Please DU This Petition To Save Public Broadcasting From Radical Right

[ClarkUSA]

Dear Media Reformer:

I'm writing to ask you to help save America's public broadcasting system from political interference. PBS and NPR -- America's two most-trusted sources of news and information -- are under assault from Kenneth Tomlinson, the Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

Tomlinson has suppressed polling data, which shows overwhelming public support for PBS and NPR, to push through a series of initiatives designed to reshape public broadcasting as a mouthpiece for the White House. He has hijacked the CPB's nonpartisan mandate to stack the agency with conservative political operatives and push programming on PBS and NPR further to the right. Tomlinson has done all of this without once consulting Americans, a vast majority of whom find public broadcasting to be trustworthy and "fair and balanced" compared to other national news sources.

Last Sunday at the National Conference for Media Reform, veteran television journalist Bill Moyers blasted Tomlinson for his political meddling. Prior to Moyers' speech, Free Press launched a petition calling for a nationwide series of town hall meetings so the public -- and not Beltway political operatives -- can determine the future of public broadcasting.

Take a few moments to read Bill Moyers' speech. The full transcript is available now at: www.freepress.net/news/8120

Then sign our petition calling for a series of town hall meetings on public broadcasting: www.freepress.net/action/pbs

More than 70,000 Americans have signed the petition so far. We need 50,000 more signatures. Please add your name and ask more people to join the call to put the public back into PBS.

Forward this e-mail to all your friends and colleagues today and help protect public broadcasting from partisan tampering.

With your help, we can turn the tide against government efforts to muzzle the quality journalism, independent viewpoints, and dissenting voices that sustain our democracy.

Act now!

Timothy Karr
www.freepress.net

P.S. To learn more about building a public broadcasting system that deserves public support, read "A New Standard," the recent report from Free Press, Common Cause, Consumer Federation of America, Consumers Union, and Media Access Project at: http://www.freepress.net/docs/pbs_report.pdf .

[sweetladybug]

1. done!

n/t

[Dinger]

2. I Sure Hope Moyers Comes Back - Quick!

And, I signed too! Happy to do it!

[katinmn]

3. did it! glad you posted it.

[ClarkUSA]

4. Please keep this thread kicked, Media Reformers! This is for all of us!

:kick:

They need 50,000 more signatures.

[confuddled]

5. Deja vu all over again

Read that Mr. Tomlinson would prefer that NPR broadcast music instead of news. Believe that was Mr. Goebbels' preference for German radio in the '30's as well. Chilling, huh?

[blondeatlast]

6. done--#72,717

Very happy to do so.

[spooky3]

7. done

[Ksec]

8. done

[confuddled]

9. Anyone for media reform? n/t

[blindpig]

10. too late

NPR has been steadily sliding into corporate whoredom for 10 years, since Newt put the hit on it. It's a lesser of the evils at best, and it makes me sad.

[Rainscents]

11. Done! Kick!!!

:kick: