RADAR Alert: "Breaking the Silence": Time for Congress to Investigate

Over three weeks ago PBS released its flawed program, Breaking
the
Silence.

Since that date, the factual content of the program has been shown to
be biased and unfair. One of the mothers portrayed as a victim turned
out to be a serial child abuser. And the program makes numerous claims
that unfairly libel fathers.

Click "Read more..." for more.

Thousands of viewers have complained, and several affiliates have
declined to air the program. But PBS has refused to pull the program. More
than three weeks later, PBS has only promised to do “a review of the
research behind and conclusions presented” in the program.

So why did the Corporation for Public Broadcasting let PBS to air such
a biased program? Part of CPB's legal mandate is to ensure
“strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or
series of programs of a controversial nature.” (http://www.cpb.org/aboutcpb/goals/objectivity). If they don't hold PBS accountable, who will?

The US Congress, that’s who.

This week, our lobbyists will be meeting with key members of the House
of Representatives. They will be delivering a letter signed by RADAR
and 15 other organizations around the country. A copy of that
letter is shown at the bottom of this Alert.

So while our lobbyists are talking to staff members in the front room,
the phones need to be ringing off the hook in the back. Please call the
following Congressmen TODAY:

“I'm calling about Breaking the Silence, a program that was recently aired by PBS. This program has been caught up in allegations of bias and misrepresentation. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting has a legal mandate to assure objectivity and balance in all public broadcasting. Please investigate to find out exactly what went wrong. Thank you.”

Your prompt response is critical to the success of this effort.

November 14, 2005

Fred Upton, Chairman

Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet

2183 Rayburn Building

Washington, DC 20515

RE: Complaint about the Corporation for Public Broadcasting

Dear Chairman Upton:

We are writing in regard to the PBS program Breaking the Silence:
Children’s Stories, a documentary about the treatment of abused
children by divorce courts in America. The program falsely concludes
that children are frequently awarded to abusive fathers by divorce
courts.

As such, the program directly violates the legal mandate of the
Corporation for Public Broadcasting to ensure “strict adherence to
objectivity in all programs or series of programs of a controversial
nature.”
Even though CPB did not create this program, CPB is
nonetheless obligated by law to assure that all public broadcasting
programs conform to journalistic standards of objectivity and balance.

Breaking the Silence was released by the Public Broadcasting
Service on October 20. Even before its release, this controversial
program has been surrounded by allegations of bias and
misrepresentation. We know the following to be true:

1. Breaking the Silence (BTS) was funded by a $500,000 grant from
   the Mary Kay Ash Foundation, which has previously funded misleading
   television programs about domestic violence.
2. The program’s directors refused to interview persons who
   would have presented a balancing perspective on the issue, leaving a
   one-sided and inaccurate portrayal. [http://www.familytx.org/research/articles/PAS/BreakingTheScience-OstrichSyndrome.html#rejected-interviewees]
3. The program makes numerous sweeping claims that unfairly libel
   fathers. These claims are easily refuted by government reports and/or
   widely-accepted research:
   1. BTS claims that children are “most often in danger from the
      father.” But government statistics show that more children are abused
      and neglected by their mother than their father. [http://faq.acf.hhs.gov/cgi-bin/acfrightnow.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=70]
   2. BTS claims, “All over America, battered mothers lose custody
      of their children.” But the US Census Bureau reports that in 2002,
      “about 5 of every 6 custodial parents were mothers.” [http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/p60-225.pdf]
   3. BTS indicates the vast majority of divorced dads who seek
      custody of their children are “abusive.” But research shows women are
      just as likely as men to commit domestic violence. [http://www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert/assault.htm]
   4. BTS claims that the parental alienation syndrome “has been
      thoroughly debunked by the American Psychological Association.” But the
      APA responded on October 24, 2005 that the BTS claim was “incorrect.” [http://www.therealitycheck.org/GuestColumnist/mrosenthal110405.htm]
4. The program features Sadia Loeliger, who is portrayed as a
   heroic mother who battled a biased divorce court system to regain
   custody of her child. But recently-released documents prove that Ms.
   Loeliger had been found by a California Juvenile Court to be a serial
   child abuser. [http://www.glennsacks.com/pbs/loeliger.php]
5. Six months before the program was scheduled to be aired, the
   program directors were apprised of Ms. Loeliger’s history of child
   abuse, but they chose to conceal that important information from
   program viewers. [http://www.glennsacks.com/pbs/loeliger-producers-warned.php]
6. To date, CPB and PBS executives have failed to comment on the
   substance of any of these charges.

The controversy surrounding Breaking the Silence has
been reported on numerous news outlets, including Fox News, NPR radio,
and various newspapers. We are enclosing a number of these articles
with this letter. Several PBS affiliates have already aired opposing
perspectives, or refused to air the program all together.

RADAR – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – believes
that fundamental journalistic principles of balance, integrity, and
accuracy have been violated by this program. RADAR asserts that the
Public Broadcasting Service should retract this flawed show.

Furthermore, RADAR has requested PBS to produce an objective
documentary that focuses on the plight of children abused by their
mothers, and the anguish of fathers who are prevented by the courts
from protecting their children.

We the undersigned call on you to investigate CPB’s egregious
violation of its Congressional mandate to ensure “strict adherence to
objectivity in all programs or series of programs of a controversial
nature.”

Gordon E. Finley, PhD

RADAR: Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting

Marc Angelucci

National Coalition of Free Men – Los Angeles Chapter

Paul M. Clements

President, DADD-NH

Charles E. Corry, PhD, F.G.S.A.

President, Equal Justice Foundation

Harry Crouch

Director, San Diego Men’s Center

Michael Geanoulis

National Congress for Fathers and Children – New Hampshire Chapter

James Hays

President, Coalition of Fathers and Families NY, Inc.

Donald C. Hubin, PhD

Director, Columbus Chapter of Parents and Children for Equality

Lee Newman

Executive Director, Stop Abuse for Everyone – New Hampshire

Alan Rusmisel

Vice-president, Alabama Coalition for Fathers and Children

Albert Schafer

President, Coalition of Parent Support

Lisa Scott

Taking Action Against Bias in the System

Tom Smith

American Union of Men

Marc Snider

http://www.nhcustody.org/

Terri Lynn Tersak

President, Center for Children's Justice - Carolinas Chapter

David Usher

President, American Coalition for Fathers and Children – Missouri
Coalition

Date of RADAR Release: November 13, 2005

R.A.D.A.R. – Respecting Accuracy in Domestic Abuse Reporting – is a
network of concerned men and women working to assure that the problem
of domestic violence is treated in a balanced and effective manner: http://www.mediaradar.org/.

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