The liberals are refusing to relinquish their biased PBS playground without a fight.
From The Hill:
Massachusetts Democrat calls for Tomlinson to quit
Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), ranking member of a House panel on telecommunications, called at a rally yesterday in support of public broadcasting for the resignation of Kenneth Tomlinson.
“In his zeal to impose his own view of ‘political balance,’” said Markey, “Ken Tomlinson has lost sight of his core mission — to protect the children’s-television network of the Public Broadcasting System of America. And he should resign from his position as the head of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting” (CPB).
Tomlinson has come under fire recently for hiring an ombudsman to gauge perceived biases in PBS shows such as “Now,” previously hosted by Bill Moyers. Liberals say such an action is tantamount to government censorship.
...Rep. Maurice Hinchey (D-N.Y.) echoed Markey’s sentiment, calling Tomlinson “a propagandist.”
At the rally in front of the Cannon House Office Building, House and Senate Democrats presented Congress with more than 1 million signatures calling for the restoration of full funding for public broadcasting. The fiscal year 2006 labor-HHS-education appropriations bill sent to the House floor for debate this week mandates cuts in excess of $100 million for public television and radio, including a 25 percent cut for the CPB.
...Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), ranking member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, said, “We have a message today for the Republicans: don’t mess with public broadcasting.”
Stars of PBS children's programming, including “Clifford the Big Red Dog,” “Maya & Miguel” and “Between the Lions,” joined Dems in a cheap ploy to demonize Tomlinson.
This isn't about Clifford. It's about making tough, but responsible, budget decisions. In addition, it's about time Americans get some political balance on tax-payer funded broadcasting.
TV is not what it was when PBS was founded. With so many options, cable and satellite, there really is no need for a non-commercial, government-subsidized channel.
PBS wants you to take action! The website tells you what to do. It even provides handy talking points!! How educational!!!
A brief phone call to your legislators' district office or Washington, D.C. office is the quickest and most effective way to contact Congress. When your call is answered, provide your name, and town, and mention that you are a constituent.
Whether you call or write, here are some key points you may consider making:
You support public broadcasting and oppose the funding cuts proposed by the House Appropriations subcommittee.
You oppose the elimination of the highly successful Ready to Learn program.
You support public broadcasting because its services and programs are not provided by commercial broadcasters.
You support public broadcasting and consider it one of the worthiest places to invest federal funds.
You would like your congressional legislators to commit to supporting any amendments or other legislative remedies to provide level funding for all public broadcasting programs.
I thought PBS professed to be apolitical, or at least balanced in its politics. Does this sound apolitical?
Q: Will my action really make a difference?
A: Yes! The last time that Americans rallied to support public broadcasting was in 1995, when House Speaker Newt Gingrich vowed to "zero out" federal funding for public television and radio.
A massive public response turned the situation around. American viewers and listeners can save federal funding for public broadcasting - if you, your friends and neighbors, and everyone who counts on public broadcasting make your voices heard.
I have a message for Dingell and PBS: Don't use my money to fund your liberal propaganda.
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