PBS is "the" source for balanced journalism

It's rare for me to have time to watch TV nowadays, but I caught by change a great documentary on the PBS show "Frontline" which gave a historical look at the two US presidential candidates - John Kerry and George W. Bush.

What I loved about the program was the fact that it didn't sensationalize the interpretations of history of both presidential candidates, but gave us an in-depth, analytical look at "the facts" that have come out in ads and promos for both candidates. For example, for John Kerry's "questionable" military record (according to an ad from Vietnam veterans who don't like Kerry), Frontline went back and researched the accusations against Kerry's record. What was truly illuminating was that the documentary showed Kerry's diverse military history and views on war - from his heroic acts in Vietnam to his anti-war stance after returning from duty that defined his political life until he was elected to the Senate. Frontline showed that Kerry was not against the US military, but was against the policy of the government towards war - two very separate topics that Kerry opponents seem to have confused.

At the same time, the show gave a balanced look at both Bush and Kerry, showing that they both made mistakes, both were human and both are on opposite sides of the political spectrum, but still passionately patriotic. In the end, the viewer is left with liking one or the other candidate, based on the viewer's political inclinations. If you watched it with an open mind, you saw the strengths and weaknesses of both candidates, but still leaned towards one because they are very opposite in worldviews.

Anyway, it was a very enjoyable program and another reason why I enjoy PBS more than any other network on TV. If more people watched PBS in the US, I'm willing to bet the American people would be far more educated and informed than just by watching any other US network.

Watching Frontline yesterday was the final push that got me interested in the US presidential elections that will happen next month. Until now, I was totally un-interested, but now, after learning more about Kerry and Bush, I'm more interested in it, because I have a stronger feeling that the outcome of next month's election will have lasting repercussions in the world for many years to come.