Public-broadcasting turmoil

last updated 8 January 2015

Washington, D.C.

Kenneth Tomlinson, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting board leader who vowed to rid PBS of liberal bias, abruptly resigned last week amid allegations he was improperly spending public money. The New York Times reported that a federal inspector general will soon charge Tomlinson with using board money to hire people to do personal work and to exert political influence over public television and radio. Tomlinson, a Bush administration appointee, last year commissioned a study to monitor NOW With Bill Moyers for “anti-Bush” and “anti-business” content. He also helped line up $5 million to underwrite a conservative show, The Journal Editorial Report, and allegedly pressured PBS stations to run it. By law, the CPB is prohibited from exerting political influence over public radio and TV.