A bill approved by the House of Delegates on Wednesday ignited a debate over proposed changes to the West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority’s structure that, some delegates said, could affect media independence.
In a 79-12 , the House approved , which proposes designating the EBA as the Educational Broadcasting Commission, reducing its membership, and allowing the Secretary of the Department of Arts, Culture and History to appoint the commission director.
The Senate, which approved the bill Feb. 23, must sign off on technical changes made by the House before the bill can go to Gov. Jim Justice.
Reasons for a commission
Key to the issue is the distinction between a “commission,†which, in this case, would operate under the secretary, and an “authority,†which operates independently.
Explaining the bill, Delegate Chris Phillips, R-Barbour, said restructuring and empowering an Educational Broadcasting Commission would enhance the delivery of noncommercial educational content throughout the state.
The proposed changes include reducing the commission’s membership from 11 to nine, with specific roles assigned to the governor, the state superintendent of schools, members from the West Virginia Board of Education and Higher Education Policy Commission, and five appointees by the governor.
Additionally, the bill grants the secretary of the Department of Arts, Culture and History the authority to appoint the commission’s director.
Bill called a ‘fairly dangerous idea’
Some delegates argued that the bill has the potential to interfere with a key news-gathering organization in the state.
Delegate Mike Pushkin, D-Kanawha, expressed concern about consolidating too much control under one person, potentially jeopardizing the independence of public broadcasting.
“It’s about future secretaries, future governors. We don’t know who that will be in the future,†he said. “This is a fairly dangerous idea.â€
Delegate Larry Rowe, D-Kanawha, voiced fear that the bill sets up a structure susceptible to undue influence from the Governor’s Office. He emphasized a potential for a single phone call to drastically alter the agency and influence news coverage.
“We’re setting up a structure where, literally, one phone call can completely change an agency, and that’s not something that we want, certainly whenever it’s news,†Rowe said. “I hate to use the term, but it creates an opportunity for propaganda, rather than news. For slanting information about economic development or any sort of possibilities in the programming of public broadcasting.â€
Rowe stressed the quality of West Virginia’s public broadcasting, citing programs like Mountain Stage, which reaches a nationwide audience.
Rowe questioned the need to introduce a structure allowing direct control from the top of the state government.
“That’s not what broadcasting is about. It really violates the duties of journalists who work for public broadcasting,†he said. “We don’t know what’s going to happen or who’s going to be in the Governor’s Office, but we certainly know that we are setting up a structure to allow the Governor’s Office to control every single thing that happens in public broadcasting. It should be independent.â€
The bill comes after the Educational Broadcasting Authority faced criticism in 2023 for who reported on abuses of people in state care. Government officials said the firing had nothing to do with the reporter’s work. But the incident raised questions about the level of state influence over the news agency.
Roger Adkins covers politics. He can be reached at 304-348-4814 or email radkins@hdmediallc.com. Follow
