We see that Sesame Workshop was honored yesterday by the Defense Department at the National Press Club for its DVD aimed at helping the children of military personnel sent overseas, including to Iraq. Elmo is featured in the show. “There can be no more powerful voice of support than Elmo. He expanded well beyond our own ability to reach out,” Leslye A. Arsht, deputy undersecretary of defense for military community and family policy was reported saying. CPB’s president Patricia Harrison was present and spoke at the event, according to one source. Wal-Mart helped support the Sesame Workshop project via a $1.5 million grant.
We have not seen the DVD or script. But given the award, we think a comment is required. While such a project is noteworthy in its intent, it raises a number of serious concerns. Public broadcasting needs to maintain editorial distance from both the White House and Congress. The war in Iraq is not just your routine deployment. Certainly, the children and families of deployed troops require comfort and assistance. But public broadcasting should also be about truth telling, including placing in context why we have gone to war.
