PUBLIC TV'S C.I.A. SHOW

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP90-00806R000200970043-6
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 2, 2010
• Sequence Number: 43
• Publication Date: July 19, 1980
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/02 : CIA-RDP90-00806R000200970043-6
ARTICLE APPEARED
/ON PAGE
given
nonco
Choose
$105,00
programs was Free to ~Choose,,written by and most d
starring controversial ieconomist = Milton Fried- for pre
NATION
19-26 JULY 1980
:.am on hose reviouactivit" ies wasadvis In ad
r e e .. . might
A
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-Drafts of- the story and teleplays are being reviewed by
tinning 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.LA., executive assistant to the?
-.that has made them increasingly attractive "neutral".spon- deputy director for plans; John Maury, former C.I.A.chief;
problems raised by foundation sponsorship of public televi-' ter. to look ahead and examine what of +1, f, I
by the Mobil Oil Corporation or the Exxon Corporation, letter re
um r controversial programs. brochu
But did it? If a program on the energy crisis were funded tions o
seemed public television had - provided an independent -bein
CA F_ - ?
by foundations rather than corporations; once again, it support
`our ce.of-the.funding o JLlilton Vriedrnan'sseries de but.on "grew o
public T1F. As far as the average viewer of Free to Choose ,;'-of the
could.tell from the credits, the money was provided mainly he
tng.the inocetGovernment~rn Chile The show;examrnes.: of $ 7
almost every --facet of_the?:free-enterprise system except thej public
-and institutions whose images are tarnished now seek such ',
relations and Assistant. Secretary of. Defense, . and Cor& STAT
"neutral" intermediaries to convey_their`views = Me
%
er
former chief of the C I A cov
t
ti
s
ff
hi
y
,
er
ac
on
ta
, c
ef:
The Smith Richardson Foundation of Greensboro North
of the London station and assistant to the deputy director.,
amined
policy;
ing star
Americ
Gift, a
money and other
h r., .,...i.
rants have not been eno
ug
e
g
al
f
t
Ch
.,...,
a.,,.y
o ? ree
o
oose as well as for other ro- ..
. ; - p 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
for man Smith'Richardson as a donor of such money. for public TV;
y years.. Its funding of programs dealing with for programs. The more one knows about the foundation the'
^eign policyi or -domestic.~spending raises- serious que's more disturbing these problems become.
?bons about what- should. constitute a= conflict of interest wa
An 1935,.the Smith Richardson Foundation was mcor
Of equal importance is -the`viewers', .right to .know. the porated in North Carolina under the name of the Richard-`
ideological: leanings of the underwriters of such programs. son Foundation. It was established by the late H. Smith
so that they-ca ri better assess their objectivity: =-="~-T
Raising the oneyfor public programs 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 on-Merrell Inc.. in 1960 and the-foundation, which is in
?
controversial programs have 'a particularly difficult task
.because underwriters are reluctant to supportthem..'
One reliable and lucrative source of funds, however, has-
:been the Smith Richardson Foundation. With assets of ap
proximately-$6p=million, the: foundation has, since 1975
COATIMMD
Sanitized Copy Approved for Release 2010/09/02 : CIA-RDP90-00806R000200970043-6
profit foundation, which provided seed money(a.small but.