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Back to To the Point

To the Point

Public Broadcasting on the Firing Line Once Again

In the 1990's, Big Bird, Kermit and all their friends saved Bill Moyers, Frontline and the rest of public broadcasting from Republican budget cuts. But charges of liberal bias never went away. Last year, NPR's news analyst Juan Williams told Fox News he was "nervous" flying with passengers wearing "Muslim garb."

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By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

In the 1990's, Big Bird, Kermit and all their friends saved Bill Moyers, Frontline and the rest of public broadcasting from Republican budget cuts. But charges of liberal bias never went away. Last year, NPR's news analyst Juan Williams told Fox News he was "nervous" flying with passengers wearing "Muslim garb." When NPR fired him, Speaker John Boehner and other Republicans saw evidence of "a left-wing network." Since January, six bills have been introduced to defund public broadcasting once and for all. This week, Congress will vote on a measure that would withhold the remaining amount of the budget for this year. We hear from their critics and their supporters.

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    Warren Olney

    former KCRW broadcaster

  • KCRW placeholder

    Katie Cooper

    Producer, 'One year Later'

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    Frances Anderton

    architecture critic and author

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    Paul Farhi

    Media Reporter for the Washington Post

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    Laura Walker

    President, New York Public Radio

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    Laurence Jarvik

    author, 'PBS behind the Screen'

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