Washington — For the first time, groups representing local governments, the high tech industry, and consumer organizations have banded together to promote community broadband choices and the right of communities to provide broadband internet services to their citizens.

WASHINGTON -- In a 284 to 140 vote today, the U.S. House of Representatives approved a bipartisan amendment restoring $100 million in funding to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. More than 80 Republicans broke rank and supported the amendment introduced by Reps. David Obey (D-Wis.), Nita Lowey (D-N.Y.) and Jim Leach (R-Iowa).

WASHINGTON -- Patricia S. Harrison, former co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, has been selected as president and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. On Monday, Free Press delivered nearly 100,000 petitions to CPB, calling for Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson's resignation. Josh Silver, executive director of Free Press, made the following statement:

WASHINGTON – Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), is facing increased criticism from Congress and legions of concerned citizens for his political interference at PBS and NPR.

WASHINGTON -- Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, today filed formal complaint with the Federal Communications Commission, seeking an expanded investigation "into the ongoing crisis of our broadcast news media provoked by so-called payola punditry."

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court today denied the appeal of a group of media corporations seeking to overturn and appeals court ruling in Prometheus Radio Project v. Federal Communications Commission. That lower-court decision last June threw out the FCC rules issued in June 2003 that would have significantly loosened media ownership restrictions over television stations and newspapers.

WASHINGTON -- Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, reported today that U.S. Rep. Pete Sessions (R-Texas) – sponsor of a federal bill that would prohibit cities and towns from delivering high-speed Internet service to their citizens – owns more than $500,000 worth of stock options in telephone giant SBC.

WASHINGTON - Following Thursday's vote by the House Appropriations Subcommittee to slash the budget for public television and radio, Free Press, the national, nonpartisan media reform group, announced a renewed effort to shield public broadcasting from partisan meddling.

ST. LOUIS -- In a historic speech on Sunday, Veteran television journalist Bill Moyers upbraided Republican operatives for hijacking public broadcasting to serve a partisan agenda, issued a stinging indictment of "Beltway journalism," and announced that recent attacks "might just compel me out of the rocking chair and back into the anchor chair."

ST. LOUIS -- In a speech before 1,400 media activists, television journalist Bill Moyers lambasted Kenneth Tomlinson, chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), for hijacking public broadcasting to serve a partisan agenda.