[PEN-L:11054] Re: National Public Radio funding (endorsement letter)

["William S. Lear" <rael@xxxxxxxxxx>]

On Fri, June 27, 1997 at 07:59:10 (-0700) Wojtek Sokolowski writes,
   slamming PBS/NPR:

>While I strongly support public broadcasting in principle, I also think that
>the PBS/NPR complex is NOT worth saving.  During the past few years, these
>institutions have become a publically funded mouthpiece of corporate
>propaganda -- a stream of nauseatingly sugary stories how good capitalism is
>around the world, bashing labor, and promoting yuppie lifestyle.  Their
>latest decision to kill a TV documentary because it was partially supported
>by the unions, while their entire operations is underwritten by corporate
>money is a case in point.  Since when "public" means "corporate"?
>
>PBS/NPR betrayed their public mandate, they have become a forum for
>conservative pundits a la Heritage Foundation, and feature-length
>advertisement for corporate interests, valuable to their corporate sponsors
>precisely because of the aura of believability created by their "public"
>status.  Of course, they are free to tailor they message to whatever tastes
>they want, but I do not see any reason for public subsidizing (again) the TV
>and radio broadcasting promoting corporate interests and suburban yuppie values.
>
>Cutting public funding of NPR/PBS means eliminating public subsidiy of
>corporate propaganda aimed the yuppie class and their values.  I think that
>money will be better spent elsewhere.  All those who still consider
>themselves progressive and opposing neo-liberal policies pimping public
>goods to private interests should applaud the move in the Congress to defund
>the NPR/PBS complex -- the traitor of public trust.

I must say that this is an impressive rant, and right on target.  Bravo,
Wojtek.  What was the line from the Stanford Prison Experiment
song "Cansado", "We're all devoured by the fake"?


Bill