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WASHINGTON, D.C. --
Media Research Center President Brent Bozell today blasted Bill Moyers,
former host of the PBS show Now, for his character
assassination attempt against Corporation for Public Broadcasting
Chairman Ken Tomlinson. In a recent speech in St. Louis, Moyers
accused Tomlinson of participating in the blacklisting of several
prominent Americans keeping them from speaking and lecturing on
behalf of the U.S. Information Agency when Tomlinson ran the Voice of
America in the mid-1980s. VOA is part of USIA. Moyers presented no
evidence for his charge.
This is character assassination, pure and simple. This is just
another Newsweek/Dan Rather-type, vicious attack with
absolutely no evidence and no basis in fact, Bozell said.
In a letter sent to Moyers today, Tomlinson wrote he had been looking
forward to meeting with Moyers to discuss public broadcasting, but
then read Moyers remarks.
Bill, you cant make this stuff up. No one has ever linked me to any
form of black list incident. In fact, I was known at the Voice of
America for protecting the institution from State Department attempts
to interfere with its journalism. You may want to issue an apology
before we meet to discuss public broadcasting. But you most certainly
must issue a correction, Tomlinson wrote.
Bozell noted this latest tirade by Moyers vindicates Tomlinsons
efforts to bring political balance to PBS, efforts that have included
a six-month audit of Moyers show. Moyers often used his PBS perch for
liberal rants against conservative public figures and conservatism.
Ken Tomlinson is right about Bill Moyers and he is right about PBS.
The inevitable character assassination attempts against Mr. Tomlinson,
especially now coming directly from Moyers, are proof of that. Perhaps
Moyers should be reporting for CBS or Newsweek, Bozell said.
To schedule an interview with Brent Bozell or an MRC spokesperson,
please contact Tim Scheiderer at 703.683.5004 x. 126