KPBS

[A l t e r E g o 9]

 

I like a lot of shows on KPBS but I get so tired of these darn pledge drives always interfering with what I want to watch; pledge drives are worse than commercials.

 

I vote they should just get it over with and become a regular commercial TV station, at least then what I want to watch would be on when its supposed to be.

 

[LordOfTheBorg 1]

I dunno what it is...

[Angela 1]

over pledge driving must cut the amount of money they do get surely. I mean overload.

[Tina 0]

Is that like PBS alterego?

 

I am sick of crap shows durning the year and then having great ones be interupted by pledge breaks,which are 15-20 minutes long

 

But commercialitizing the station is not going to help either- there should be just certian Pledge shows (like the Jerry Lewis telethon) so that people can eithe tune in or out

[A l t e r E g o 9]

Is that like PBS alterego?

 

Yes Tina. I guess most people know it as PBS but technically; it's":

 

I am sick of crap shows durning the year and then having great ones be interupted by pledge breaks,which are 15-20 minutes long

 

But commercialitizing the station is not going to help either- there should be just certian Pledge shows (like the Jerry Lewis telethon) so that people can eithe tune in or out

 

I agree they put some good shows (and interrupt them) for pledges but I also like my regular PBS programming which they pre-empt all of for the drives, meaning they are not on at all.

 

I'm sorry UA, I don't understand what you mean.

[Angela 1]

the more drives the more people must sit and say they want money again, and be totally turned off. I mean its as though they were throughing a million of the same ad at he same time, wouldn't you get real sickof it and refuse to purchase the item advertised, surely its the same with too many pledge drives, unless they aren't money requests.

[Madame Butterfly 0]

Where I live, the PBS station has vowed only to do drives twice a year, and I like that.

 

I especially love that station.

[A l t e r E g o 9]

the more drives the more people must sit and say they want money again, and be totally turned off. I mean its as though they were throughing a million of the same ad at he same time, wouldn't you get real sickof it and refuse to purchase the item advertised, surely its the same with too many pledge drives, unless they aren't money requests.

348250[/snapback]

 

Oh, well, sounds like you are agreeing with me that going commercial would be better?

 

Where I live, the PBS station has vowed only to do drives twice a year, and I like that.

 

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I remember when our local PBS used to do that. :P

[Angela 1]

to a degree yes, though I think that a PBS would be better served in a biannual telethon scenario than every couple months as it sounds.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

KPBS is your local public television station AE?

 

Now, if the question is whether "public television" should go commercial?

 

Going commercial means "commercials" - at least pledge drives aren't everyday, and you can tape and fast forward through the pledge part when you watch the show.

 

And more importantly, going commercial also means it will not have the same content - it will have whichever content TPTB think will make the most money....can we say "reality tv". The whole concept of public television is that our taxes support cultural and educational programming that "benefits" the general welfare. Going commercial means no federal funding. Btw, there are members of Congress who wholeheartedly want to get rid of public tv/radio.

 

We have two PBS stations in my viewing area - and I know at least one of them is having a fund drive this week. Wherever I've lived fund drives have usually been once or twice a year. On another note, there are no classical music stations in my area which is usually the hallmark of a public radio station (they've now gone "talk" radio) which only makes me glad to eliminate "public television/radio". I miss classical music.

Edited August 21, 2005 by TheUnicornHunter

[A l t e r E g o 9]

 

KPBS is your local public television station AE?

Yes but we also have "public access", they are not the same thing. I am talking about Public TV in the form of KPBS or PBS whichever you prefer.

 

Going commercial means "commercials" - at least pledge drives aren't everyday, and you can tape and fast forward through the pledge part when you watch the show.

I know what going commercial means, that is what I want to happen. Pledge drives are becoming more frequent and as I've said before above; my favorites are not on during the drives, that is what I hate; my favorites disappear completely during pledge drives.

 

And more importantly, going commercial also means it will not have the same content - it will have whichever content TPTB think will make the most money....can we say "reality tv".  The whole concept of public television is that our taxes support cultural and educational programming that "benefits" the general welfare.  Going commercial means no federal funding.

I don't see how going commercial will change who the TPTB are. All I'm suggesting is; instead of doing drives to garner funding they could sell commercial time like everyone else. The shows could stay the same, only where the money comes from would change.

 

PBS NEVER says anything about any money for programs coming from Fed. funding. They do plug corporations which give money though.

 

Btw, there are members of Congress who wholeheartedly want to get rid of public tv/radio.

Why is that do you think?

 

We have two PBS stations in my viewing area - and I know at least one of them is having a fund drive this week.

A PBS radio and a TV station correct? We have that too, never listen to PBS radio; the radio dial in this area is filled with choices in every style in including Classical.

 

Wherever I've lived fund drives have usually been once or twice a year.

Again as I said above; our local PBS used to have drives twice yearly. This has changed to every other month or so and I'm sick of them.

[Theunicornhunter 2]

Unfortunately Public broadcast television is regulated so changing it would require and act of Congress.

 

Whether an individual station can change from public television to commercial - I don't know; I don't know if their license was granted specifically for them being a public station. The bandwaves are limited so a certain space is reserved for public television licenses.

 

The whole purpose of public television not having commercials is that the content is supposed to be in the general public interest and government regulated programs are supposed to be "non-profit". To allow commercials allows "private interests" to influence public interest content. It if becomes commercial - the content would change because advertisers are only going to advertise when their target market is likely to be reached. And people that watch public television and listen to classical music are not of great interest to advertisers. :P