Hey all, I'm reposting my diary because I think I posted too late last night. I've been watching PBS and seeing a rightward skew, and if other Kossacks are seeing this as well, what can we do about it?
I watched the spotlight series last week with some dismay. I saw a venerable news organization focus solely on republican issues, republican gripes and teabaggers. I never saw them give equal time to liberals, progressive issues or Democrats.
You all be the judges.
Ok, some of you have criticized my last post on this issue, the one highlighting the roundtable with the Doctor, the businessman, the Silver Fox and the woman with the pre-existing condition. I will do my best to make this one more clear, but please watch the links for the full impact. I cannot believe that I am biased in my opinion. In fact, I commented on PBS' wall about the unfairness I saw and there was agreement with me, more than dissent.
This begs the question: Is PBS carrying water for the Republicans and teabaggers? Is PBS giving the teabaggers credibility with this series? They also never delved into the fact that the teabagger movement is being covertly ginned up and funded by corporate money. (Rachel Maddow has consistently brought this into the bright light of day, why can't PBS?)
Ok, Here's the link and transcript.
This is from the April 13 episode
Don't know if you'll be able to see the link
http://www.pbs.org/...
So I wonder what the Silver Fox will do when the republicans do away with her government run Medicare? Too bad Gwen Ifill didn't do her job and ask this question. Oh, btw, she got all her info on the HIR bill from talk radio. This woman says it is fact that her husband was told by his doctor that he will be going to a death panel when he needs care to see if he's worth spending money on. Me? I say if you're stupid enough to listen to right wing radio and believe every thing they say, then no lady, you're on the LIST. No spending money on you, looney tune!
The businessman Jerry Pierce, is a local Orlando businessman, he is a millionaire. My old boss built his additional warehouses about 6 years ago and built his custom home many years before that. He claims to have downloaded the bill and read all 2000 pages, but then says with certainty that this bill will cost his "small" business money, but he doesn't say exactly how. Once again, too bad Ifill wasn't doing her job and finding out.
The doctor and the woman with the pre-existing condition, I think are given equal time in this clip, but they are actually logical. The doctor was in favor of the public option.
Note that nowhere in these clips is any kind of fact based reporting or rebuttals from Gwen Ifill. Nor in the next clip.
Now the round table with all four of them:
http://www.pbs.org/...
Notice how agressive the Silver Fox looks and how she is clearly dismissive of the Doctor. Whether it's her brown skin or that she's actually making sense, who knows?
Next up: The Tampa Townhall, stacked to the gills with republicans and teabaggers and as part of the panel, a former quitter senator and a former congressman. Now I don't know about you all, but at a townhall meant to address current problems and how to deal with them, I want to see sitting elected officials.
http://www.pbs.org/...
Now the interviews with Tampans:
The first lady is angry, she's angry at the socialism and facism in Washington. Can we take a guess as to what channel her tv is on 24/7? BTW this clip shows exactly the fact that Tampa is benefiting from Federal spending dollars that these assholes are railing against.
http://www.pbs.org/...
Then there's the actual townhall. One so called moderate independent asking a suspiciously republican sounding question. One actual democrat identified and asking a question.
http://www.pbs.org/...
Once again I found that in this clip, Judy Woodruff didn't bother to go past surface rhetoric and rebutt falsehoods.
Next up: The focus of PBS on Florida politics. Florida GOP politics. They act as if there are no democratic elected officials or candidates in this state. Not one blasted word about democratic candidate for Governor nor Senator
http://www.pbs.org/...
I found that in all these clips, teabaggers were given an undeserved credibility without any probing questions by Ifill or Woodruff.
I will be interested to see who else shares my outrage over this.