Republican Lawmakers call for CPB review once again

Once again Republicans are trying to weaken Public Broadcasting because they think it is too liberal. Right wing conservative Republicans won't be satified until there is no liberal or moderate voice left in the Media.
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Lawmakers call for CPB review
Tue Mar 4, 2:03 AM ET
By Brooks Boliek - Yahoo News

WASHINGTON (The Hollywood Reporter) --- A group of congressmen are seeking an investigation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's funding programs.

The lawmakers have asked the General Accounting Office (news - web sites) to review the CPB's funding programs as public broadcasting system legislation comes up for renewal during this congressional session.

The lawmakers wrote: "While the goal recognized by the Congress in CPB's enabling statute -- to 'encourage the growth and development of public radio and television broadcasting, including the use of such media for instructional, educational and cultural purposes' -- remains important today, it is also necessary to reassess the mechanisms of distributing public dollars for these purposes to ensure that they are fair and fundamentally sound."

The last GAO investigation into CPB's funding was conducted in 1984.

In particular, the lawmakers have asked the GAO to examine:

* The statutory and programmatic framework for the distribution of funds to public television stations by CPB and the extent to which this framework affords an appropriate distribution of funding for national and local CPB goals and objectives.

* The basis for, and manner in which, grants are determined and distributed to public television stations by CPB.

* The basis for CPB's decision-making on the extent to which funding should be directed to the Public Broadcasting Service's national programming plan versus locally produced public broadcast programming.

* The composition of, and relevant underlying requirements and guidelines applicable to, non-CPB sources of financial support for public television.

* The current and anticipated future plans of public television stations' operations upon conversion of their facilities from analog to digital technology.

Ken Johnson, spokesman for House Energy and Commerce Committee chairman Billy Tauzin, R-La., said the lawmakers were not necessarily expecting the examination to turn up any wrongdoing, but wanted to get solid numbers before reauthorizing the program.

"Before Congress invests more money, we need to have a better accounting," Johnson said. "Billy's committed to the reauthorization, but not until we have solid numbers from GAO."

A CPB spokesperson said officials there "looked forward to this review."

The request was signed by Tauzin; Ralph Regula, R-Ohio, chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Service & Education; Richard Burr, R-N.C., vice chairman of the Energy and Commerce Committee; and Fred Upton, R-Mich., chairman of the Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet.