MediaWatch: May 1988
Table of Contents:
Bettering the World?
Cable broadcasting mogul Ted Turner has crafted a clever way to spread his leftist and pro-Soviet views to the American public. Through his Atlanta cable superstation WTBS and CNN, Turner airs many ads and documentaries produced by the communist-backed Better World Society (BWS). Turner founded BWS in 1985 and serves as Chairman.
The Board of Directors boasts several communist officials, including Georgi Arbatov, Director of the Soviet Foreign Ministry's U.S.-Canada Institute. A recent addition is Communist China's Zhou Boping, Vice Chairman of the State Family Planning Association. Zhou oversees the one-child population control program which has led to death for millions of unborn and newborn babies through the regime's forced infanticide campaign.
BWS Associate Producer Mark Greenberg told MediaWatch the society is dedicated to "promoting East-West relations, lessening the tension of the nuclear arms race, reversing environmental degradation, and promoting population stabilization." But what do they really do? In 1987, BWS aired "Beyond Fear" on WTBS, a five program series aimed at countering "the hysterical 'Amerika' series on ABC." After the signing of the Intermediate Nuclear Forces treaty last December, BWS began running pro-ratification commercials on WTBS, CNN and Headline News.
In cooperation with the pro-abortion International Planned Parenthood Federation, BWS produced and broadcast "Increase and Multiply?" to present the case for more "family planning" throughout the world. In 1987 Turner also aired "Disarmament and Beyond." With whom did BWS create the one-hour panel discussion? None other than the Soviet government.
Two projects will be given top priority in 1988: an anti-SDI series and a program illustrating opportunities for U.S.-Soviet "cooperation." The latter program will be proposed as a joint venture with state-controlled Soviet television. Greenberg confirmed that airtime for all BWS ads and documentaries "is donated by Turner Broadcasting." Turner's extreme political antics only help destroy the credibility of his networks, including CNN.
