Update: Julia Child's Channel Saved - For Now

By JULIETTE ROSSANT It looks like Julia Child's TV channel (PBS) is saved. In case you missed it, the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. Senate followed the House in restoring funding to public broadcasting's general budget and further committed to over $100 million to children's programming and critical technology upgrades. The full Senate is expected to pass the measure in September. The fun is not over, by any means: Corporation for Public Broadcasting's Kenneth Tomlinson seeks to inject a little more partisanship into our lives -- click here to read a Rolling Stone article re-posted by MoveOn.org. They're already loading up the board of directors over there, with Patricia de Stacy Harrison -- just a former Republican Party co-chair... Can you imagine what the Republicans think great TV entertainment is? Try The Dukes of Hazzard (just click here to see the trailer and judge for yourself whether you think GOP party hacks will find the content appropriate). And if The Dukes of Hazzard (or, more likely, the demise of Frontline and The News Hour) is anywhere near what Ken Tomlinson thinks is appropriate for America's premier television network, what chance does PBS's traditional fine programming (you know -- like Julia Child's numerous shows) have of surviving such a usurpation? Y'all stayed tuned, y'hear? Previous articles: PBS: Save Julia Child's TV Channel! Julia Child Tribute at Los Angeles Times Festival of Books James Beard, Emmys to Honor Julia Child Julia Child Remember'd, by Judith Jones Forthcoming on Julia Child: the Spy, the Student, the Master Suzanne Goin Eats a la Julia Child Julia Child: The Queen is Dead Technorati Tags: chefs food restaurants cooking branding cuisine Television PBS Julia Child --> back to superchefblog