Resolution of the Board of Directors of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting
March 6, 1987
Objectivity and Balance Request for Proposals
Unanimously
WHEREAS,
In response to discussions held by the CPB Board's Mission and Goals Committee, CPB Management issued, on October 24, 1986, a request for proposals seeking a social science research proposal that could be used to evaluate the objectivity and balance of programs funded by CPB; and
WHEREAS,
after a thorough review and evaluation of the responses to the request for proposals (RFP) by the CPB staff, Management has concluded and reported to the Mission and Goals Committee that:
none of the proposals was able to meet entirely the needs of CPB as described in the RFP or to produce the research findings that were expected from such a study and, particularly, none of the proposed research designs would produce findings useful to CPB in evaluating CPB-funded programming;
none of the proposals was able to define or measure sufficiently the concept of "objectivity and balance" to provide an authoritative conclusion about the application of that standard or how it fits in the context of all of the obligations imposed on CPB by the Public Broadcasting Act; and
all of the proposals were too expensive for the limited value received as a result of the studies.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT:
the CPB Board of Directors accepts and adopts the recommendation of its Mission and Goals Committee and Management that
CPB Management forego any further pursuit of using social science research to evaluate objectivity and balance in CPB funded programming; and
CPB Management monitor the work and results of the PBS Special Committee on Programming Policies and Procedures currently reviewing objectivity and balance and report back to the CPB Board of Directors on the final PBS Committee report after it is released.
