KQED's diverse and freethinking programming apparently suffers a blind spot when it comes to Palestine. In spite of thousands of requests by viewers, KQED has censored and will not schedule the award-winning documentary "Palestine Is Still The Issue", by filmmaker, journalist and author John Pilger. Pilger, an Australian, has received numerous awards for his groundbreaking work. This year alone he has been awarded Britain's prestigious EMMA multicultural award and Norway's Sophie Prize for his "integrity, thoroughness and courage & for the protection of the powerless".
Why the censorship?
KQED Executive Vice President John Boland explains KQED must focus on "providing quality journalism that informs and educates from reliable sources" rather than program "in reaction to one interest group or another". The much acclaimed Pilger film more than meets the "Boland Test", and that many people want to see it weighs even more against censorship.
Rather than contributing to the unfortunate fact that in the United States there is a poorer understanding of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians than in the rest of the world, KQED should strive to provide balanced information so that Arabs and Palestinians are not demonized, facts are not distorted, understanding not undermined and an informed America cannot be manipulated to its and the world's peril" such as being told the invasion of Iraq was the key to peace in Palestine.
As a publicly supported television station KQED's responsibility to the community is to present diverse views that open our minds. It should not succumb to internal or external pressure to censor material that might expose a special interest group's views to the scrutiny of daylight. We urge you to ask KQED through phone calls, emails and letters to end its censorship and fulfill its mission: to be "a vital source for quality programming and thought-provoking information".
SEND A MESSAGE to KQED Board Chair James Canales (jcanales@irvine.org/415 553-2205), CEO Jeff Clarke (jclarke@kqed.org/415 553-2301) & Executive VP John Boland (jboland@kqed.org/415-553-2820).
Zulfiqar Ahmad, Nautilus Institute*; Basil Ayish, Video for Peace; Khalil Bendib, cartoonist; Dennis Bernstein, KPFA; Marsha Feinland, State Chair, Peace & Freedom Party; Jess Ghannam; David Glick, Board Member, Social Justice Center of Marin; Bluma Goldstein; Susan Green; Mona Halaby, Susie McLean & Cathy Shields, Joining Hands; Barbara Lubin, Middle East Children's Alliance; Tom Miller, General Counsel, Global Exchange; Innosanto Nagara, DesignAction; Marc Sapir, MD, MPH, retropoll.org; Fred Shepherd, Global Information Services; Alison Weir, If Americans Knew *Partial list. Organizations listed for identification purposes only.
GET INVOLVED: In order to effectively educate and inform the uninformed and misinformed in America, the film series "AMERICA, ISRAEL & PALESTINE: CAUSE & EFFECT" is being aired on public access television stations nationwide. The success of this campaign is made possible by individuals and organizations that sponsor the films in their local communities. Please consider becoming a sponsor. Call or write for details. Global Information Services, 336 Bon Air Center #441, Greenbrae, CA 94904. Phone: 415-459-8738; email: Altencon@aol.com.
