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Corporation for Public Broadcasting Hires Former RNC Chair

By: Ed Markey
By: Ed Markey
Date: June 23, 2005
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Technology and Communication


CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING HIRES FORMER RNC CHAIR
Rep. Markey Decries Appointment of RNC Partisan, Urgesfor CPB Chairman to Resign

Washington, D.C. - Representative Markey, the ranking member on the House Subcommittee on
Telecommunications and the Internet made the following statement in response to today's breaking
announcement that Patricia S. Harrison, former Republican Party co-chair, was named as the President
and Chief Executive Officer of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

"The Corporation of Public Broadcasting (CPB) Board should reconsider the wisdom of naming the exchairwoman
of the Republican National Committee to a non-partisan position, especially at a time when
the Chairman of CPB has failed to uphold the non-partisan nature of the system.

"Rather than acting as a political heat shield, protecting public broadcasting from politics, Chairman
Kenneth Y. Tomlinson has become a human lightning rod with his efforts to inject party politics into
public broadcasting programming and pushing employment for candidates cleared by the Bush White
House.

"Chairman Kenneth Y. Tomlinson says he conducted a "nationwide search" but it seems he looked no
further than his own party's revolving door.

"Public broadcasting does not belong to any political party - it belongs to the people of the United States
who, according to recent polling, find it to be one of the "most valuable" institutions in America. I
strongly urge the CPB board to reconsider this historical move to paint this traditionally non-partisan
institution red."

Rep. Markey, a leader of the efforts to restore funding for public broadcasting, called on Tuesday for the
resignation of Ken Tomlinson, Chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), who has
come under recent criticism for his campaign to inject partisanship and conservative viewpoints into PBS
programming. Today, as the debate begins on the Labor, Health and Human Services Appropriations
Bill, Rep. Markey is urging members of the House of Representatives to join him in calling for
Tomlinson's resignation by signing a letter to the CPB Chair.

For more information Representative Markey's work to preserve children's television check out
http://www.house.gov/markey/.

http://www.house.gov/markey/Issues/iss_telecom_pr050623.pdf

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