Problems at PBS, From Rose to Koch

[G_j]

http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/21/problems-at-pbs-from-rose-to-koch/


Problems at PBS, From Rose to Koch
Posted by Peter Hart


If you think public television exists to offer challenging, independent news and public affairs shows that bring us the stories the commercial media too often ignore, free of the influence of big sponsors and corporate owners… well, this hasn't been a good week.

On Monday came word that PBS viewers will get something new on Friday nights: More Charlie Rose. As Elizabeth Jensen reported (New York Times, 5/20/13), PBS will be offering a new show called Charlie Rose Weekend, that "will cull the best of his late-night program" along with some new material. The show will take the place of Need to Know, which some might recall was PBS's replacement for the generally excellent program Now, which it cancelled in 2009. The show's first host was then-Newsweek editor Jon Meacham, as sure a sign as any that the show would probably not be doing the kind of independent journalism viewers had come to expect from Now.

So PBS has gone from Now to Need to Know to… Charlie Rose clips? Talk about sliding downhill.

But that wasn't the most explosive public TV news. Also breaking this week was Jane Mayer's investigation (New Yorker, 5/27/13) into the influence of right-wing billionaire David Koch over PBS, particularly New York station WNET. The trouble started when documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney produced a film called Park Avenue: Money, Power and the American Dream. It zeroed in on one address: 740 Park Avenue, and the very wealthy folks who live there. One of them is Koch. The film is pretty critical, and that appeared likely to pose some problems. You see, David Koch is a major funder of WNET as well as Boston's WGBH, and he sits on the board of both. (Mayer also notes that "several relatives of WNET board members live at 740 Park," suggesting that there could have been some sensitivities about the film outside of Koch).

..more..

[scarletwoman]

1. Public television needs to be fully PUBLICLY funded.

What's happening now is the result of private money getting involved. Private money is destroying our democracy on every front.

[G_j]

7. or stop calling themselves Public television!!

[midnight]

2. When the oil companies started showing their presence on the channels programming, it was the long

slow road to realizing that information based on shows like Now to Need to know to...Charlie Rose Clips would find us at this juncture...

[Shankapotomus]

3. We need more rich liberal donors

to support PBS so PBS can kick its Koch habit.

[awoke_in_2003]

12. While I agree..

I think PBS ought to be funded by tax money so as to remain impartial.

[Shankapotomus]

14. Agreed.

But only PBS? How do you stop it from becoming a racket? Do we fund everyone who airs educational programming and what are the qualifications for "educational prigramming"? Then how do you deal with complaints of ideological favoritism on the part of the government? Do you censor documentaries on man-made climate change, for instance? It gets messy. I would rather PBS be able to just gave a big FU to all conservative groups because they are being funded by strong Left groups. Because, let's face it, the Koch's funding PBS is only about undermining any left leaning message, not about helping PBS. They would gladly stop funding PBS if there were no message from the Left with which to contend.

[appal_jack]

4. Too typical when dancing with RepubliCons.

I've never dated a conservative, but from what I hear, going "from Rose to Koch," is about the best one can hope for. But it sounds like the Rose they propose to give us on Friday night is just a tired leftover from one of their conservative engagements earlier in the week.

Too typical when dancing with RepubliCons.

Well, next fund drive, I hope they find that we refuse to be their Kochsuckers.

[markiv]

5. the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

seems to have bought near immunity against negative coverage of H-1b visas, in my opinion

[xtraxritical]

10. To hell with H-1b.

[southernyankeebelle]

6. Maybe they can move it to Current tv or Link tv both very progressive stations.

[SCVDem]

8. Current will be Al Jazeera

What the format will be I have no idea.

[No Vested Interest]

11. Current will need to change its name

to a name more acceptable to the American public than "Al Jazeera", if they wish to have any measurable audience in this country.
Many Americans will not be able to get past the name when choosing a network to trust.
Shouldn't be this way, but, let's be realistic here.

[G_j]

9. FAIR TV: PBS and Koch, Guatemala and the U.S. Role and Rumsfeld Meets the Press

http://www.fair.org/blog/2013/05/24/fair-tv-pbs-and-koch-guatemala-and-the-u-s-role-and-rumsfeld-meets-the-press/

FAIR TV: PBS and Koch, Guatemala and the U.S. Role and Rumsfeld Meets the Press
Posted by Peter Hart

This week: PBS won't be showing us the documentary Citizen Koch–for some very dubious reasons. Also: The New York Times points out that the U.S. role in supporting genocide in Guatemala was hardly discussed at the trial; the same goes for U.S. media coverage of that trial. And Donald Rumsfeld goes on Meet the Press to talk about accountability. No, it's not what you think.

[burrowowl]

19. Bill Moyers showed a film on Koch brothers

on PBS you can find a link on Democracy Now
PBS is bowing down to corporate!

[pokerfan]

13. Wednesday's Colbert Report

"Citizen Koch"
PBS drops a documentary called "Citizen Koch" because they feared the reaction of billionaire sponsor David Koch.

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-colbert-report-videos/426582/may-22-2013/-citizen-koch-

[dmr]

15. What's also frightening is if the Kochs end up with the Tribune Company's 8 newspapers.

Their fringe right beliefs will surely be reflected in these papers, most notably the LA Times and the Chicago Sun.

If they were known for their truthiness, I wouldn't mind so much. But, honesty and integrity is not a priority with the right.

Misinformation and outright lying is the norm. We see that every day on Fox and, sadly, on the Congressional floor.

[flamingdem]

16. Why did Rose start doing crappy daytime tv?

He's on some news show right? What is his problem..

[L0oniX]

17. I have often pointed out 740 Park Avenue as the corner stone of our troubles.

That place must be a fortress by now ...guarded by the murdering Eric Prince corporate contract killers.

[tom_kelly]

18. Same Thing as

the Sunday morning talk shows and their commercials. When else do you see Lockheed Martin and the like airing ads? Whenever they want to influence the content; and they do. Anytime you see a big oil, Boeing, Lockheed, etc. ad you can bet the show is tainted.

[kelliekat44]

20. Charlie Rose is a neo-con puppet. Bring back Phil Dohahue! nt

[Cha]

21. As If. As if, more Charlie Rose will help anything.

thanks Gj

[G_j]

22. I know, lame, right?

and worse, as someone pointed out above, he's
a great secret shill for the neo-con view.