RADAR Alert: PBS Stonewalls Protesters

On October 20 PBS released Breaking the Silence (BTS), a "documentary" that portrays fathers seeking joint custody as batterers and makes false claims about domestic violence.

In response to last week's RADAR Alert, fatherhood advocates flooded local PBS affiliates with e-mails, phone calls, and letters.

Click "Read more..." for more.

At one major affiliate, RADAR flyers [http://www.mediaradar.org/RADAR_BTS_Flyer.doc] were passed out to employees as they came to work in the morning, coffee cups in hand. Two hours later, the station's Vice President for Communications came outside and announced that her affiliate would not be running BTS.

Other affiliates have decided to delay broadcasting the program or to air opposing views.

And the PBS headquarters took a lot of heat, as well:

* On Monday the American Psychological Association criticized the BTS portrayal of parental alienation syndrome as "incorrect" and "inaccurate." [http://www.glennsacks.com/pbs/apa-102405.php]

* On Tuesday, over 25 mental health professionals called on PBS to allow them to respond to the distortions in the program. [http://www.glennsacks.com/pbs/mental-health.php]

* On Wednesday RADAR released a press release to over 11,000 media outlets criticizing the program. [http://www.therealitycheck.org/TRCMediawire/pbs102605.htm]

* On Thursday, Family News in Focus quoted ACFC director Michael McCormick as describing BTS as a "classic example of the lack of balance" of PBS shows. [http://www.family.org/cforum/fnif/news/a0038359.cfm]

* On Friday, Agape Press ran an article critical of the show. [http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/10/272005f.asp]

Despite all this, PBS executives have decided to stonewall, apparently thinking the storm soon would pass. It's time to politely let them know this is one storm they won't be able to weather.

Because this week, we are asking you to contact your elected official in the House of Representatives, and ask them to give Pat Mitchell, the PBS president, a friendly little call.

We want them to ask Ms. Mitchell, "Why is PBS standing behind a flawed program that has been widely criticized as biased, distorted, and inaccurate?"

Here's what we'd like you to do:

1. Get the name and phone number of your Representative by going to http://www.house.gov/, and entering your zip code.
2. Telephone the Washington office and ask to speak with the Legislative Aide ("L.A.") who deals with family issues.
3. Chances are you will end up talking to an answering machine. At the sound of the tone, state your name and indicate you are a constituent. Then give this message:

   "I'm calling to complain about the recent PBS program, Breaking the Silence. Groups like the American Psychological Association, Focus on the Family, and others are saying this program is not only inaccurate and false, it is also biased against fathers and families. Please call PBS president Pat Mitchell at 703-739-5000, and ask her why PBS continues to broadcast a program that doesn't meet even the most basic standards of journalism."

4. Ask the L.A. to return your call and leave your phone number. SPEAK IN A COURTEOUS AND RESPECTFUL TONE - the old saying that it's easier to attract bees with honey than with vinegar.
5. If you end up talking to the Legislative Aide, explain that we are asking PBS to revise the program content before any more affiliates broadcast it. Also, invite the person to visit the RADAR website at http://www.mediaradar.org/ for more information.
6. Finally, consider faxing a copy of the RADAR flyer to the L.A. The flyer can be downloaded from http://www.mediaradar.org/RADAR_BTS_Flyer.doc.

And remember, no rants please!

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Date of RADAR Release: October 30, 2005

Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting (RADAR) is an organization working to assure fairness and balance in the domestic violence issue: http://www.mediaradar.org/.

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