[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 167 (Wednesday, December 21, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S14308-S14309]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                          BROADCASTING BALANCE

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I rise today to reaffirm the 
Corporation for Public Broadcasting's requirement to ensure ``strict 
adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of 
programs of a controversial nature.'' CPB receives roughly $400 million 
from Congress as part of the Labor, Health and Human Services, 
Education Appropriations bill.
  CPB's requirement to see that recipients like the Public Broadcasting 
Service and National Public Radio uphold the objectivity and balance 
standard does not stem from congressional micro-management or partisan 
interference. Rather, it is a matter of complying with the law under 
which CPB dispenses taxpayers' money.
  That law mandates CPB to see to both ``maximum freedom of the public 
telecommunications entities'' and their ``strict adherence to 
objectivity

[[Page S14309]]

and balance.'' These mandates are not in conflict. Instead, they 
complement each other, and to maintain Americans' confidence in public 
broadcasting the Corporation for Public Broadcasting must see that both 
mandates are fulfilled. Congress and the taxpayers expect nothing less.

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