Do we need a leader?

So Bill Moyers, speaking at the National Conference on Media Reform here in the Lou, threatens to get "out of the rocking chair and into the anchor chair." This was his first open reply to the recent revelation that our administration has been holding PBS to a kind of liberal-hunting litmus test. In secret. Surprise, surprise.

Bill has become symbolic of what conservatives love to hate about PBS and NPR. As such, he and his show have become the targets of some nasty comments and false accusations, including the erroneous assertion by Tim Graham of the Media Research Center (read: the Conservative Media Research To Snuff Out Commie Pinko Programming) that he never interviews conservatives, and that he doesn't give fair play to opposing viewpoints. The most fair and balanced man in the media is being painted as a yes man for the progressive agenda. Now, I love the progressive agenda. But no one wants to be a yes man. You can see why Bill is mad.

My question is this: as much as I love Bill Moyers (as is evidenced by my recent post), how much does his threat actually help the issue? He is a progressive icon, yes. Having him back on the front lines would be great.

But I think the issue of media reform faces the same overwhelming challenge that feminism faces. I'll call it Follow The Leader Syndrome. FTLS manifests itself when a brewing movement finds itself a leader (Bill Moyers for the Free Press, Gloria Steinem for feminism) and then sits back. Activism slows. People look to their leader to assume the burdens of furthering the agenda, but it's never something that one (or even two!) people can manage.

A movement is only as effective as it is active, and I would hate for the energy created by this PBS brouhaha to suddenly subside with the return of Bill to his throne at Now. The Free Press movement suffers from a lack of a discernible leadership, but I don't think we need one. What we need is a movement of concerned people who work as individuals within a community to create change. Get off your ass, basically.

This movement already has a problem with diversity. We don't need a white man (no matter how great his hair is) to lead us. I would love to see Bill back on the air regularly. But not as the leader of the progressive response to Ken Tomlinson and the CPB. We all need to do our part. Write now, sign on, join in.

If this issue is new to you, read here to learn more. We own the airwaves. We should fight for what we want.