NEW YORK — A consultant hired by the Republican chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to monitor the political leanings of guests on PBS' "NOW with Bill Moyers" last year also tracked the content of programs hosted by NPR's Diane Rehm and public broadcaster Tavis Smiley, according to a Democratic senator who obtained a copy of the analysis.
The consultant, Fred Mann, provided Kenneth Y. Tomlinson, CPB chairman, with a report classifying guests interviewed by Smiley and on "The Diane Rehm Show" on National Public Radio as "liberal" or "conservative," according to a spokesman for Sen. Byron L. Dorgan (D-N.D.).
For The Record
Los Angeles Times Wednesday June 29, 2005 Home Edition Main News Part A Page 2 National Desk 0 inches; 30 words Type of Material: Correction
National Public Radio -- An article about the monitoring of public broadcasting programs in Tuesday's Section A misspelled the last name of National Public Radio President Kevin Klose as Close.
The expanded scope of the analysis was first reported Sunday by the New York Times.
Dorgan, who received a copy of the 50-page report from Tomlinson, has declined to release it, and Mann's conclusions about the programs remain unclear. The senator did not return calls for comment.
As the chairman of the nonprofit charged with distributing federal funds, Tomlinson has declared his intention to right a perceived liberal tilt at PBS, but has publicly singled out only the show anchored by Moyers -- who retired in December -- as an example of lopsided programming.
The corporation's inspector general is now examining Tomlinson's hiring of Mann, who was previously employed by a conservative journalism education group, as well as other contracts given to GOP lobbyists.
A spokesman for Tomlinson declined to comment Monday on Mann's report, citing the investigation. But Smiley and public broadcasting officials said they were troubled to learn their programs had come under scrutiny.
"It is disappointing to know that my work was being monitored in this way, particularly at the taxpayers' expense," said Smiley, who currently hosts a late-night PBS talk show and a weekly two-hour radio program.
"An unpaid intern using Google could have determined our guest list and found very easily that we do a very balanced show every single night."
It remains unclear if Mann analyzed Smiley's radio or television show -- or both. Smiley, based in Los Angeles, had a public affairs program on NPR for three years until December and now hosts a similar program on Public Radio International geared toward a black audience.
His 30-minute late-night program on PBS began airing in January 2004.
"The ultimate irony is that what Mr. Tomlinson says he wants, we deliver every night," said Smiley, noting that he had sought to showcase diverse opinions.
