Veteran journalist Charlie Rose is an anchor [1] on the state-sponsored PBS. On Wednesday, Rose chided Republican Governor Mike Pence for starting a "state-run news service." Rose, who also co-hosts CBS This Morning, chuckled as he related, "Indiana Governor Mike Pence is starting a state-run news service funded by taxpayer money." (As a side note, PBS received about $445 million [2] in taxpayer money in 2012.)
Rose highlighted, "Critics say Pence is pushing his agenda by pretending the service is independent news." Co-host Norah O'Donnell also mocked, "Hmm. What country does that remind me of?"
On July 17, 2014 [3], Rose began a Hillary Clinton interview on the state-sponsored PBS by telling viewers, "I consider Hillary Clinton a friend." He then read a Maya Angelou poem to her:
There is a world of difference between being a woman and a being an old female.
If you're born a girl, grow up, and live long enough, you can become an old female. But to become a woman is a serious matter.
A woman takes responsibility for the times she takes up and the space she occupies. Hillary Clinton is a woman.
On October 28, 2014 [4], Norah O'Donnell gushed over the liberal Elizabeth Warren, even admitting that one of her own questions was a "softball."
Rose is worth an estimated $23 million [5], some of which came from his work on PBS.
The Indianapolis Star [6] explained Governor Pence's plans:
Gov. Mike Pence is starting a state-run taxpayer-funded news outlet that will make pre-written news stories available to Indiana media, as well as sometimes break news about his administration, according to documents obtained by The Indianapolis Star.
...
A Pence spokeswoman on Monday downplayed the move, describing it as similar to the state's current online calendar of news releases, but with a new design. She declined to immediately answer other questions but said the administration would release more details soon.
The news agency is being overseen by a governance board of communications directors and an editorial board of McCleery and the governor's communications staff.
A transcript of the January 28th CBS This Morning 28 brief is below:
7:31am ET
CHARLIE ROSE: The Indianapolis star says Indiana Governor Mike Pence is starting a state-run news service funded by taxpayer money. It is expected to launch next month. The website and news outlet will feature stories and news releases written by state press secretaries. Critics say Pence is pushing his agenda by pretending the service is independent news.
NORAH O'DONNELL: Hmmm. What country does that remind me of? [All laugh.]
— Scott Whitlock is Senior News Analyst at the Media Research Center. Follow Scott Whitlock on Twitter. [7]