Dept of Ed vs. Buster the Bunny - censorship and a issues at PBS

So much interesting stuff going on. Ryanne who works for PBS affiliate WGBH Boston New York (inexcuseable typo!) just put together this excellent footage exploring the issues of censorship and discrimination by the Department of Education against the kids show Postcards from Buster regarding an episode where Buster, a cartoon bunny, happens to visit a family with lesbian parents. You won't see coverage like this on your evening news.

Watch it: dept.of.ed.vs.buster.mov
(video/quicktime Object)

From: Ryanne's Video Blog

How a bout a little compare and contrast. For a different point of view check out the following clip from Media Matters which includes MSNBC and Fox pundits "discussing" the issue. I love it when people set the facts a side and tell Americans how they should think. You go O'Reilly. (note: last sentence = sarcasm)

Watch it: sc-oreillly-200502170007.mov
(video/quicktime Object)

From: O'Reilly compared lesbian parents on PBS' Buste ... [Media Matters for America]

My opinion. Buster is always welcome on the web. The sooner web based distribution mechanisms take over as the dominate medium the the sooner we can stop debating over who's view gets to dominate the looking glass. This winner take all mentality must die. If you want to be a bigot that's your right, but it shouldn't get in the way of everyone else. Broadcast TV as a medium lacks the capacity to represent the true diversity of those it represents. Meanwhile the capacity of the internet has no limit. It is directly proportional to the number of people participating. You choose what YOU want to watch not what others can watch or produce. I can't wait until the day when a TV show like buster is held directly accountable only by those who watch it and any betrayal in trust will be determined in a drop in viewer-ship, not in some loud mouth ass who has seized the microphone.

This is different footage than I usually show here. It's not all fun and lighthearted. Be sire to let me know what you think.