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.