See if you can identify the problem here:
NOVA, probably the second most popular PBS television program is funded in large part by our friend David H. Koch. and the ads on the show page (support provided by:) are funded by our friends at Goldman Sachs. Not inherently insidious, granted, but not the best circumstance, in my opinion.
Sesame Street, the most long running, popular and arguably beneficial show on PBS has a new underwriter this year: PNC Bank, who will teach your pre-schoolers about "spending, saving, and sharing". Again, not necessarily a bad thing. But still, I worry about inappropriate corporate influences seeping in.
Ever heard of the show "America's Heartland"? It's one of those folksy all-American feel good "farming shows" that show how American agriculture feeds the world and features good old salt-of-the-earth farmers waking at the crack of dawn dedicated to the task of doing whatever it takes to feed the world. It's brought to you by Monsanto and comes complete with Youth Video Outreach programs and everything.
Do you see a problem here? I do. And I'm sick of it.
WARNING: The following is part rant by a television producer who's making programming for PBS (me) and part innovative solution to the insidious nature of the corporate domination of our so-called Public Television System.
Hang on to your hat. This is going to be an interesting read.
Let's just establish a few facts:
1 - Congress will never ever create a funding system for America to have a true publicly funded television broadcast system. Not gonna happen in a country where universal healthcare for all is "heavy-handed socialism". So let's forget the idea that that's going to ever happen. M-kay?
2 - PBS relies on the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (which only receives a paltry sum of federal funds) to fund its popular programming. BUT even that's not enough. They NEED corporate sponsors to take up the majority of the cost. There's just not enough federal money available and donations can be unpredictable.
3 - All but the "Major Shows" you see on PBS are produced by independent producers like me (or small stations) who have the responsibility of finding funding for our own programs. This is a huge effin' problem because it costs money to produce quality content. We're not talking about network television level budgets, here. And nobody's getting rich off this. But you really need a budget that makes it possible not to be forced to shoot a TV show in your basement on your iphone, either. Just sayin'.
I mean, no offense to PBS or some other producers but really, it's the 21st century. PBS needs to keep up with programming if it wants to keep (and attract) an audience. This is "Broadcast Network 101" and I don't care if you're "public television" (they're not, really) or commercial television. You can't be a broadcast network without SHOWS PEOPLE WANT TO WATCH. When you can get better production quality on the internet, there's a problem. When shows online are more interesting, informative or entertaining, you're going to have problems. The worst part is that it seems that PBS doesn't even really "get" what the problem is. They're now considering selling ads DURING the programming, just like any other network. Really?
Earth to PBS: your revenue problem is directly related to your dearth of good programming. No network can survive with only four or five shows people care about (ask NBC). Fox Network just raised almost $2 BILLION dollars in it's upfront ad sales. Why? Because advertisers want to be seen during shows people are actually watching. HBO charges roughly 28 million people for access to its programming. Why? Because they have what people want. Good, quality entertainment.
So, besides my frustration with the antiquated PBS system, what's my beef?
1 - Having to beg from corporations for money to make a good show.
2 - Having only limited access to the poo-bahs at ad agencies who make the decisions about this stuff. (PBS' brand isn't as attractive as it used to be. Imagine that!)
3 - And having to watch GOOD SHOWS potentially die on the vine because of it.
Mind you, I'm about 80% sure I'll get at least one of my shows funded but this whole experience has left a bad taste in my mouth. While PBS doesn't have many options within their current infrastructure, they also don't seem capable of recognizing their real challenges and thinking outside the bureaucratic box. They may not even realize how drastically the advertising landscape has changed just in the last 6-7 years. I don't even blame corporations, per se, for not coughing up the dough. PBS has serious real (and potential) viewership loss issues that they seem incapable of addressing and this will only get worse as older viewers die off and younger viewers continue to choose internet and cable over "public" television".
This disturbs me because I believe there's a necessity for public broadcasting in a modern society. Our country deserves better. And if something radical isn't done soon, PBS will not be around in 10 years, mark my words on this. So I'm THINKING BIG.
I'm forming a non-profit production studio created exclusively for the production of PBS content and funded entirely by riff-raff like you and me. And why not? It's not 1972 anymore. Or 1992 for that matter. Can we actually create a non-profit organization that finds and funds good productions and enables high quality, competitive programming to be produced with ZERO corporate dollars? I think we can. In today's world, yes, I believe we can.
So today I'm asking for your help.
Rec this diary.
Tweet this.
Facebook this.
Blog this message.
Republish this.
Or send me a PM.
And if you can help chip in a buck or two to make the formation of the non-profit a reality, that'd be greatly appreciated. I want to get the ball rolling on it, regardless of whichever corporation I have to take money from to produce shows THIS TIME AROUND.
I don't expect this to be easy. There will be tons of hurdles to cross, not the least of which may be PBS itself. But eventually, we'll fund good programming together. Millions of us together will engage in the production of shows of social, cultural and educational (and heaven forbid, entertainment) value. We'll see to it that these shows bring MORE viewers to PBS, new viewers to PBS and revitalize our public broadcasting system that is dying on the vine today. We'll make sure, together, that these shows can compete in the 21st century against all the other television and internet entertainment options out there.
Together, we can keep public television alive and maybe for the first time in U.S. history, make our public television actually public.
I'm FED UP but thinking BIG. Won't you join me? http://ppptv.org