More 'Postcards from Buster' on PBS

The New York Times reports on the return of Postcards from Buster, the PBS children's series that was "attacked by the secretary of education, pilloried by conservatives, then abandoned by its underwriters" after a 2005 episode portraying the lives of real kids with lesbian parents.

GAO reports on Smithsonian's TV deal

The Government Accountability Office concluded that the Smithsonian followed contracting guidelines in negotiating its controversial programming partnership with Showtime Networks, but the institution failed to provide sufficient information about the deal to policymakers and filmmakers. After reviewing the contract and Smithsonian internal policies, GAO investigators report that it's too early to determine whether the partnership will limit filmmakers' access to Smithsonian archives. Reporters for Associated Press (via freepress) and the Washington Post interpreted GAO's conclusions differently.

WFMU, WXXI get grants from payola fund

WXXI in Rochester, N.Y., and WFMU-FM in Jersey City, N.J., received grants from the New York State Music Fund, which was created from settlements between the state and major record labels over violations of payola laws.