Opinion of PBS

[TDAS04]

What do you think?

[Middle-aged Europe]

My strongest connection with PBS is that I downloaded the PBS-produced adaptation of Ursula K. Le Guin's The Lathe of Heaven (starring Bruce Davison) a couple of years ago.

Which was possibly an illegal download, but since it's a PBS-produced TV movie from 1979, I just assumed that nobody really gives a f**k.

The special effects were even for 1979 laughable, but it was a pretty faithful adaptation. Based on that experience, Freedom Network.

[TDAS04]

PBS is far from perfect, but it is needed in this age of dumbed-down television. 

I don't mean to sound like an elitist, and I watch some shows that are strictly for entertainment purposes (I like Family Guy), but I like how PBS--unlike the History Channel--runs actual history programs.  Rick Steves's travel shows are far better than Man vs. Food or anything else on the Travel Channel.  I also like NOVA.  I don't find PBS's documentaries to necessarily be dry or dull; a week or two ago they had a program about dolphin sex, but a lot of people would still find that boring, I guess.  The NewsHour provides in-depth coverage and analysis you hardly ever find on CNN, particularly on international stories.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

FN

[Miles]

Generally FN but needs to kick David Koch off its board.

[Simfan34]

Massive Freedom Network.

[Dr. Cynic]

WQED has Rick Sebak's specials. I love those things. Massive FN!

[Sol]

HN.

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Awful. They ask for money every ten minutes, and even if you did donate, they'd still be asking for more from other people. They had a two hour Grateful Dead concert that had 25 minutes of actual Grateful Dead footage.

[Flake]

Awful. They ask for money every ten minutes, and even if you did donate, they'd still be asking for more from other people. They had a two hour Grateful Dead concert that had 25 minutes of actual Grateful Dead footage.

You gotta stop complaining. It's a public channel which barely survives off government funding, and they need to make some in order to record and broadcast that concert. Just enjoy the free half hour concert.

[H. Ross Peron]

Massive FN that along with NPR deserves a massive boost in government funding so that they stop pestering the public for donations.

[Antonio the Sixth]

Massive FN that along with NPR deserves a massive boost in government funding so that they stop pestering the public for donations.

[H.E. VOLODYMYR ZELENKSYY]

The best network. Literally.

[Paul Kemp]

Awful. They ask for money every ten minutes, and even if you did donate, they'd still be asking for more from other people. They had a two hour Grateful Dead concert that had 25 minutes of actual Grateful Dead footage.

Sounds like they're doing something right.

[Fmr President & Senator Polnut]

The best network. Literally.

[Vega]

FN

[angus]

I'm a big fan of PBS.  Especially the Newshour.

[World politics is up Schmitt creek]

Awful. They ask for money every ten minutes, and even if you did donate, they'd still be asking for more from other people. They had a two hour Grateful Dead concert that had 25 minutes of actual Grateful Dead footage.

As I've said before, you caught them during a pledge drive. It does happen more often than one would like, but it's not representative.

[Sol]

Opposed to publicly funded media on principle.

[memphis]

Commercial television never breaks into programming for the purposes of raising money

[🐒Gods of Prosperity🔱🐲💸]

The programming is often excellent, and most weeks I watch it more than any other channel.  We are lucky here to have signals from two stations - WHRO in Hampton Roads and the UNC network. I'd rather put up with occasional membership drives than either more regular commercial interruptions or increased reliance on government funding. 

Bandit is right about Sesame Street though.  They have a couple decent shows but the children's programming isn't what it was in the glory days.   (RIP Mr Rogers )

[Citizen (The) Doctor]

Superb network. Masterpiece Theatre is great, and any network that gets great British Drama to American airwaves is brilliant in my book.