Difference between revisions of "Public Broadcasting Service"

Latest revision as of 17:20, 10 September 2014

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American non-profit (WP) Wikipedia:public broadcasting Wikipedia:television service with 354 member Wikipedia:TV stations in the United States which hold collective ownership.^[1] PBS operations are partially funded by the Wikipedia:Corporation for Public Broadcasting.^[2] Its headquarters are in Wikipedia:Arlington, Virginia.

PBS is the most prominent provider of programming to U.S. public television stations, distributing series such as Wikipedia:PBS NewsHour, Masterpiece, and Frontline. Since the mid-2000s, Roper polls commissioned by PBS have consistently placed the service as America's most trusted national institution.^[3] However, PBS is not responsible for all programming carried on public TV stations; in fact, stations usually receive a large portion of their content (including most Wikipedia:pledge drive specials) from third-party sources, such as Wikipedia:American Public Television, NETA, WTTW National Productions and independent producers. This distinction is a frequent source of viewer confusion.^[4]

PBS also has a Wikipedia:subsidiary called Wikipedia:National Datacast (NDI), which offers Wikipedia:datacasting services via member stations. This helps PBS and its member stations earn extra Wikipedia:revenue.

PBS Logo
(map size, optional, default 200px) (optional)
Motto	Be more
Formation	October 5, 1970 (formerly Wikipedia:National Educational Television, 1952–1970)
Type	Broadcast Wikipedia:television network
Legal status	Nonprofit
Location	United States
Region served	Nationwide
Official languages	multilingual digital stations and main station programs
Key people	Paula Kerger, Wikipedia:President and CEO[5]
Website	www.pbs.org

Overview[edit]

PBS was founded on October 5, 1970, at which time it took over many of the functions of its predecessor, Wikipedia:National Educational Television (NET), which later merged with station WNDT, Newark, New Jersey, to form Wikipedia:WNET.^[6] In 1973, it merged with Wikipedia:Educational Television Stations.

Unlike the model of America's commercial television networks, in which affiliates give up portions of their local advertising airtime in exchange for network programming, PBS member stations pay substantial fees for the shows acquired and distributed by the national organization.

This relationship means that PBS member stations have greater latitude in local scheduling than their commercial counterparts. Scheduling of PBS-distributed series may vary greatly from market to market. This can be a source of tension as stations seek to preserve their localism and PBS strives to market a consistent national line-up. However, PBS has a policy of "common carriage" requiring most stations to clear the national prime time programs on a common schedule, so that they can be more effectively marketed on a national basis.

PBS logo (October 4, 1971 to September 30, 1984)

Unlike its radio counterpart, Wikipedia:National Public Radio, PBS has no central program production arm or news department. All of the programming carried by PBS, whether news, documentary, or entertainment, is created by (or in most cases produced under contract with) other parties, such as individual member stations. WGBH in Wikipedia:Boston is one of the largest producers of educational programming, including Wikipedia:American Experience, Wikipedia:Masterpiece Theater, Nova, Wikipedia:Antiques Roadshow and Frontline, as well as many other children's and lifestyle shows. News programs are produced by Wikipedia:WETA-TV in Wikipedia:Washington, D.C., Wikipedia:WNET in New York and Wikipedia:WPBT in Miami. The Charlie Rose interview show, Wikipedia:Secrets of the Dead, Wikipedia:NOW on PBS, Nature, Wikipedia:Cyberchase, and Wikipedia:The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer come from or through Wikipedia:WNET in New York. Once a program is offered to and accepted by PBS for distribution, PBS (and not the member station that supplied the program) retains exclusive rights for rebroadcasts during the period for which such rights were granted; the suppliers do maintain the right to sell the program in non-broadcast media such as Wikipedia:DVDs, books, and sometimes PBS licensed merchandise (but sometimes grant such ancillary rights as well to PBS).

PBS stations are commonly operated by Wikipedia:non-profit organizations, state agencies, local authorities (e.g., municipal boards of education), or universities in their community of license. In some states, PBS stations throughout the entire state may be organized into a single regional "subnetwork" (e.g., Wikipedia:Alabama Public Television). Unlike public broadcasters in most other countries, PBS does not own any of the stations that broadcast its programming. (i.e., there are no PBS O&Os anywhere in the country) This is partly due to the origins of the PBS stations themselves, and partly due to historical license issues.

In the modern broadcast marketplace, this organizational structure is considered outmoded by some media critics. A common restructuring proposal is to reorganize the network so that each state would have one PBS member which would broadcast state-wide. However, this proposal is controversial, as it would reduce local community input into PBS programming, especially considering how PBS stations are significantly more community-oriented, according to the argument, than their commercial counterparts.

In 1994, Wikipedia:The Chronicle of Philanthropy, an industry publication, released the results of the largest study of charitable and non-profit organization popularity and credibility conducted by Wikipedia:Nye Lavalle & Associates. The study showed that PBS was ranked as the 11th "most popular charity/non-profit in America from over 100 charities researched with 38.2% of Americans over the age of 12 choosing Love and Like A Lot for PBS.^{[7][8][9][10]}

In December 2009, PBS signed up for the Wikipedia:Nielsen ratings for the first time.^[11]

"Viewers Like You"[edit]

Beginning on October 2, 1989, the phrase "Viewers Like You" has been used to indicate PBS's gratitude to viewers of PBS that contributed to the production costs. The phrase appears in the list of underwriters at the start and end of all PBS programs with viewer contributions.

Formats[edit]

1970-10/1/1989[edit]

Prior to October 2, 1989, donations by viewers of PBS members were recognized as contributions from "this station and other public television stations nationwide." However, even after Oct. 2, 1989, some programs instead chose to display a slide not reading "Viewers Like You", but the accompanying voiceover included the phrase.

10/2/1989-10/31/1999[edit]

From 1989 to 1999, the underwriting announcement, accompanied by a slide with either "Viewers Like You", was similar to "Funding for this program was provided by the Wikipedia:Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by the financial support of Viewers Like You".

11/1/1999-present[edit]

Beginning on November 1, 1999, the PBS underwriting guidelines required all announcements to read, "This program was made possible by contributions to your PBS station from Viewers Like You. Thank You."

Other slides and VOs[edit]

Some programs have chosen their own announcements.

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood[edit]

"The people who gave the money to make Wikipedia:Mister Rogers' Neighborhood are the people of this and other public television stations and The Sears-Roebuck Foundation".

Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (Later years)[edit]

"The people who give the money to make Wikipedia:Mister Rogers' Neighborhood are the people who contribute to this and other public television stations, The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, And The Sears-Roebuck Foundation." (During the final seasons, it ends with "We Thank You!")

Sesame Street (1991–1998)[edit]

"Funding for this program was provided in part by the Wikipedia:Corporation for Public Broadcasting and by public television stations and their contributors."

Other programs[edit]

Some programs, such as Wikipedia:Learn to Read, and Wikipedia:Dragon Tales do not get funding from the stations or "Viewers Like You", only receiving underwriting from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and/or other donors.

WQED's July 2009 plan[edit]

In July 2009, flagship PBS station WQED in Wikipedia:Pittsburgh announced plans to move the "Viewers Like You" credit to the front of the donor list, in order to give home viewers more recognition.^[12] The following month, PBS announced similar plans nationally.^[13] The move is being done because both the national PBS system and PBS member stations discovered that having "Viewers Like You" at the end of the donor list had the Wikipedia:unintended consequence of leaving viewers feeling left out, despite the fact viewer donations are the largest source of funding for PBS stations and programs.

Contributing stations[edit]

Main article: PBS: Contributing stations

Programming[edit]

See also: Wikipedia:List of programs broadcast by PBS and Wikipedia:List of BBC programmes shown on PBS

PBS is not the only distributor of public television programming to the member stations. Other distributors have emerged from the roots of the old companies that had loosely held regional public television stations in the 1960s. Wikipedia:Boston-based Wikipedia:American Public Television (former names include Eastern Educational Network and American Program Service) is second only to PBS for distributing programs to U.S. non-commercial stations. Another distributor is NETA (formerly SECA), whose properties have included Wikipedia:The Shapies and Wikipedia:Jerry Yarnell School of Fine Art. In addition, the member stations themselves also produce a variety of local shows, some of which subsequently receive national distribution through PBS or the other distributors.

PBS stations are known for rebroadcasting British television Wikipedia:costume dramas and comedies (acquired from the Wikipedia:BBC and other sources); consequently, it has been joked that PBS means "Primarily British Series". However, a significant amount of sharing takes place. The BBC and other media outlets in the region such as Wikipedia:Channel 4 often cooperate with PBS stations, producing material that is shown on both sides of the Atlantic. Less frequently, Canadian, Australian, and other international programming appears on PBS stations (such as Wikipedia:The Red Green Show, currently distributed by syndicator Executive Program Services); the public broadcasting syndicators are more likely to offer this programming to the U.S. public stations. PBS is also known for broadcasting British Wikipedia:comedy and Wikipedia:science fiction programs such as Wikipedia:'Allo 'Allo!, Wikipedia:Are You Being Served?, The Benny Hill Show, Wikipedia:Doctor Who, Wikipedia:Father Ted, Wikipedia:Fawlty Towers, Wikipedia:Harry Enfield and Chums, Wikipedia:Keeping Up Appearances, Wikipedia:Monty Python's Flying Circus, Wikipedia:Mr. Bean and Wikipedia:Red Dwarf.

Wikipedia:PBS Kids has also imported British children's series from the Wikipedia:BBC and Wikipedia:ITV (for example, Wikipedia:Tots TV, Wikipedia:Teletubbies, Wikipedia:Boohbah, and Wikipedia:Thomas the Tank Engine), as well as children's shows from Canada (i.e., Wikipedia:The Big Comfy Couch, Wikipedia:Theodore Tugboat, Wikipedia:Wimzie's House and Wikipedia:Polka Dot Door). On June 4, 2007, their first imported Australian children's TV series debuted on PBS – Raggs. Some of the programs subsequently moved to commercial television (for example, Ghostwriter, and The Magic School Bus).

Funding[edit]

Federal and state funding[edit]

Historically, public broadcasting has received 15% to 20% of its annual operating revenue from Federal sources (primarily the Corporation for Public Broadcasting) and 25% to 29% from State and local taxes, for a total of between 41.3% and 46.9% between 1995 and 2005^[2]

This has caused ongoing controversy and debate since the CPB was created on November 7, 1967 when U.S. president Wikipedia:Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Wikipedia:Public Broadcasting Act of 1967.

Public need[edit]

PBS was founded to provide diversity in programming at a time when most television was broadcast over the public airwaves by only three privately owned national networks (as opposed to the multitude of programming sources provided by today's private cable or Wikipedia:satellite delivery services). There is debate as to whether or not the PBS system has outlived its public necessity.^[14] Public television proponents maintain that the original mandate to provide universal access, particularly to rural viewers and those who cannot afford to pay for the private television services, remains vital. In addition, they argue that PBS provides some types of critical programming which would not be shown at all on the commercial networks and channels, including extensive educational children's programming, scientific exposition, in-depth documentaries and investigative journalism.

On-the-air fundraising[edit]

Since roughly 50 to 60% of public television's revenues come from private membership donations and grants (53.1% to 58.7% in 1995-2005),^[2] most stations solicit individual donations by methods including pledge drives or Wikipedia:telethons which can disrupt regularly scheduled programming. Some viewers find this a source of annoyance since normal programming is often replaced with specials aimed at a wider audience to solicit new members and donations.^[15]

Commercial free[edit]

The pledge that PBS should always remain commercial free was somewhat compromised in the early 2000s, as funding continued to be cut, by lengthy, 10 minute or so advertising blocks by the major sponsors of PBS. Interruption in the middle of programs by commercials, however, is still kept off of PBS.

In the early 2000s, local TV stations in the US began running advertorial (WP) content, which ostensibly was news or feature content, but was produced by or heavily featured advertising concerns. PBS, in its search for programming and tight budget, has not been entirely immune to the pressure of advertiser influence from this source. The instances are not many, but documentaries about local businesses, food programs that feature local businesses, and Bert Wolf's self-advertising of his tour programs on his travel programs, are hopefully not part of a trend towards advertorial content.

Objectivity and balance[edit]

See also: Wikipedia:Objectivity (journalism), United States Information Agency, Uncommon Knowledge, Hoover Institution, and Charlie Rose

Logically, balance is a subjective viewpoint, and ethically, objectivity is a fail. It seems reasonable to say that PBS has reflected a viewpoint that is progressive and therefore different to the mainstream.

For the sake of argument, anytime society did need to be changed, whichever political group advocated that change would always be a distance away from the status quo. So the argument of bias, apart from being Ad hominem, is always bogus. Prove the coverage right, prove it wrong, but don't plot its position on a graph, that doesn't mean anything.

Although state and federal sources account for less than 50% of public television funding between 1995 and 2005^[2], PBS has been the target of political pressure.

The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967 required a "strict adherence to objectivity and balance in all programs or series of programs of a controversial nature". It also prohibited the federal government from interfering or controlling what is broadcast.

In at least one instance (a 1982 broadcast of the United States Information Agency (WP) program Let Poland be Poland about the martial law declared in Poland in 1981), Congress has expressly encouraged PBS to abandon its conventional position of non-partisan neutrality. The program, a protest against the imposition of martial law by a Soviet-backed régime, contained commentary from many well-known celebrities. While widely viewed in the U.S., it met with skepticism on the part of European broadcasters due to concerns that the show, "provocative and anticommunist," was intended as propaganda.^[16][17]

Individual programs have been the targets of organized campaigns by those with opposing views, including former Wikipedia:United States Secretary of Education Wikipedia:Margaret Spellings.^[18]

Some PBS stations carry financial news programs that cater to wealthier viewers such as Morning News Report and then Nightly News Report, and a good handful of 'money management' programs.

Uncommon Knowledge (WP) was a weekly 30-minute current affairs show hosted by Peter Robinson (WP), former speechwriter for then-Vice President George H.W. Bush and President Ronald Reagan. It was co-produced and presented by San Jose, California, PBS member station KTEH from 1997 to 2005. It was distributed first by American Public Television and later by PBS to public television stations throughout the United States and internationally by NPR Worldwide. The show was funded by various foundations and organizations, including the conservative John M. Olin Foundation and produced by the Hoover Institution (where Peter Robinson is a fellow). The format was simple: Robinson and two right wingers vs a centrist left winger, or apologist in the sense of someone weak on the issue.

On July 19, 2007, the hate-filled and populist-pandering Fox News ran the news story "Banned by PBS: Muslims Against Jihad," charging the network of liberal bias.^[19]

Kenneth Tomlinson[edit]

Main article: Kenneth Tomlinson

Kenneth Tomlinson, former chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, told PBS officials, "They should make sure their programming better reflected the Republican mandate." Tomlinson later said that his comment was in jest and that he could not imagine how remarks at a fun occasion were taken the wrong way.

Tomlinson, who took over at CPB in 2003, began his tenure by asking for Wikipedia:Karl Rove's assistance in overturning a regulation that half the CPB board have practical experience in radio or television.

Tomlinson directed funding towards conservative-written programming. He secretly hired an outside consultant to monitor the regular PBS program NOW with Bill Moyers.^[20]

He hired White House employees to form an ombudsman office to "promote balance in programming".^[20][21]

Told that the show had "liberal" leanings, Moyers eventually resigned in 2005 after more than three decades as a PBS regular, citing political pressure to alter the content of his program and saying Tomlinson had mounted a "vendetta" against him.^[22]

Subsequently, PBS made room temporarily for conservative commentator Wikipedia:Tucker Carlson, formerly of Wikipedia:MSNBC and co-host of CNN's Crossfire, and Wikipedia:The Journal Editorial Report with Wikipedia:Paul Gigot, an editor of Wikipedia:The Wall Street Journal editorial page. Tucker Carlson's show subsequently moved to the Fox News Channel).^[23]

A report sharply criticized Tomlinson for the way he used CPB resources to "go after" perceived liberal bias at PBS, and CPB investigations found evidence of improper financial dealings with consultants related to Tomlinson.^[23] On November 3, 2005 CPB announced Tomlinson's resignation.

Bill Moyers eventually returned to host Wikipedia:Bill Moyers Journal.

PBS networks[edit]

See also: List of United States over-the-air television networks and List of United States cable and satellite television networks

PBS has also spun-off a number of Wikipedia:TV networks, often in partnership with other media companies: Wikipedia:PBS YOU (ended January 2006, and largely succeeded by Wikipedia:American Public Television's Create), PBS KIDS (ended October 1, 2005), PBS KIDS Sprout, Wikipedia:PBS World (commenced August 15, 2007), and PBS-DT2 (a feed of HDTV and Wikipedia:letterboxed programming for digitally equipped member stations), along with packages of PBS programs that are similar to local stations' programming, the Wikipedia:PBS Satellite Service feeds. Wikipedia:PBS Kids GO! was promised for October 2006, but PBS announced in July that they would not be going forward with it as an independent network feed (as opposed to the pre-existing two-hour week daily block on PBS).

Some or all are available on many Wikipedia:digital cable systems, on Wikipedia:free-to-air TV via Wikipedia:communications satellites,^[24] as well as via Wikipedia:direct broadcast satellite. With the transition to terrestrial Wikipedia:digital television broadcasts, many are also often now available as "multiplexed" channels on some local stations' standard-definition digital signals, while DT2 is found among the HD signals. PBS Kids announced that they will have an early-morning Miss Lori and Hooper block with four PBS Kids shows usually around 08:00. With the absence of Wikipedia:advertising, network identification on these PBS networks were limited to utilization at the end of the program, which includes the standard series of bumpers from the "Be More" campaign.

Regional networks[edit]

While various Wikipedia:digital subchannels are operated on a regional or statewide basis, these are the creation of individual PBS member stations or groups of stations. While not operated or controlled by the national PBS organization, these extra channels typically rebroadcast portions of the programming from the main PBS service in addition to local and regional public-affairs coverage and are carried as subchannels of existing PBS stations.

Also carried on some PBS stations are Create (Wikipedia:American Public Television, how-to programming), Wikipedia:MHz WorldView (Commonwealth Public Broadcasting, international news) and Wikipedia:V-me (Wikipedia:WNET, Wikipedia:Spanish language educational). None of these services form part of the main PBS network.

PBS Kids[edit]

Main article: Wikipedia:PBS Kids

Founded in 1993, PBS Kids is the brand for Wikipedia:children's programming aired by PBS in the United States. The PBS Kids network, which was established in 1999 and ran for seven years, was largely funded by Wikipedia:DirecTV. The channel ceased operation on October 1, 2005, in favor of a new joint commercial venture, Wikipedia:PBS Kids Sprout.[1] Slogan is "PBS is learning".

PBS Sports[edit]

The network has shown some sporting events in its history.

During the 1970s and 1980s PBS was the leading American Wikipedia:tennis broadcaster.^[25][26] Wikipedia:Bud Collins and Wikipedia:Donald Dell were PBS announcers. PBS was the first American network to regularly broadcast tennis tournaments. PBS also broadcast Wikipedia:Tennis for the Future, hosted by Wikipedia:Vic Braden.^[27]

In 1982, PBS, Wikipedia:ESPN and ABC provided the first thorough American television coverage of the FIFA World Cup. PBS aired same day highlights of the top game of the day. Wikipedia:Toby Charles was PBS' play-by-play announcer.

From 1984 to 1987, PBS broadcast Wikipedia:Ivy League football. Wikipedia:Dick Galiette and Wikipedia:Upton Bell called games for the first season and Wikipedia:Marty Glickman and Wikipedia:Bob Casciola called the games in 1985. In 1986, PBS increased its coverage and had two announcing teams, Brian Dowling and Wikipedia:Sean McDonough, who had been the sideline reporter for the prior two seasons were the play by play announcers and Bob Casciola and Wikipedia:Len Simonian were the color analysts. For the final season McDonough and Wikipedia:Jack Corrigan were the game announcers and Mike Madden was the sideline reporter.^[28]

Another PBS Sports series was The Sporting Life, an interview series hosted by Wikipedia:Jim Palmer.^[29] The Sporting Life premiered in 1985 and was canceled soon after.

Many state public broadcasting stations, such as Georgia Public Broadcasting, Maine Public Broadcasting Network, and Nebraska Educational Television, broadcast Wikipedia:high school sports Wikipedia:championships, and college sports games not seen on commercial TV (such as baseball, gymnastics, tennis, etc.).

See also[edit]

References[edit]

Further reading[edit]

• B.J. Bullert, Public Television: Politics and the Battle over Documentary Film, Rutgers Univ Press 1997
• Barry Dornfeld, Producing Public Television, Producing Public Culture, Princeton University Press 1998
• Ralph Engelman, Public Radio and Television in America: A Political History, Sage Publications 1996
• Wikipedia:James Ledbetter, Made Possible by: The Death of Public Broadcasting in the United States, Verso 1998

External links[edit]

• Official website
• PBS "Red Book" (presentation guidelines for PBS programming)
• Video interview with PBS President Paula Kerger
• Current, the newspaper about public TV and radio in the United States
• Twitter PageTemplate:Webby AwardsTemplate:PBSTVTemplate:CurrentPBSKids showsTemplate:Kids TV Blocks USTemplate:Sports television in the United StatesTemplate:U.S. broadcast televisionTemplate:Public broadcasting in the United StatesTemplate:World Radio Networksimple:Public Broadcasting Service