February 11, 1995

Eric Ringham lamented the heavy-handed approach to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, apparently on ideological grounds, taken by Senator Larry Pressler ("Grilling the CPB" 2/9/95). Yet Ringham did not detail the reasons behind it. Of course, it is difficult for a media person to notice this problem, since the biases are common to the profession.

The truth is this: it is bad enough for commercial radio and TV to skew their coverage; it is even worse for tax money to go towards one sided reporting. What one side, you ask?

The lovely nature programs shown on public TV assume evolution and give no hint that there is another side. Of course, this is the bias of the academic establishment and most "experts."

Yet there is a powerful case for creation, acknowledged by an unusually honest minority of mainstream academicians and well worked out by a counter-culture of researchers who no longer see "the emperor's new clothes." And, in fact, the majority of Americans accept creation as truth.

Public radio and TV do not explore the depths of the abortion debate. Like most media, they accept the distorted press releases of the pro-choice side and do not admit that most Americans disagree with allowing abortion for most of the reasons it is done.

Public radio and TV, supposedly promoting acquisition of unbiased knowledge, do not look at the post abortion effects on the women, and the men, involved. Abortion does not make a woman "unpregnant." It adds guilt and regret to all the other problems it was advertised to solve.

In addition, public radio and TV fail to correct the revisionist view that religious involvement in the affairs of this nation is new and dangerous. The historical truth continues to be hidden that the United States was founded on Biblical principles, organized and launched predominantly by Christians.

In addition, the importance of religion in American life is rarely revealed. This despite the fact that most Americans hold it to be the most important facet of their lives.

Finally, in keeping with the trend of bending facts for political causes, the acceptance of homosexuality as an equal and acceptable lifestyle is promoted as a civil rights issue. The research showing the incredibly destructive effect on individuals and society is suppressed, as much on public TV as it is in the daily newspaper.

Because public broadcasting points to the many good things it is doing as the answer to criticism about its shortcomings, a cover-up appears to be in progress. Those of the other persuasion get impatient when they are accused of putting out poison for Kermit or mining the streets of Lake Wobegone.

This article was published in the Star Tribune.

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