Ever sent money to a PBS station?

[The Voice of Reason]

No I don't send money to my local PBS station; not when I know some of that money goes towards the six figure salary the station's CEO makes. Why should I spend my money supporting someone making more than I do? Besides I've met the guy and he's a classless A-hole.

It's not 6 figures.... ??? Is it?

Last count he was making over $300,000 a year....PLUS gets a new SUV every other year (with a company gas credit card)...PLUS the station pays for his medical insurance and his retirement.

So as I said before, why should I contribute my hard earned salary to this guy who apparently is enjoying the "life of riley?"

 

[MattParker]

Maybe because William F. Buckley is dead and there has not been an intelligent conservative
media voice since.

Whoa, bucko...you're forgetting that great American, the guy behind the golden EIB
microphone, El Rushbo!

No, I didn't forget him. He's proof Plato was right: In the Kingdom of the Blind, the one-eyed man is king.

 

[Darth_vader]

I've never given money to OPB. My Mum and Grandmum have in the past, but I haven't. Judging by the way they've been going in recent history I don't think I will at any point in the forseeable future.

In fact, considering what OPB did to the Golden Hours radio reading service a few years ago, that pretty much negates any chance that OPB will ever see a dime out of my pocket. Never. NEVER EVER!!

Saying of radio reading services, I have contributed to Golen Hours (http://omnimedianetworks.org/ , stream @ http://war.str3am.com:8560 ) in their post-OPB years, as well as the Evergreen Radio Reading Service in Seattle (http://sc1.abacast.com:8232/listen.pls) a few years back. If you'd ever seen ERRS' studios at that time, you'd know why!

 

[nomadcowatbk]

I might give $ to PBS if I could give directly to the show I liked. Barney makes enough $ through merchandising.

 

[azumanga]

I might give $ to PBS if I could give directly to the show I liked.

That would be a better pledge model -- just keep a normal schedule, then after the show (or maybe during the show via ticker), have viewers make their pledges if they like what they see. This way, they can gauge how many people actually watch their PBS station, as well as how many watch a particular program.

It is best if they show what they really are, instead of showing what they are not -- those pledge specials draw in money, but when regular programming resumes, those tuning in just for the specials will tune out, at least until they start passing the hat again.

During pledges, PBS need to showcase their best, not showcase "the best".

 

[anotherguyTN]

I might give $ to PBS if I could give directly to the show I liked. Barney makes enough $ through merchandising.

If I knew my donations could go directly to keep Red Green on, I might consider it. But I get the impression with how WLJT runs it they could care less if it gets any support. :

 

[ricksegers]

I have one time in the past to get the Sesame street toy they were offering during a pledge drive for my daughter. Not likely too in the future as I have grown tired of the pledge drives. Particularly the promise of we will run more of this programming and you don't see it til the next drive in two months. Plus I don't like how it totally disrupts the schedule and they don't run History Detectives while its going on.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MZKCSQJKTY

 

[dave73]

I haven't pledged any money to WTTW, WYCC, or WYIN since I barely get by financially. I don't know if I'll send in any money for their pledge drives, but I do show interest in buying certain programming directly from the station. I like some of the documentaries that WTTW produces specifically for their pledge drives, like stuff about Chicago & the suburbs. The nice thing about WTTW since the DTV transition, is that if programming is interrupted on 11.1 for pledge drives, WTTW Prime on 11.2 doesn't get affected, & some programming gets moved to WTTW Prime during pledge drives. They also from time to time run the pledge drives on WTTW Prime & keep their regular schedule on WTTW 11, 11.1.

WYIN runs pledge drive programming every night just to keep the station on the air, or they'd just sign off at night (which they haven't done since 2007 or 2008, when they decided to go 24 hours). They also air some pledge drive programs during the daytime too. I however hate that their pledge drives have people who don't actually work for the station, & instead, the people who interrupt the programs only mention public television in generic terms. They never mention the actual station. These type of pledge drives are made for PBS stations that don't want to take the time to interrupt the programming themselves. The actual station like WYIN has a blue bar at the bottom of the screen with their toll free number, station identification, & the station's website to go to to pledge online.

Out of the 3 Chicago PBS stations, I'd probably pledge my money to WYCC first, since they rarely run any actual pledge programming. Almost every time between programming, they have someone from the station who asks people to pledge money for their programming, & keep it brief. Most gifts people get from WYCC is usually something like dinner for 2 at an area restaurant, or to see a movie or play. It's typically something to support a local business, rather than something material, like other PBS stations. WYCC does offer something materialistic on occasion when they do have a pledge drive. Blue Man Group is the one pledge drive program that's most likely to me shown.

 

[Ultimajock]

Maybe because William F. Buckley is dead and there has not been an intelligent conservative
media voice since.

Whoa, bucko...you're forgetting that great American, the guy behind the golden EIB
microphone, El Rushbo!

...Rush Limbaugh is a massive turd from the @$$ of the Body Politic. Comparing his sewer slop to Bill Buckley's Firing Line is ridiculous. And, if conservative perspectives are unwelcome on PBS, how do you account for John McLaughlin having two programs on the primary network and PBS World (the heavily rightward-slanted The McLaughlin Group and John McLaughlin's One On One)?...

 

[Yeziknoradio]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MZKCSQJKTY

That's a good one! And that was 1993!

 

[Ultimajock]

...as for myself, I've never given money to any PBS outlet, but I have given some to an NPR affiliate (WLSU in La Crosse, Wisconsin) that was administered by the licensee of the local PBS affiliate (WHLA-TV/31, owned by Wisconsin Public Broadcasting). And over the years I have given a few bucks to Pacifica affiliates (WORT Madison WI, KFAI Minneapolis and KXCI Tucson) that were not co-owned with or administered by personnel of a PBS affiliate. In the interest of full disclosure, I'd had my own programs on WLSU, WORT, KFAI and KXCI at the time of the donations, and felt that if I asked listeners to give some of their jack to the place I'd damn well better chip in myself; after subsequent interactions with some of the current management of each of those stations, I wouldn't give them another nickel!...

 

[FreddyE1977]

Nope. Nor have I ever given to an NPR radio station.

My political views are rather conservative, and both PBS and NPR repeatedly
and blatantly make it obvious to me that neither I nor my views are welcome on their
stations.

I have no issue with their liberal programming, gay themed programming, etc.
I am for the First Amendment and am happy to have any of those views aired.
But if I wanted to produce a program giving my perspective I'm sure they'd
look at me like I had three heads and then toss me out the door.

So why should I send them a check?

Maybe because William F. Buckley is dead and there has not been an intelligent conservative media voice since.

well they certainly struck-out with Tucker Carlson (who seemed to be the only one they had)

 

[Ultimajock]

well they certainly struck-out with Tucker Carlson (who seemed to be the only one they had)

...John McLaughlin's not a conservative?!!?...

 

[ansky212]

I would give money to a charity long before I give it to any tv or radio station.

 

[vibe]

Answer is "no." Agree verbatim w/ last post of ansky. I always wondered what portion of any donation goes to salaries of the honchos.
Plus I don't watch more than 3-4 hrs of PBS programming a year.

 

[top16]

I have with the promise of a gift (coffee mug or canvas shopping bag). Needless to say, I am still waiting.

 

[Ultimajock]

I have with the promise of a gift (coffee mug or canvas shopping bag). Needless to say, I am still waiting.

...maybe you should put the History Detectives on the case ;D ...

 

[rjoc]

No I don't send money to my local PBS station; not when I know some of that money goes towards the six figure salary the station's CEO makes. Why should I spend my money supporting someone making more than I do? Besides I've met the guy and he's a classless A-hole.

It's not 6 figures.... ??? Is it?

Last count he was making over $300,000 a year....PLUS gets a new SUV every other year (with a company gas credit card)...PLUS the station pays for his medical insurance and his retirement.

So as I said before, why should I contribute my hard earned salary to this guy who apparently is enjoying the "life of riley?"


What station is it???

 

[firepoint525]

WNPT here in Nashville seems to always be in "pledge mode," but their programming is generally overall better, and a lot of it is locally produced stuff about Nashville history!

But, no, I haven't ever given money. Still, the pledge breaks are at least relevant to the programming, unlike the "insult my intelligence" commercials that run on regular network TV. :