[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 153 (Thursday, November 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2393]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 THE IMPORTANCE OF THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING'S OVERSIGHT 
                               OBLIGATION

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. STEVEN R. ROTHMAN

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                      Thursday, November 17, 2005

  Mr. ROTHMAN. Mr. Speaker, during this debate on the Conference Report 
for the Fiscal Year 2006 Labor, Health and Human Services, Education 
and Related Agencies Appropriations bill, I want to call attention to 
the Corporation for Public Broadcasting's (CPB) obligation to ensure 
unbiased and objective programming.
  The U.S. Congress provides the CPB with approximately $400 million 
each year. CPB then allocates these funds to the Public Broadcasting 
Service, National Public Radio, and other recipients. It does so, as 
the Telecommunications Act makes clear, with the responsibility to 
ensure that recipients demonstrate ``strict adherence to objectivity 
and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial 
nature.'' CPB also must see to ``maximum freedom of the public 
telecommunications entities and system from interference with, or 
control of, program content or other activities.''
  These two obligations do not contradict each other. Rather, together 
they circumscribe the lawful activity of tax-supported public 
broadcasting programmers and program providers. Public broadcasting 
should enjoy ``maximum freedom'' from outside ``interference or 
control'' so long as it simultaneously demonstrates ``strict adherence 
to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a 
controversial nature.''
  Mr. Speaker, there should be no confusion. These obligations 
reinforce each other. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting must 
implement both on behalf of Congress and the taxpayers.
  I commend CPB for creating a new unique office, the Office of 
Ombudsmen, as a step towards ensuring that these standards of fairness 
and independent reporting are upheld. Guaranteeing that basic 
journalistic requirements of objectivity and balance are maintained in 
public programming is hardly interference. In fact, I strongly believe 
that the public's trust in public broadcasting rests on just such 
standards and I will continue to fight to see that they are maintained.

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