PUBLIC TV'S C.I.A. SHOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000200840016-0
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: July 7, 2010
• Sequence Number: 16
• Publication Date: July 19, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/07: CIA-RDP90-00806R000200840016-0
ARTICLE APPEARED
ON PAGE
NATION
19-26 JULY 1980
:ice UNDERWRITING;THE: RIGHT;k:? >*,
-programs..was"Freeto: Choose,;writteny and most diffic
given abou
noncommer
Choc a (the
$105,000 f
amined topi
policy; $50,
ing station,
American f
Gift, a serie
because KE
ing thcPinochet Government in Chile The show examines.: of $47,500
almost everyfacet ofrthe"free-enteiprise'system except the2 public stab
.source of thc_fundinst otMilton:Friedman's?series debut on grew out of
public TV:-As far as the average viewer of Free to Choose ; of the Real
could.tell from the credits, the money was provided mainly :;_ The new
by foundations rather than corporations; once again, it supported i
seemed public television -had -provided an independent being prep
forum for controversial programs. =: . brochure w
But did it? If a program on the energy crisis were funded tions ought
by the Mobil Oil Corporation or the EXxon Corporation, letter reveal
the conflict of interest would be -obvious,. but the ethical volved in al
problems raised by foundation sponsorship of public televi-'
ter to look
sion are.less clear-cut. The general public regards founda- when confronted with a crisis in the future." :
tions, for the most part, as charitable.organizations func- play- rafts of the story and teleplays are being reviewed by
tioning on behalf of some ill-defined public. interest, and the.. `consultants," according to the promotion brochure, who
foundation world has worked hard to foster this image. ;
include- William: Colby,, former director of the C.I.A.;
But it is precisely this benign public view of foundations: Samuel Halpern, former C.I.A-, executive assistant to the
that has made them increasingly attractive "neutral".spon deputy director for plans; Johniviaury, former C.I.A. chief
sors for controversial public television shows_ .Corporations
of Soviet operations; legislative counsel for Congressional STAY
and institutions whose images are tarnished now seek such. relations' and. Assistant Secretary. of_ Defense, and Cord
"neutral".".intermediaries to convey :their views Meyer, former chief of the C.I.A.
covert action staff, chief
The Smith Richardson Foundation of Greensboro North
of the London station and assistant to the deputy director.
Carolina,--is one such ideological. middleman... This non 'Despite the fact that Smith-. Richardson Foundation
profit foundation, which provided seed money (asmall but.. 'money.and other grants have not been enough to produce
;crucial sum) for Free- to Choose as well as for other pro- the program as yet,;the initial biases of the project and of a
:grams of similar conservative hue,_ has had close ties to the. key. underwriter indicate some of the problems raised *by
Central-Intelligence Agency: and .the Defense Department . 'Smith Richardson as a donor of such money for public TV
for many years Its funding of programs dealing with for
f.. _.. programs. The more one knows about'the foundation the
-Sign- policy E or: domestic=spending raises--_ senousques more disturbing these problems become.
tions about: what- should. constitute a conflict of interest.,In 1935; .the Smith Richardson 'Foundation was incor
Of equal importance is `the viewers' right to know. the porated in North. Carolina under the name of the Richard-
ideologicafleanings of the underwriters of such programs. son. Foundation. It was established by-the late H. Smith
so that tney-can getter assess their objectivity. 1,7
Raising money for public ro Richardson, the son of the founder of"the Vick Chemical
P P grams is as uncertain as pan- ,
ning for gold_`Advertising isn't permitted on the system, Company. The company s name was changed to Richard-
which is partially funded by the Government. Producers of son-Merrell Inc., in 1960 and the. foundation, which is. in-
controversial programs have= a particularly difficult task
.because undergriters are reluctant to supportthem..'
One reliable and. lucrative-source of funds, however, has-
been the Smith Richardson Foundation. With assets of ap
"proximatcly-360 ~million,'. the: foundation has, since 1975,
CONTIAIIED
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/07/07: CIA-RDP90-00806R000200840016-0