"Mr. Orwell, how on earth did you know this was coming?"
NY Times: A Battle Over Programming at National Public Radio
Excerpt:
Executives at National Public Radio are increasingly at odds with the Bush appointees who lead the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
In one of several points of conflict in recent months, the chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which allocates federal funds for public radio and television, is considering a plan to monitor Middle East coverage on NPR news programs for evidence of bias, a corporation spokesman said on Friday.
This would be beyond the pale, in any other era?
In the text/more: More of the rest of the story.
The corporation's board has told its staff that it should consider redirecting money away from national newscasts and toward music programs produced by NPR stations.
Top officials at NPR and member stations are upset as well about the corporation's decision to appoint two ombudsmen to judge the content of programs for balance. And managers of public radio stations criticized the corporation in a resolution offered at their annual meeting two weeks ago urging it not to interfere in NPR editorial decisions.
The corporation's chairman, Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, has also blocked NPR from broadcasting its programs on a station in Berlin owned by the United States government.
The article is continued, in a short two pages, at the link at the top of this entry.
In case it would be of interest: CPB: Government Relations
Additionally: The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967
Personally, I had no idea that the executive branch has any influence on the CPB.
I've heard of the CPB as a funding body for PBS, and I suppose I've heard of 'em about NPR.
If they are getting away with this about NPR, I then will seriouly hate to see what WGBH/PBS Frontline and all of PBS might have to expect -- under ye old domino effect?
It sounds like the CPB has some accountability before Congress. I'm not sure what Congress could to to check CPB's ship-of-political-state maneuvers.
I'm nearly flailing about, helplessly, here: People, please, now we have to save NPR's sovereignty also?!
I'll grunt on the aftershocks of 2K4, some more, and try to be on with the day ... and the night, also.