On Thursday morning's "Today" broadcast, NBC reporter Jill Rappaport interviewed actor Ed Harris about his new movie, "Radio." The film recounts the real-life relationship between a high school football coach who creates local controversy by recruiting a mentally-challenged teenager as the team mascot.

"Since it's a true story," Ms. Rappaport said to the actor, "you've got a lot of responsibility there."

Well, that stands to reason.

But somebody needs to alert CBS to the fact that there does indeed need to be some sense of responsibility and accountability when documenting a true story on film.

Next month, the network will broadcast the controversial miniseries "The Reagans," which stars leftist actors James Brolin (husband of the spelling-challenged singer/activist Barbra Streisand) and Judy Davis in the roles of President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan.

A script of the two-part movie has been revealed on several Internet news sites. It exposes the malicious sentiment the network (and most of Hollywood, for that matter) has for Mr. Reagan.

The most controversial element of the script has the dearly loved president discussing the AIDS crisis. In the film, when Mrs. Reagan encourages him to help AIDS victims, Mr. Reagan reportedly responds, "They that live in sin shall die in sin."

Anyone who ever knew President Reagan knows that such language would never emanate from this heroic man. While Reagan detractors enjoy portraying him as a bumbling and unfeeling man, the truth is he was a compassionate and respectful leader who would be taken aback by such language. (In fact, not even a wild-eyed religious radical like me has ever made such a blatantly horrific statement.)

Nevertheless, CBS officials are predictably touting their allegedly unbiased approach to the Reagan miniseries.

"The miniseries is a compelling and historical account of Mr. and Mrs. Reagan's remarkable relationship set against the backdrop of the former president's political career," the network said in a statement. "The film has been meticulously researched and offers a respectful and balanced portrayal of the Reagans."

So Mr. Reagan will be depicted as a cold-hearted ogre and the network explains this as a reverential portrayal of the man? That's nice.

In addition, the movie will reportedly ignore the remarkable economic growth fostered under the Reagan administration that began in 1982 and carried on for several years.

It's really no wonder that people are abandoning network television in droves. The lack of respect for a revered leader like Ronald Reagan is reflected in the networks' disregard for television viewers who are force-fed a steady diet of gratuitous sex, lewd sexual dialogue, superfluous violence and preachy leftist politics.

I wonder if network execs really believe that American television viewers are wholly comprised of sex-obsessed leftist operatives who want to see President Reagan denigrated?

I can't think of another explanation.

The New York Times reported this week that some network officials, true to form, are actually questioning the trustworthiness of Nielsen Media Research - the organization that monitors television viewership - instead of addressing the quality of show they are putting out while they attempt to determine why far less people are tuning into their shows.

It all makes sense in a weird sort of way.

Network officials live in a closed culture where conservatives are perceived as villains and traditional families - who are starving for quality television - are discounted as irrelevant.

Under this scenario, Ronald Reagan - a hero to most conservatives and traditionalists - would obviously be presented as a mean-spirited malefactor by the networks.

What's the solution? Write to CBS and considerately explain your disappointment with "The Reagans" miniseries. Until our side gets proactive, we can't expect things to change. Besides, I think Mr. Reagan earned our support and writing to defend his legacy is the least we can do for him.

CBS website: http://www.cbs.com (click on "feedback" at the bottom of the page)

Jerry Falwell
Jerry Falwell.com

jf_wcii120402.html