President of Embattled CPB Exits as Morale Sinks Lower

Martin Rubenstein has resigned as president of the embattled Corp. for Public Broadcasting after less than 10 months on the job, it was announced today.

The resignation leaves the corporation without a permanent president or chairman.

Richard Brookhiser, acting CPB chairman, told reporters that Rubenstein resigned after a long meeting that broke up close to midnight Thursday “over policy.”

The board today named CPB Finance Vice President Donald E. Ledwig acting president, over objections from board member Sharon Percy Rockefeller, who said Ledwig was unqualified.

Rubenstein was appointed Jan. 31 to replace Edward J. Pfister, who resigned in May, 1985, in disgust over board policies.

The board has been unable to select a chairman since the term of Sonia Landau expired in March.

Brookhiser conceded “on some things, we’ve been paralyzed,” but he said the funding of producers and television stations has continued.

Because the September board meeting was canceled when board members refused to attend, $750,000 in unbudgeted funds has not been distributed.

Asked about CPB’s reputation in the wake of the latest board crisis, Brookhiser said, “It couldn’t sink any lower.”