent that this is part of a much larger movement by the liberals to take over the courts - and a movement they have been relentlessly pursuing for 20 years.

[Fido969]

Honestly - I don't hold the Mary Kay Ashe foundation directly responsible - they have stated that they gave the filmmakers absolute discretion.

Where they blew it, though - is that they are still promoting this film on their website. That amounts to tacit approval.

I think that all internet mentions of this should have a picture of Mary Kay Ashe on it. Make their arrogance cost them some goodwill.

[stocksthatgoup]

My local PBS station is doing a great Christmas Special this weekend. Guess what, it is fund raising time.

[Liberty Valance]

bttt

[Liberty Valance]

+

[Mr. Rational]

They can "say" what they want. They have to do that for legal as well as PBS reasons - it is required. You know how these things work. You pay for the documentary, and you get the product that at least the producers think or infer you are looking for.

They are promoting the film on their website and with each of their sales associates.

We are "Breaking the Silence" on them. They are funding an anti male agenda. If this were any group other than men or Christians this story; 1. Would not have aired and 2. if it had would be front page news, with calls for resignations and articles in "The Boston Globe" like "What is wrong with the culture at PBS" etc.

[Fido969]

They are promoting the film on their website and with each of their sales associates.

The only thing I can think of is that this must fit in with their marketing plan - "all women are domestic violence victims - and men are bad, (with the exeption of a few men that we have the power to name)". Like the "Lifetime Channel" and the dickless "Dr. Phil", there is a very clear market for the "woman are good and frustrated by the men who are are bad" diatribe.