The controversial candidacy of Patricia de Stacy Harrison for the presidency of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting was publicly panned by PBS late Friday.
Ms. Harrison is a former co-chair of the Republican National Committee who is said to enjoy the support of CPB board Chairman Kenneth Tomlinson for the top CPB executive post–and a CPB announcement on its new president is expected as early as Monday.
But in a June 17 letter to Mr. Tomlinson, Mary Bitterman, PBS board chair, has joined ranks with watchdog groups challenging Ms. Harrison’s appointment. “The appointment of a CPB president with a history of national political party leadership, no matter how highly qualified or respected that individual is, would compromise that [public broadcasting’s] independence both in perception and in reality,” Ms. Bitterman said. “It might also be construed as showing contempt for the nonpartisanship in public broadcasting desired by the American people.”
Harrison’s Candidacy at CPB Angers PBS
Jun 17, 2005 • Post A Comment