The Golden LEAF Foundation, established by the General Assembly to use tobacco settlement bucks to finance rural economic development, gave UNC Public Television $300,000 over two years. In return, six episodes of the network’s “North Carolina Rising” public affairs series praised projects funded by … Golden LEAF.
That’s what News & Observer reporter Lynn Bonner unearths in this terrific story.
Consider this a terrific return on investment for Golden LEAF.
Golden LEAF President Dan Gerlach insisted that the foundation had no role in UNC-TV’s editorial decisions. But I dare say had Golden LEAF produced three hours worth of programming and purchased the time to air it on a commercial station, it would have cost a heck of a lot more than 300 large.
