Corporation for Public Broadcasting

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) is a private, non-profit corporation that was created by Congress in 1967. CPB awards grants to create programming for public broadcasting stations and "helps support the operations of more than 1000 locally owned and operated public television and radio stations nationwide, and is the largest single source of funding for research, technology, and program development for public radio, television, and related on-line services." CPB oversaw a budget of $411 million in 2004.

In 2003, President George W. Bush appointed to the CPB board Cheryl Halpern and Gay Hart Gaines, two prominent GOP fundraisers with limited experience in broadcasting or media. These political appointees have raised considerable concern that members of the CPB board were readying a charge across the line of neutrality to promote programming that better suits the White House's political agenda.

In mid-June 2005, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to cut CPB funding by 25 percent, or $100 million. The cut is seen by many as a conservative-driven attempt to curb what it perceives as the "liberal bias" of NPR and PBS, both funded in part by the CPB.

In an interview with Wisconsin Public Radio on June 13, 2005, Tim Graham, director of Media Analysis at the right-wing Media Research Center, harshly criticized what he called the "explicitly political" nature of CPB. He called it a "fat, happy establishment" of liberal bias that is "clearly solicitous of the enemy" in its reporting on such issues as the regime of Saddam Hussein.

Increased criticism and funding cuts were augmented by CPB chairman Kenneth Tomlinson's support of assistant secretary of state and a former co-chairwoman of the Republican National Committee Patricia Harrison's appointment for the position of CEO. Tomlinson claims he was attempting to "restore balance" in CPB-supported reporting, or, more appropriately, renewed and enforced conservativism.

Board of Directors
As of September 2009:
 * Ernest J. Wilson III, Chair
 * Beth Courtney, Vice-chair
 * Chris Boskin
 * Patricia Cahill
 * Gay Hart Gaines
 * Lori Gilbert
 * David Pryor
 * Bruce Ramer
 * Elizabeth Sembler

Former personnel

 * Cheryl Halpern
 * Claudia Puig
 * Former President and CEO, Richard W. Carlson (1992-1997)
 * Frank Cruz

Contact details
Corporation for Public Broadcasting 401 Ninth Street, NW Washington, DC 20004-2129 Phone: 202-879-9600 Web: http://www.cpb.org/

Related SourceWatch articles

 * Banana Republicans
 * Bush regime
 * Ken Tomlinson
 * Media reform
 * PBS
 * Maria S. Eitel

External resources

 * "Joint Statement of Kathleen Cox President and CEO, Corporation for Public Broadcasting and Kenneth Y. Tomlinson Chair, Board of Directors, Corporation for Public Broadcasting", Media Release, April 8, 2005.
 * Kenneth A. Konz,"Review of Alleged Actions Violating The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, as Amended", Corporation for Public Broadcasting Office of Inspector General, Report No. EPB503-602,  November 15, 2005.
 * Corporation for Public Broadcasting, "CPB Board of Directors Announce Reform Measures", Media Release, November 15, 2005.
 * "Statement of CPB President and CEO Patricia Harrison", Media Release, November 15, 2005.
 * "Remarks by Cheryl Halpern", November 15, 2005.

External articles

 * Chellie Pingree, "Public Television's 'Heat Shield' Withers Under White House Pressure," MediaChannel.org, June 2, 2004.
 * Paul Farhi, "PBS Scrutiny Raises Political Antennas," Washington Post, April 22, 2005.
 * Katherine Q. Seeyle, "Ombudsmen Rebuff Move by Public Broadcasting", New York Times, May 30, 2005.
 * Paul McLeary, "CPB Looks Under Bed, Finds No Dust Balls, Hires New Maid," CJR Daily, April 29, 2005.
 * Stephen Labaton, Lorne Manly and Elizabeth Jensen, "Republican Chairman Exerts Pressure on PBS, Alleging Biases," New York Times, May 2, 2005.
 * "One Party State Media," Spin of the Day, May 3, 2005.
 * "Bill Moyers Blasts CPB Chair Tomlinson," Spin of the Day, May 15, 2005.
 * "Squelching Public Broadcasting", New York Times, Editorial, June 15, 2005.
 * Stephen Labaton, "Lobbyists' Role for Public TV Is Investigated", New York Times, June 16, 2005.
 * Stephen Labaton, "Steep Cut Proposed for Public Broadcasting", New York Times, June 17, 2005.
 * Rory O'Connor, "Disservice to the Public...Broadcasting System:Claiming a need for 'fresh faces,' the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's new Crossroads initiative funds former CPB and PBS heads", AlterNet, June 20, 2005.
 * Stephen Labaton, "Public Broadcasting Monitor Had Worked at Center Founded by Conservatives", New York Times, June 21, 2005.
 * Paul Farhi, "Opponents On Different Wavelengths: Public Broadcasting Fight's Partisan Divide", Washington Post, June 23, 2005.
 * Bill Moyers, "A Moral Transaction", TomPaine.com, June 20, 2005. (Republished from the Washington Post).
 * Elizabeth Jensen, "Public Broadcasting and Political Balance: A New Twist", New York Times, June 29, 2005.
 * Lisa de Moraes, "Scrutiny of Broadcast Agency Chief Intensifies," Washington Post, July 13, 2005.
 * Corporation for Public Broadcasting "Statement of the CPB Board", Media Release, November 3, 2005.
 * Stephen Labaton,, "Broadcasting Ex-Chairman Is Removed From Board", 'New York Times'', November 4, 2005
 * Paul Farhi, "Kenneth Tomlinson Quits Public Broadcasting Board", Washington Post, November 4, 2005; Page C01.
 * Stephen Labaton, "Spending Inquiry for Top Official on Broadcasting", New York Times, November 5, 2005.
 * Matea Gold, "Probe Finds Broadcast Chief Broke Law, Played Politics", Los Angeles Times, November 16, 2005.
 * Stephen Labaton, "Broadcast Chief Violated Laws, Inquiry Finds", New York Times, November 16, 2005.
 * Paul Farhi, "Investigation Faults Ex-Chairman Of CPB: Report Says Tomlinson Tried To Influence PBS Program", Washington Post, November 16, 2005; Page C01.
 * Matea Gold, "Another battle for the CPB: The nomination of a conservative TV executive to the public broadcasting board touches off alarms", Los Angeles Times, July 14, 2006.
 * White House Office of the Press Secretary, "Personnel Announcement", Media Release, June 20, 2006.
 * Matea Gold, "A feud over Bush's pick: Warren Bell draws criticism as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting appointee", Los Angeles Times, December 22, 2006.
 * Paul Farhi, "Rejected by PBS, Film on Islam Revived by CPB," Washington Post, May 25, 2007.
 * John Eggerton, "Q&A With CPB’s Ernest Wilson III: The newly elected chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting talks with B&C’s John Eggerton about transforming noncommercial broadcasting into multiplatform, locally-focused public-service media," Broadcasting & Cable, September 17, 2009.