Bill Moyers and the rectification of PBS

[Redleg]

No one has addressed the point that the current admin is diligently working on silencing any oppsing viewpoints. This is certainly not good for a free independent review.

Haven't seen any violations of free speech by the current administration. (well that is not completely true- it seem the court did attempt to compeal a journalist to give up his source - but was that the adminstration or the courts?). Of course in administration sponsered press confrences you get the information that the government wish to give you. However again show me where the adminstration is deny freedom of speech by arresting or taking sanctions against opposing viewpoints. Because that is exactly what the term silencing opposing viewpoints by the government means to me. Private news sources have the ability to report the news that they want to. While I don't watch PBS much anymore - no one can say that Bill Moyers reported the news without adding his own view point. His little piece above is evidence that he voices his politics views. However Bill Moyer was not paid for by an indepent source - he was paid by a system dependent upon tax payer money. I find his arguement slightly hypocritical.

Current corporate interests are so powerful and have shown they are more concerned with image and damage control than the public good, that it may be important to have a non-commercial voice in the media.

And Bill Moyer ruined that image for PBS. But that only my opinion. I prefer to read the news from multiple sources - not from the television.

But Pindar's point is well taken, this may not be an appropriate use of guv power, and as this last episode has shown, the idea of a neutral voice, while certainly desirable, is vulnerable to propagandization.

Yep Moyer proved the case against him.

The question really is, is corporate propaganda the only option?

ichi

Actually no - the only true option for the individual who want to keep himself informed is to use mulitple sources - which is what I believe is one of the main philisophies that is alluded to in my sig quote from Thomas Jefferson.

[Red Harvest]

This admin will try to destroy anything in their way. It has zero interest in balanced reporting, or for that matter in accurate analysis even in security and budget issues. In everything, this admin goes after those who express a dissenting view. It is an administration that determines its position FIRST, then "asks" for analysis to back it.

The GOP has been out to get PBS for decades. If you try to show more than one side to a story, the GOP will scream "bias." You can't have true journalism that way. For honest journalism you have to make a good attempt to present both sides, even if you disagree.

Bill Moyers has not "ruined the image" of PBS. Him lashing out at his critics is hardly partisan reporting. It is going after the a$$holes that have been after him for so long. A number of those same a$$holes have their salaries 100% paid by the American Taxpayer as well. Actually, PBS funding is only 16.4% Federal from the numbers I've seen. So if you want to look at it that way, PBS might be giving far too much time to the already over represented federal officials... And news shows are just one portion of PBS programming.

Haven't seen any surveys recently, I seriously doubt that the majority wants to eliminate PBS funding.

[PanzerJaeger]

For honest journalism you have to make a good attempt to present both sides, even if you disagree.

You just defeated your own defense of PBS.

[Gawain of Orkeny]

If you try to show more than one side to a story, the GOP will scream "bias.

What are you talking about? Fox is great and it doesnt rely on tax money to support it. I bellieve you and others on the left will scream bias here though where we see fair and balanced and telling boht sides. The very fact that Fox is the only network that even gives the conservative side of things really gets to you people. Talk about the pot calling the kettle black.

This admin will try to destroy anything in their way.

More like the media will do anything to destroy this administration..

It has zero interest in balanced reporting,

More like te media has zero interest in balanced reporting. And thats their job.

Bill Moyers has not "ruined the image" of PBS.

Will it seems millions of Americans dissagree with you and he is largely responsible for us saying enough propaganda is enough. You want to make political statements dont tell me to pay for it. I dont care if I agree or not.

Haven't seen any surveys recently, I seriously doubt that the majority wants to eliminate PBS funding.

Actually I beleive to make this constitutional you would have to amend the Constitution as I see no basis for it there. What a poll says hardly matters though I think the results may surprise you. Most people who would vote to keep it think only of Sesame Street as PBS and not shows like Moyers.

[PanzerJaeger]

Actually I beleive to make this constitutional you would have to amend the Constitution as I see no basis for it there. What a poll says hardly matters though I think the results may surprise you. Most people who would vote to keep it think only of Sesame Street as PBS and not shows like Moyers.

Thats where the left likes to decieve the public. They treat an attack on moyers and PBS's political shows as an attack on PBS.

I love the "britcoms" they show on there, and many other programs are beneficial to people. Theres no justification, however, to have political propaganda on the station.

This whole issue would go away if moyers hadnt hijacked the good name of PBS to defend his own biased show and carreer.

[Redleg]

Haven't seen any violations of free speech by the current administration. (well that is not completely true- it seem the court did attempt to compeal a journalist to give up his source - but was that the adminstration or the courts?). Of course in administration sponsered press confrences you get the information that the government wish to give you. However again show me where the adminstration is deny freedom of speech by arresting or taking sanctions against opposing viewpoints. Because that is exactly what the term silencing opposing viewpoints by the government means to me. Private news sources have the ability to report the news that they want to. While I don't watch PBS much anymore - no one can say that Bill Moyers reported the news without adding his own view point. His little piece above is evidence that he voices his politics views. However Bill Moyer was not paid for by an indepent source - he was paid by a system dependent upon tax payer money. I find his arguement slightly hypocritical.

I see everyone is decided to ignore what is stated in Moyer's little speech / editorial. Everyone seems to want to blame the adminstration for slopply and lazy journalists not reporting the new - ie the truth. But instead of looking at his profession - Mr. Moyer choses to blame the right and the adminstration more then anything.

Like I said in the above quote - Moyer is own worst enemy and is showing himself to by a hypocrit in his arguement - especially given that his funding primarily comes from PBS - a federally funded network

And Bill Moyer ruined that image for PBS. But that only my opinion. I prefer to read the news from multiple sources - not from the television.

Notice the bolded type - it means opinion. I don't care for Mr. Moyer's editorials nor his hypocrisy in this mattr.

Actually no - the only true option for the individual who want to keep himself informed is to use mulitple sources - which is what I believe is one of the main philisophies that is alluded to in my sig quote from Thomas Jefferson.

Some of you need to get your information from more then one source.

If a man's conscience and documented research leads him to criticize one political camp over another, then he is an honest man, and his is a valuable journalistic voice.

However when one blames the administration for the lazy journalistic efforts coming from most journalists - that individual is being a hypocrit. The profession of journalism means you research the story and report the truth. Just because the subject of the story does not give you information hand over foot - does not make it an attempt to silence the media. The journalist needs to get off his fat lazy butt and become a journalist again and get into the trenches to report the story - ie the truth - in spite of any minor obstacles the subject of the story might put in place.

Mr Moyer wants his pie and his cake - and he wants to eat them both at the same time without truely having to work for it. (or at least that is the opinion I gather from his article that Ichi posted.