Pacific Views

Bill Moyer's NOW

Television quality is so low these days that large numbers of people refuse to watch it. For me, this is largely true (although before I became a blog junkie, I used to like to watch shows like Law & Order - but now I find I have no time for such frivolities). Today I find there is nothing else worth watching on television except Bill Moyers' NOW and the acclaimed Frontline. Moyers is such an incredible reporter and genuine patriot, that I often arrange my Friday evening around that show. And I think that the addition of David Brancaccio has been excellent.

This week's program was as usual, brilliant. It started out with a great section on the Christian Zionists showing how they were working with the Messianic Jews to prevent the Israeli government from returning any land to the Palestinians because it goes against their biblical belief that the end times will come when the Jews own the entire "holy land". And the messianic Jews believe that their Messiah is due (not Christ). Both of them are absolutely dedicaded against the concept of land for peace and do not believe there is any reason to try to negotiate with the Palestinians because God destined all of that land for the Jews. One wonders how God likes people that promote war and expulsion of the Palestinians because it will promote Armaggedon. It doesn't seem to be very Christian.

Another section this week showcased Connie Rice of the Advancement Project. She works on equity issues for the poor and sues the government when it does not provide the institutional support to provide the appropriate services for the poor -- like why the school system in LA is not providing a better education for everyone. Interestingly, she is the second cousin of Condalezza Rice. She is clearly is a smart, articulate and compassionate woman who believes we can harness the power of our government to provide help and support for the poor.

Bill Moyers is one of the only bright spots in the vast wasteland known as television. But he beause he is such a powerful critic against the radical right, he is the target of those who want to defang and neuter public television. Moyers reports on things that few do and exposes the darkside of politics today. Those who want to shut him down complain that his commentaries show that he is not an objective and balanced reporter and thus should not be given the airtime he has.

So far Public Television is anxiously trying balance the complaints.

In November, shortly after Moyers' post-election commentary roiled conservatives, the CPB Board unanimously reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring program balance (earlier story). "It is especially important in these extraordinary times for public broadcasting to provide information to the public about issues of national import in a manner that represents multiple points of view," the resolution stated. At that time board members spoke out against program bias but didn't connect their remarks to Now with Bill Moyers, a series that receives no CPB backing.

CPB then took additional steps to broaden the range of opinions represented on public TV. In a reorganization early this year, CPB appointed Michael Pack, a filmmaker who documented the mid-1990s rise and fall of Republican House Speaker Newt Gingrich in two PBS films, as chief program executive.

CPB and PBS agreed to jointly commission a new Friday night series to pair with Now. The show, still in development, is intended to balance Moyers' views, according to two producers who spoke with PBS execs about the concept.

It is ironic that the right (and the Bush administration) have no problem attacking Moyers for his partisanship while they actively takeover most of the rest of the airwaves for their one-sided and totally partisan view without any balance at all. If you watch Bill Moyers, please let PBS know you really value his voice and if you don't, take some time to see what you think and then express your opinion of whether you think it is important to keep his voice on the air. In my opinion he is a national treasure and we would be so much poorer without his insightful voice.