As I understand it, it's pretty much a collective of independent organizations, so giving to one station really only helps that station directly, but there's enough symbiotic relationships between stations that the others may help overall. Each station buys its programming from whoever commissions it, which is done by both PBS itself and local stations - you'll see a WGBH logo before/after "Nova" and "Antiques Roadshow", WNET on "Nature", KLRU on "Austin City Limits," etc.
On Mon, Jul 20, 2009 at 11:03, Chris Neuman<[email protected]> wrote: > This makes me curious because I've never really thought about it before. > Please correct me if I am missing details of the financial arrangements. > > Are US residents served by their closest available PBS station? Obviously > yes when it comes to over the air broadcast, but do cable companies provide > the most local as well? > > When pledge drive rolls around, are donations pooled and shared out to each > station, or does the local station keep a portion of the local money? > > I grew up in Edmonton on KSPS Spokane. In the era of cable and HD, I now > have old relaible KSPS in SD, Detroit in SD, and Seattle for HD. The > competition for my dollars is on, and I never know which I should support > and what effect having three channels has on the coffers of each. > > Chris > > > On Sun, Jul 19, 2009 at 9:22 PM, Trevor Trevor <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> WPBS of New York to disappear from Ottawa TV >> >> >> http://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2009/07/17/ottawa-pbs-rogers-cable-members-funding.html >> >> >> >> >> Rogers cable subscribers in Ottawa have recently been told that they >> will no longer be able to watch the PBS broadcast out of Watertown, >> N.Y. >> >> The station — broadcast throughout eastern Ontario since 1971 — won't >> be picked up by Rogers, which said that as of Aug. 18 it will begin to >> broadcast the PBS signal out of Detroit. >> >> Donna McGrath, an Ottawa resident who has regularly contributed to >> WPBS during its funding drives, said that the Watertown station will >> be missed. >> >> "If it's a done deal, I'm going to cancel my subscription to Rogers," >> she said. "I am because I just don't like the way it was handled." >> >> WPBS said it only learned that Rogers was dropping its signal when an >> Ottawa viewer emailed the station, said Lynn Brown, who has been the >> director of programming since 1971. >> >> "And it took a good half hour just kind of staring at one another and >> getting over that shock," she said. >> >> Brown said WPBS has built a relationship with communities on both >> sides of the border and often chooses programs specifically for its >> viewers in Ottawa. >> >> "I just cannot believe in my heart of hearts that there's going to be >> another media entity that is going to have the same commitment," she >> said. >> >> Nancy Cottenden, who speaks for Rogers, said that the company is >> sticking to its decision. >> >> "Over the years, we've heard from our customers that they'd like to >> continue to receive PBS, but would like a feed that has a >> higher-quality reception," she said. >> >> The workers at the PBS station in Watertown said the decision has been >> devastating for them. >> >> The station, they said, relies heavily on the support it has received >> from its eastern Ontario viewers. >> >> Although those viewers only represent 20 per cent of the stations >> members, they donate 70 per cent of the money it receives through its >> funding drives. >> >> WPBS's website urges viewers to call Rogers. >> >> > -- David J. Lynch [email protected] --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
