54 ms·

As a long-time (but now, former) financial supporter of PBS, I am of two minds here. There is a lot to like - focus on the arts, science. serious topics, quali

by jazzyk 10y ago

As a long-time (but now, former) financial supporter of PBS, I am of two minds here. There is a lot to like - focus on the arts, science. serious topics, quality children programming. But in recent years, the news and politics programming has turned - almost to a caricature level - unabashedly partisan and ideological. Not a single white male to be seen on the cast of NewsHour, other than a couple of low-level field reporters such as Jeff Brown, an obsession with stories like the abuse of women in southern Nigeria, while they completely ignore white male citizens of the US are left to rot (and die from opioid abuse and suicide) in West Virginia, etc. It is their prerogative to set the agenda as they like, but I feel that a publicly funded channel should cover all points of view. I feel the same about Planned Parenthood. Even though, personally, I am pro-choice, I can understand that people who are opposed to it may have a problem with their tax money used to fund it.

d23 10y ago
Those problems should be addressed, not the entire thing defunded.
- JakeAl 10y ago
  They are addressed -- by watching videos streamed from Apps, YouTube, Minds, Periscope, etc.
deleted 10y ago
[deleted]
alphabettsy 10y ago
I've personally seen tons of stories about the Opioid epidemic on PBS especially on News Hour and including an entire episode of Frontline called "Chasing Heroin". As far as abuse of women in Nigeria, I don't recall hearing about that at all, I'll have to look it up. I personally turn to PBS coverage because I find it far more balanced than something like CNN, CNBC or Fox News. I have noticed that it was pointed out that they have primarily female anchors, and it's certainly different, but I can't say I have a problem with it. I also like the fact that they don't seem to use commentators and "expert" consultants as often, but rather the Government representatives or organizations actually involved.
- jazzyk 10y ago
  While always left-leaning, PBS was much more balanced in the past. These days, most of their invited guests are either NYT, or WaPo reporters and they have become - sadly - increasingly unbalanced, leftist propagandists. Being critical of a current administration is fine, but leaving out stories which don't fit their narrative is just... propaganda. No other way to describe it. Not that Fox News and the other right wing sources don't do the same thing, but I thought we could expect higher standards from PBS/NPR. Not anymore - so I stopped supporting them (after 25 years of solid and faithful financial support). This sad commentary applies to all media - there just isn't a single, reasonably balanced source of news anymore. I guess being truly fair and balanced (and no, Fox News ain't it :-)) just does not sell anymore. Perhaps having 6 huge corporations owning all major media (PBS excepted) has something to do with it
  - alphabettsy 10y ago
    Media consolidation certinaly hasn't helped. It does seem to me that individual journalists are making their views known more commonly and it's definitely easier to spot when they're actively engaging their audience on social media. Part of me wonders if them being encouraged or required to participate in social media causes some bias towards getting approval from fans. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that news organizations being further driven towards higher profits also causes them to follow consumer trends and popular stories in "their audience" rather than doing more investigative journalism and objective reporting. It's almost like social media and popular opinion drive the story rather than just tipping off journalists to where the story might be, its lazy and probably cheaper.
  - cvwright 10y ago
    I appreciate Masterpiece Mystery and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood as much as anyone. But unfortunately I have to agree with some of this. I watched the election night coverage on PBS. As more states started turning red, the host looked like she was about to cry. And she looked like she was physically in pain, or wanted to spit, each time she said the words "white working class" voters. So it comes as no surprise that those voters, and the candidate they elected, are going to want to pull the plug. It's a real shame, too. How could they not see this coming?
tofupup 10y ago
"they completely ignore white male citizens of the US are left to rot (and die from opioid abuse and suicide) in West Virginia, etc." : A simple google search yields : - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioid-abuse/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioid-abuse/ (1 stories) - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ (7 stories) - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-short-white-americans/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-s... West Virginia - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/another-west-virginia-town-sues-drug-wholesalers/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/another-west-virginia-to... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/west-virginia-school-caring-students-addicted-parents-cant/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/west-virginia-school-caring-s... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/early-results-of-w-va-towns-needle-exchange-program-shows-progress/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/early-results-of-w-va-to... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sobering-stories-drug-addiction-west-virginia-237/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sobering-stories-drug-addicti... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/rural-west-virginia-schools-help-grandparents-parenting-second-time/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/rural-west-virginia-schools-h... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/schools-rural-west-virginia-aim-improve-students-prospects/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/schools-rural-west-virginia-a... [the next statements are made with the hope of furthering dialog] Yes, they could do better as far as content, what worries me about your post is your statement "completely ignore" seems to differ from reality.
- jazzyk 10y ago
  OK, so "completely ignore" was an exaggeration. They do talk about opioid abuse as a problem in general, but rarely ever mention that the affected segment of the population is about 65% white male (in West Virginia, not sure about other areas). If there is a program on PBS or NPR about it, it is almost always a young female being interviewed - just my subjective observation. Details, but they add up quickly and create an ideological bias, where there should not be.
  - tofupup 10y ago
    "If there is a program on PBS or NPR about it, it is almost always a young female being interviewed" I posted the link : http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ So I read through a few of the stories, and of the first few that focus on the stories of individual addicts all three are white males. - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/montanas-pain-refugees-leave-state-get-prescribed-opioids/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/montanas-pain-refugees-l... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/opioids-as-a-first-response-to-pain-hospitals-are-rethinking-that-policy/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/opioids-as-a-first-respo... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/painkillers-controversy-doctors/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/painkillers-controversy-... Although they fall short of giving the specific statistic you quote take a lot at these stories : "white" is in the title and url and they both mention the toll males are taking. "He’s been seeing a lot of dead white males of late, especially ages 45 to 54." : http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-short-white-americans/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-s... "So, here is a male with no identity. He’s not working. He’s supposed to be a provider for his family. He can’t even do that. So that low self-worth, along with that hopelessness feeling, we start seeing tremendous depression." http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/feeling-falling-behind-fuels-deadly-distress-white-americans/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/feeling-falling-behind-fuels-... I just don't know how you get from "subjective observation" to what I am reading. I stay this as I also worry your perception is alienating you from folks that have your interests in mind as I am doubtful it is the folks calling for cuts do.

by jazzyk 10y ago

d23 10y ago

Those problems should be addressed, not the entire thing defunded.

JakeAl 10y ago
They are addressed -- by watching videos streamed from Apps, YouTube, Minds, Periscope, etc.

deleted 10y ago

[deleted]

alphabettsy 10y ago

I've personally seen tons of stories about the Opioid epidemic on PBS especially on News Hour and including an entire episode of Frontline called "Chasing Heroin". As far as abuse of women in Nigeria, I don't recall hearing about that at all, I'll have to look it up. I personally turn to PBS coverage because I find it far more balanced than something like CNN, CNBC or Fox News. I have noticed that it was pointed out that they have primarily female anchors, and it's certainly different, but I can't say I have a problem with it. I also like the fact that they don't seem to use commentators and "expert" consultants as often, but rather the Government representatives or organizations actually involved.

jazzyk 10y ago
While always left-leaning, PBS was much more balanced in the past. These days, most of their invited guests are either NYT, or WaPo reporters and they have become - sadly - increasingly unbalanced, leftist propagandists. Being critical of a current administration is fine, but leaving out stories which don't fit their narrative is just... propaganda. No other way to describe it. Not that Fox News and the other right wing sources don't do the same thing, but I thought we could expect higher standards from PBS/NPR. Not anymore - so I stopped supporting them (after 25 years of solid and faithful financial support). This sad commentary applies to all media - there just isn't a single, reasonably balanced source of news anymore. I guess being truly fair and balanced (and no, Fox News ain't it :-)) just does not sell anymore. Perhaps having 6 huge corporations owning all major media (PBS excepted) has something to do with it
- alphabettsy 10y ago
  Media consolidation certinaly hasn't helped. It does seem to me that individual journalists are making their views known more commonly and it's definitely easier to spot when they're actively engaging their audience on social media. Part of me wonders if them being encouraged or required to participate in social media causes some bias towards getting approval from fans. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems that news organizations being further driven towards higher profits also causes them to follow consumer trends and popular stories in "their audience" rather than doing more investigative journalism and objective reporting. It's almost like social media and popular opinion drive the story rather than just tipping off journalists to where the story might be, its lazy and probably cheaper.
- cvwright 10y ago
  I appreciate Masterpiece Mystery and Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood as much as anyone. But unfortunately I have to agree with some of this. I watched the election night coverage on PBS. As more states started turning red, the host looked like she was about to cry. And she looked like she was physically in pain, or wanted to spit, each time she said the words "white working class" voters. So it comes as no surprise that those voters, and the candidate they elected, are going to want to pull the plug. It's a real shame, too. How could they not see this coming?

tofupup 10y ago

"they completely ignore white male citizens of the US are left to rot (and die from opioid abuse and suicide) in West Virginia, etc." : A simple google search yields : - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioid-abuse/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioid-abuse/ (1 stories) - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ (7 stories) - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-short-white-americans/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-s... West Virginia - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/another-west-virginia-town-sues-drug-wholesalers/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/another-west-virginia-to... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/west-virginia-school-caring-students-addicted-parents-cant/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/west-virginia-school-caring-s... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/early-results-of-w-va-towns-needle-exchange-program-shows-progress/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/early-results-of-w-va-to... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sobering-stories-drug-addiction-west-virginia-237/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/sobering-stories-drug-addicti... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/rural-west-virginia-schools-help-grandparents-parenting-second-time/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/rural-west-virginia-schools-h... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/schools-rural-west-virginia-aim-improve-students-prospects/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/schools-rural-west-virginia-a... [the next statements are made with the hope of furthering dialog] Yes, they could do better as far as content, what worries me about your post is your statement "completely ignore" seems to differ from reality.

jazzyk 10y ago
OK, so "completely ignore" was an exaggeration. They do talk about opioid abuse as a problem in general, but rarely ever mention that the affected segment of the population is about 65% white male (in West Virginia, not sure about other areas). If there is a program on PBS or NPR about it, it is almost always a young female being interviewed - just my subjective observation. Details, but they add up quickly and create an ideological bias, where there should not be.
- tofupup 10y ago
  "If there is a program on PBS or NPR about it, it is almost always a young female being interviewed" I posted the link : http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/tag/opioids/ So I read through a few of the stories, and of the first few that focus on the stories of individual addicts all three are white males. - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/montanas-pain-refugees-leave-state-get-prescribed-opioids/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/montanas-pain-refugees-l... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/opioids-as-a-first-response-to-pain-hospitals-are-rethinking-that-policy/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/opioids-as-a-first-respo... - http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/painkillers-controversy-doctors/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/painkillers-controversy-... Although they fall short of giving the specific statistic you quote take a lot at these stories : "white" is in the title and url and they both mention the toll males are taking. "He’s been seeing a lot of dead white males of late, especially ages 45 to 54." : http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-short-white-americans/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/deaths-despair-cutting-life-s... "So, here is a male with no identity. He’s not working. He’s supposed to be a provider for his family. He can’t even do that. So that low self-worth, along with that hopelessness feeling, we start seeing tremendous depression." http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/feeling-falling-behind-fuels-deadly-distress-white-americans/ http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/feeling-falling-behind-fuels-... I just don't know how you get from "subjective observation" to what I am reading. I stay this as I also worry your perception is alienating you from folks that have your interests in mind as I am doubtful it is the folks calling for cuts do.