Did PBS bury controversial torture documentary under pressure from Bush administration?
Did PBS bury controversial torture documentary under pressure from Bush administration?
Scott Horton reports today that PBS may have refused to nationally air a controversial documentary on the use of torture by the U.S. government in order to protect its funding. Previously, the Bush administration threatened to cut PBS’s funding after it aired Bush’s War, a Frontline special critical of the war in Iraq:
On Thursday evening WNET in New York will air an important new documentary by Emmy and Dupont Award winning producer Sherry Jones entitled “Torturing Democracy.” It appears on WNET and several other affiliates independently because PBS would not run the show. [...]
According to producer Sherry Jones, PBS told her that “no time slot could be found for the documentary before January 21, 2009″ — the day after George W. Bush and Dick Cheney leave office.
Watch a clip from Torturing Democracy here.
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And this is surprising how?
The current regime has been all about how to control the medium and thereby controlling the message.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:13 pmBlackmail.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:14 pmDon’t worry, PBS, the rein of Bush/CheneyCo. terror is almost over.
PEACE
October 14th, 2008 at 5:18 pmAh, that damn LIBRUL MEDIA!!!!
October 14th, 2008 at 5:20 pmAll those liberals
October 14th, 2008 at 5:21 pmFail to see value at the
Ministry of Truth
It’s better this way. Air the documentary when we have a new government in place with the power (and hopefully the will) to bring the torturers to justice.
Bush and the thugs who surround him are going to enter into a new and very uncomfortable reality when they lose control of the White House. It isn’t certain who, if anyone, will be brought to justice, but at the very least they will find themselves treated as pariahs, even by their own party.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:23 pmDid PBS bury controversial torture documentary under pressure from Bush administration?
What controversy they admitted they did it.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:23 pmAccording to producer Sherry Jones, PBS told her that “no time slot could be found for the documentary before January 21, 2009? — the day after George W. Bush escapes to Paraguay and Dick Cheney flees to Dubai.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:25 pmlurker Says:
What controversy they admitted they did it.
Actually, they bragged about doing it.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:27 pmVerbalKint: It’s better this way. Air the documentary when we have a new government in place with the power (and hopefully the will) to bring the torturers to justice.
I agree.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:27 pmLook if Americans don’t know by now how bad the Bush policy on torture was then don’t bother now. Each World Leader has the information as most of the countries that helped the US have told what happen. Even China has written the report and made it public. The only people left that are still questioning the horror are Americans who listen to the Media. We tortured and killed innocent men/woman/children some who wwre just kidnapped for no reason. We tortured first and asked questions later. The US will never hold those responsible but no worries the United Nations will charge the Bush Administration with War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity. All the documents and evidence has been received for a quilty finding. We can thank Speaker Nancy Pelosi for her had work in helping the Bush Administration stay in office to continue their corrupt mission. She was paid well for her actions as her husband was given a big contract from the White House when she became Speaker. Remember Nancy’s words ” Impeachment for Bush/Cheney is off the table”. The deal was sealed.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:28 pmWhat would be the reaction if a captured american soldier were tortured by taleban/ alqueda types ?
October 14th, 2008 at 5:31 pmIt’s also good that it be aired now before the election and hammer McCain’s vote on torture.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:33 pmI’m suprised that Obama hasn’t brought up McCain’s vote
October 14th, 2008 at 5:34 pmagainst the anti-torture bill (as if we needed another law against it) and then he praised bush for his veto. All
the talking heads keep saying mccan’t opposed bush on torture
but that’s a lie.
Who Lied Today? Says:
——————————————————————————–
It’s also good that it be aired now before the election and hammer McCain’s vote on torture.
When is it going to be on?
October 14th, 2008 at 5:36 pmAs Thomas Jefferson once said, “We shall see this reign of witches pass over.”
I had hoped that PBS would have shown a little more backbone against the powers that be when they got rid of Ken Tomlinson.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:40 pmMany of us suspended donations to PBS and informed them of the reason why. It is time to do so again.
Marie Says:
——————————————————————————–
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “We shall see this reign of witches pass over.”
So thats why Scarah needed “witch repellant”.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:46 pmWon’t it be nice to have PBS back? I don’t know why they didn’t just rename it Republican Broadcast System, because it stopped being “Public” about a year into Bush’s rein of terror.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:48 pmMarie Says:
As Thomas Jefferson once said, “We shall see this reign of witches pass over.”
I had hoped that PBS would have shown a little more backbone against the powers that be when they got rid of Ken Tomlinson.
Many of us suspended donations to PBS and informed them of the reason why. It is time to do so again.
It really hasn’t been PBS’ fault. Bush packed the board with Republicans and they started making decisions regarding the broadcasting. I’m actually amazed that they are still up and running after all the damage the Bush Crime Family has done to PBS.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:51 pmWow, yeah, I’m certian this is way too big to be a coincidence.
October 14th, 2008 at 5:56 pmThe Frontline Special “Bush’s War” was Excellent, and presented a Powerfull Indictment of the Rush to War in Iraq engineered by Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld,Feith , and the Pentagon.
Threats by Bush apparently went Unheeded, because this 3 hr. Program was rebroadcast during Pledge Week, and was a powerfull Fund raiser.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:11 pmPerhaps PBS can air this documentary during the Bush cabals war crimes and treason trials on national TV. It would provide a nice back drop for the first daylight seen in the national media since ,God knows when.
October 14th, 2008 at 6:15 pmThat is unless there is martial law imposed before the next president takes office or McSame is elected by diebold .
October 14th, 2008 at 6:17 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl6RXRHMXwE
October 14th, 2008 at 6:19 pmHELLO ?
The new look of the Republican party ?
October 14th, 2008 at 6:23 pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wgiltppa3LA&feature=related
or the reason for the imposition of Martial law between now and January ?
October 14th, 2008 at 6:25 pmActually, the Federal goverment funds the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (Tomlinson was on that Board), not PBS directly. The CPB is mandated, by law, to direct most of their fund allocation to the locally owned and operated stations that are part of PBS. PBS received well over 50% of its funding from private, foundation and corporate donations. But indeed, political pressure has certainly been used, especially by this administration, to prevent certain programs from being aired, or even hosts (such as Bill Moyer) to resign under such pressure. Conservatives have been trying to get rid of open access public television and radio since its inception (1967). If there’s anything conservatives hate, it’s public tax money flowing to the public without their ability to control it. In this case, the message. On the other hand, they apparently have little to no problem with public tax money being directed via subsidies or tax breaks to large corporations, including some that are the most profitable…like oil companies. It’s only socialism, in their tiny minds, if the public get a general benefit. If it’s corporations….hey, that’s growing the economy!!
October 14th, 2008 at 6:52 pmThis deserves a full-blown Congressional investigation.
October 14th, 2008 at 9:00 pmLurker @15, the post says Thursday on WNET in New York and other independent affiliates.
October 14th, 2008 at 10:17 pmUpdate to my post @29: here’s the link:
http://www.thirteen.org/tag/torturing-democracy
You can watch it now, or tune in Thursday, October 16 @ 9PM.
October 14th, 2008 at 10:19 pm.
What’s a Democracy with an ill informed people but lost?
.
October 15th, 2008 at 2:13 am.
When a Government controlls business…
… You get Communism.
When a Government is controlled by business…
… You get Fascism.
And when Media is controlled by corporate funding to cover for the ill of the Government…
… You get a sick society.
Welcome to America.
.
October 15th, 2008 at 2:19 amLet’s just forget about the documentary on torture under the Bush regime. I want PBS to make a documentary detailing the propaganda pushed by the Bush regime and PBS’s role in dispensing it. I want names of all of the players who corrupted PBS and any other media enterprises. Only by doing that can PBS exculpate their willing cooperation in this nightmare like good Amerikans.
October 15th, 2008 at 6:29 amI’ve lost count but isn’t that like the 10,000th conincidence during GW’s terms as President. What a coincidence that is!LOL
October 15th, 2008 at 8:28 amBoth PBS and NPR jumped the shark long ago. They become silent enablers of the corrupt Bush Administration by refusing to air “controversial” facts that might prove embarrassing to the neocon Republicans.
I have given up listening to anything except their science and history programs. And, even in those instances PBS and NPR manage to distort the facts.
October 15th, 2008 at 11:38 amYou can see it online at
October 15th, 2008 at 2:47 pmhttp://www.torturingdemocracy.org/
Bedava Porno izle,
Ohh Thanks :)
March 31st, 2009 at 10:22 am