Tomlinson's contention -- liberalism is too prominent on public TV, radio news and talk programs while conservative ideas are marginalized...

A 2003 survey, commissioned by CPB, of self-described "news and information consumers" found that 36 percent of respondents considered PBS's news coverage of the Bush administration "fair and balanced," while 46 percent offered no opinion. Moreover, says NPR President Kevin Klose, NPR is among the few major broadcast outlets whose audience has been growing in recent years, with listenership approaching 22 million people a week. But Tomlinson dismisses CPB's own findings about public attitudes. "Polls are essentially meaningless in the absence of public [scrutiny]," he says.

Pressed repeatedly for examples of public broadcasting bias, Tomlinson cited only one program that he found objectionable: Moyers's show, "Now." (Moyers left the program in December, but the show is still on the air with a new host.)

So Tomlinson listens to one program ( Moyers ) he doesn't like and wants to conservatize all of PBS.

Moyers shot back: "I always knew Nixon would be back," Moyers said, according to a news service account of his speech. "I just didn't know that this time he would ask to be chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting."

In the ongoing assault to control the media, the administration got the man of their dreams.