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Sunday, August 18, 2013

PBS censoring itself due to David Koch's influence

From: Melanie Jones <info@watchdog.net>Sent: Thursday, August 15, 2013 1:22 AM
Subject: The Koch Bros. just stole PBS
The Koch Brothers are already gunning for our newspapers: Don't let them take our public broadcasting too!
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Dear Concerned Citizen,

"Citizen Koch," a documentary on How Citizens United has warped American politics, was promised funding by public television, but executives withdrew support for the film because they feared it would offend billionaire industrialist David Koch, a PBS donor.  

The film focuses on the 2010 election of Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker and how the Kochs came to his aid when he faced being kicked out of office. Now its place in the "Independent Lens" series has been shelved by the Independent Television Service (ITVS), an arm of PBS that funds and distributes independent films— because another IL film, "Park Avenue," upset David Koch.

This is censorship, pure and simple, the undercutting of the very organization that is supposed to support free thought and divergent voices because private funding has corrupted its editorial integrity.  

That a film about public servants bowing to private donors has been shelved to placate David Koch shows just how relevant this film is: please, join us in writing the Independent Television Service (ITVS) urging it to reconsider its decision so PBS viewers can see this film now.
PETITION TO ITVS: We urge you to renew funding for "Citizen Koch," rejecting pressure from PBS’s high dollar donors and programming the documentary for the "Independent Lens" series as originally intended.

Thanks,
-- The folks at Watchdog.net

P.S. If the other links aren't working for you, please go here to sign: http://act.watchdog.net/petitions/3100?n=32752735.k0uyXS

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