Right Wing Hostile Takeover of PBS and NPR?

Oh no! The Vast Right Wing Conspiracy is trying to take over the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and spread their propaganda via PBS and NPR affiliates nationwide. Whatever shall we do? Never fear, Underdog is here! Ok, maybe not Underdog but, 16 Democratic Senators have stepped up to help keep public radio and television free from partisan political viewpoints.

These senators are petitioning Bush to fire Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, the current head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for trying to slip partisan political agenda into the
corporation’s radio and television programs. Here is an excerpt of their protest letter to President Bush:

"We urge you to immediately replace Mr. Tomlinson with an executive who takes his or her responsibility to the public television system seriously, not one who so seriously undermines the credibility and mission of public television."

That sounds pretty serious. I mean anytime you mess with such a sacred public institution like PBS or NPR, something must be done to preserve its purity and protect its dignity. So, what did this wicked man do to threaten our public television and public radio experience?

“The Democrats' letter follows a series of disclosures about Mr. Tomlinson that are now under investigation by the corporation's inspector general, including his decision to hire a researcher to monitor the political leanings of guests on the public policy program "Now," the use of a White House official to set up an ombudsman's office to scrutinize public radio and television programs for political balance, and payments approved by Mr. Tomlinson to two Republican lobbyists last year.”

Shame on Mr. Tomlinson! What was he thinking? Did he seriously think he wouldn’t get caught eventually? After all, everyone knows that the best way to inject a partisan agenda is by ensuring that a fair balance of political viewpoints are being presented.

Who do these Senators think they’re fooling? They must think that the American public is very stupid. Hey Senators! Yoo-hoo! Over here! I’ve got a message for you all. Speaking of injecting a partisan agenda into public broadcasting programs, PBS and NPR have been mouthpieces for your party’s liberal agenda for decades. It’s been a sweet deal for the left. They have been able to get their agenda out to the public, unchallenged, and all on the tax payer’s dime.

The real truth behind these Senators’ crusade is that they see their dominance over the public airwaves being threatened. Liberal ideas don’t sell very well when they’re entered into a marketplace of ideas where there are alternative viewpoints presented, or especially when liberal ideas are challenged. The left prefers avenues where they control the agenda. Places where their view is the only one broadcasted. Places like PBS, NPR, ABC, CBS, CNN etc.

Of course, the big question burning in my mind right now is, do we even need to keep funding the Corporation for Public Broadcasting with our tax dollars? I mean what purpose are they really serving the public (besides shoving liberal propaganda down viewer’s throats)?

You could make the argument that at least in the pre-cable/satellite TV days, they were an extra viewing choice. For example, when I was growing up in the 70’s if you didn’t want to watch ABC, CBS, or NBC there was always PBS. Wow, a fourth channel! Wasn’t life grand? But, I never chose to watch it. PBS never had anything on of interest to me. After all, what good is Sesame Street to a teenager into rock music and girls?

Whatever purpose these tax payer funded public broadcast mediums once served, they are no longer needed. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has been abusing tax payers funds to push a liberal agenda out to the public under the guise of providing programs of interest to the public. What Mr. Tomlinson is trying to achieve has been long overdue, but really, in these days of cable and satellite TV, PBS is no longer needed to serve as a viewing alternative to ABC, CBS and NBC. I think it’s time we cut the Corporation for Public Broadcasting off from tax payer funds. If it wants to survive, let it take its place among the plethora of other viewing and listening choices out there in the market place of ideas. Oh, yeah. Oops. I forgot. Liberals don’t do very well where there is a diversity of ideas and choices.

By the way, the sixteen senators are: Charles E. Schumer of New York, Joseph I. Lieberman of Connecticut, Jon Corzine and Frank R. Lautenberg of New Jersey, Bill Nelson of Florida, Edward M. Kennedy of Massachusetts, Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer of California. Joseph R. Biden Jr. of Delaware, Maria Cantwell of Washington, Richard J. Durbin of Illinois, Tom Harkin of Iowa, Patrick J. Leahy of Vermont, Barbara A. Mikulski of Maryland, Debbie Stabenow of Michigan, and Ron Wyden of Oregon.

It’s time for those constituents who are tired of having the partisan, liberal agenda being funded by their tax dollars to send these Senators a message and inform them that their constituents’ rubber boots for wading in BS are only knee length!