I had no idea that there were Public Broadcasting Stations that aired church services and such things. I suppose this is because I don't live in Alabama or someplace.
Anyway, PBS has done (mostly) the right thing by baning this practice.
The Public Broadcasting Service agreed yesterday to ban its member stations from airing new religious TV programs, but permitted the handful of stations that already carry "sectarian" shows to continue doing so.The vote by PBS's board was a compromise from a proposed ban on all religious programming. Such a ban would have forced a few stations around the country to give up their PBS affiliation if they continued to broadcast local church services and religious lectures.
Until now, PBS stations have been required to present programming that is noncommercial, nonpartisan and nonsectarian. But the definition of "nonsectarian" programming was always loosely interpreted, and the rule had never been strictly enforced.
From the Washington Post
Comments
Does this apply to NPR? Our local Mormon-run NPR station runs weekly religious broadcasts and also broadcasts the yearly LDS conference.
Posted by: idahogie | June 17, 2009 6:19 PM
http://www.sltrib.com/news/ci_12603521
Posted by: John Moeller | June 17, 2009 9:00 PM
idahogie, PBS is an entirely separate organization.
Posted by: Stephanie Z | June 17, 2009 9:20 PM
Since when has Christianity become something to be silenced? Christians are mostly responsible for the principles on which our nation was founded. As a rule, Christians are law abiding, generous, caring people.
Now, Christians are being ostracized by people who do not know the definition of tolerance, freedom of speech or freedom of religion.
Since we have started taken Christianity out of our society, we have had more crime, more sexual problems and less freedom. More government, more police are not helping because they can't do what Christianity has done.
Instead of banning church service, they should be encouraging more churches to reach out and help people find solutions to life's problems.
If you want to know more about what God has done to show His love for you, go to www.gettingtoknowjesus.org and see how you can start Getting To Know Jesus.
Posted by: gmc4jesus | June 18, 2009 1:26 AM
gmc4jesus, would you mind linking to some evidence that everything you just said is true? I'm having a hard time finding it myself. Instead I keep finding evidence that religion has stirred up more crime, prejudice, war and general "asshattery".
Thanks!
Posted by: Laborum | June 18, 2009 3:07 AM
Now if we can just talk PBS into dropping all those "Tupak Chacra" bloviations of new age woo.
Posted by: Bert Chadick | June 18, 2009 12:00 PM
@gmc4jesus: Nice scam. I can read the bible for free on the internet. Why pay you for the same info? Why is it that all you religious types need my money? What did god do before paypal?
Posted by: davem | June 18, 2009 12:14 PM
gmc4jebus@4
What has Dog's love done for me? Lessee...
Divorce, bankruptcy, blindness, unemployment. Yup, that's love all right! I wonder what Dog woulda done to, er, I mean, for me if I hadn't been the substitute chaplain while in the military?
Posted by: Robert | June 18, 2009 1:21 PM