20 June 2005

Public service

Brian Lehrer on WNYC discussing the CPB funding issue.

David Boaz, executive vice president of the Cato Institute, argued for a separation of news and state. VOA [Wikipedia] was not brought up, I'm assuming, because it's restricted from being broadcast within the US (which is just silly considering their short-wave broadcast, their streaming audio feed, and their Web page). He also argued that FOX and CNN provide sufficient diversity for the public. The discussion was interesting until Boaz declared Lehrer biased simply because he was presenting counter-arguments. During the introduction, Lehrer admitted his bias--acknowledging the absurdity of even needing to point that out--yet ad hominem is no way to defend your side of the issue. Following were call-ins that were, I swear, 90% in support of cutting all funding for CPB. So much for public radio limiting public debate. WNYC consistently presents a diversity of opinion; greater and with greater depth than the narrow editorializing of FOX+CNN. I'll reiterate Bill Moyers' point that giv[ing] each side an opportunity to spin the news is not reporting. We're still a long way off from people being reasonable.

[ posted by sstrader on 20 June 2005 at 10:45:53 AM in Culture & Society ]