Press Release
Free Press calls on CPB chief Tomlinson to resign
Contact: Timothy Karr, 201-533-8838
WASHINGTON -- Free Press, the nonpartisan media reform group, today called on Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), to resign for failing to uphold CPB's nonpartisan mandate. Free Press also asked its 170,000 members to write Congress, CPB and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in support of a series of town hall meetings to discuss the future of public broadcasting.
The action follows a report in today's New York Times, which describes covert efforts by Tomlinson to combat what he considers "liberal bias" at PBS.
"Tomlinson insists that he's trying to restore 'objectivity and balance' to public broadcasting," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "But this top-down partisan meddling goes against the very nature of PBS and the local stations Americans trust. Let the future of PBS be decided by the people, not by the secret dealings of White House operatives."
Last week, Free Press, Consumers Union, Media Access Project, Common Cause and the Consumer Federation of America released a report, "A New Standard: Building a Public Broadcasting System that Deserves Public Support," calling for "a public ascertainment process" before lawmakers and bureaucrats attempt to establish politically motivated standards for PBS and other public broadcasters.
"Tomlinson's actions highlight the urgent need for town hall meetings in local communities across the country," Silver said. "If public broadcasting is to be reformed in a positive direction, it must be driven from the bottom-up."
The action follows a report in today's New York Times, which describes covert efforts by Tomlinson to combat what he considers "liberal bias" at PBS.
"Tomlinson insists that he's trying to restore 'objectivity and balance' to public broadcasting," said Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press. "But this top-down partisan meddling goes against the very nature of PBS and the local stations Americans trust. Let the future of PBS be decided by the people, not by the secret dealings of White House operatives."
Last week, Free Press, Consumers Union, Media Access Project, Common Cause and the Consumer Federation of America released a report, "A New Standard: Building a Public Broadcasting System that Deserves Public Support," calling for "a public ascertainment process" before lawmakers and bureaucrats attempt to establish politically motivated standards for PBS and other public broadcasters.
"Tomlinson's actions highlight the urgent need for town hall meetings in local communities across the country," Silver said. "If public broadcasting is to be reformed in a positive direction, it must be driven from the bottom-up."
