Today on CounterSpin: A new FAIR study of PBS’s flagship news program, the NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, finds that the show that describes itself as “evenhanded” and “inclusive of all perspectives” unfortunately fails rather resoundingly on both counts. The findings would be disheartening for any news outlet, but what does it mean that the diversity of the public and the public interest are poorly served even in the arena that was set aside expressly with those values in mind? We’ll talk about the NewsHour study and the ‘public’ in broadcasting with study co-author Julie Hollar of FAIR and with media historian, author and founder of the media group Free Press, Bob McChesney.

Links:

—Extra!: Are You on the NewsHour’s Guestlist?: PBS flagship news show fails public mission (9–10/06) By Steve Rendall & Julie Hollar

—Free Press