PBS is in Trouble

I really like PBS. If we don't get hockey next year, I would honestly consider cutting my cable. There are some amazing shows on there: Nova, Frontline, Now, Documentaries... and a whole list of specials. Last night, Bill Moyers (formerly the host of Now) was on Jon Stewart talking about the efforts currently underway by the Bush administration to kill PBS. Sadly, I missed the beginning of the interview, where he explained how he had been forced out of the organization he had been involved with since its inception 35 years ago. Why, to many articles damning the current organization? Maybe...

So what have the Bushies been up to? Well, they have managed to force out one of their longest running and most respected journalists, gotten the CEO to quit, discontinued funding for their national reading program, and are proposing to cut the annual budget by over $100 million.

And with replacement shows cropping up like "Unfil-turd with Tucker Carlson" -that right wing arse-face everyone loves to hate (because they should), PBS is becoming a scary place to be. Bill Moyer's had some excellent points as well, pointing out that PBS has never been a partisan organization, but has always had a critical eye on the government - as it should do. It's only now, with an administration that destroys the media it cannot control that the objectiveness of the government-funded organization becomes a problem (that point was mine).

So, my American readers, get out there and raise some shit. Don't let one administration permanently ruin the only thing good on your TV spectrum that gets rammed down our throats up here in Canada!

And Canadians, be forewarned: this is EXACTLY what will happen to the CBC should Harper get elected (I'm just saying...)