New president of public broadcasting is ex-GOP co-chairman

WASHINGTON – The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, whose chairman is under fire for complaining about what he considered liberal bias at PBS, chose a former Republican Party co-chairman Thursday as its president and chief executive.

Patricia S. Harrison, the assistant secretary of state for educational and cultural affairs, was selected after three days of closed meetings by the corporation’s board of directors. She was co-chair of the Republican National Committee from 1997 to 2001.

The announcement came as the House, voting 284-140, restored $100 million that had been proposed as a cut in the corporation’s budget for next year.

In tapping Harrison, the CPB board said she was devoted to public broadcasting and its mission.

Liberal public interest groups criticized the decision, saying Harrison has no experience in public broadcasting.

“It sets the wrong tone for dealing with some of the challenges that are facing the CPB right now,” said Chellie Pingree, president and chief executive of Common Cause. “She has all the wrong experience and comes across as too partisan of a player for this particular job.”

Democratic lawmakers also sounded alarm.

“This is a fatal blow to the historic political neutrality of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting,” said Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. The senator planned to call for hearings in the Senate Commerce Committee, which has oversight of the broadcast industry.