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First Pledge Weeks, Now Generic Pledge Breaks

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
Although on-air pledge weeks have long been a part of programming on PBS stations, pledge breaks have long been locally-produced by member stations.

Viewers got to hear the local phone number to call-in and pledge as well as the name/call letters/channel number of the local PBS member station quite often during pledge breaks (i.e. "Call 1-800-492-1111 and support Channels 2 and 44!"). Often, the pledge break was broadcast live the first time the pledge special aired, and then recorded by the station to be used whenever the show as repeated.

But during the recent pledge drive (still on going in a few areas), I've noted something on WGBH-2/WGBX-44 in Boston, and it's probably even more prevelant in smaller markets: Canned pledge breaks produced on a national basis.

Obviously, it saves stations (especially smaller stations) a lot of money in that they don't have to produce their own pledge breaks anymore.

But it makes the pledge breaks too generic. And to me, these canned national pledge breaks make PBS pledge programming even less appealing.

I would think that most smaller PBS stations have switched over to these canned generic national pledge breaks and are using locally-produced pledge breaks only during locally-produced pledge programming.

How prevelant are canned and generic pledge breaks on PBS stations in your area??
 
Certain PBS network fare has had the canned pledge breaks for probably the last decade or so...My local affiliate, KETC 9 in St. Louis does use some of the canned stuff, but by and large does their own spots...

Thank goodness for the Dish Network DVR at this time of the year. I made my contribution, so I don't feel guilty skipping all the pledge breaks. Thats about the only way you can follow a program during pledge times.

> Although on-air pledge weeks have long been a part of
> programming on PBS stations, pledge breaks have long been
> locally-produced by member stations.
>
> Viewers got to hear the local phone number to call-in and
> pledge as well as the name/call letters/channel number of
> the local PBS member station quite often during pledge
> breaks (i.e. "Call 1-800-492-1111 and support Channels 2 and
> 44!"). Often, the pledge break was broadcast live the first
> time the pledge special aired, and then recorded by the
> station to be used whenever the show as repeated.
>
> But during the recent pledge drive (still on going in a few
> areas), I've noted something on WGBH-2/WGBX-44 in Boston,
> and it's probably even more prevelant in smaller markets:
> Canned pledge breaks produced on a national basis.
>
> Obviously, it saves stations (especially smaller stations) a
> lot of money in that they don't have to produce their own
> pledge breaks anymore.
>
> But it makes the pledge breaks too generic. And to me, these
> canned national pledge breaks make PBS pledge programming
> even less appealing.
>
> I would think that most smaller PBS stations have switched
> over to these canned generic national pledge breaks and are
> using locally-produced pledge breaks only during
> locally-produced pledge programming.
>
> How prevelant are canned and generic pledge breaks on PBS
> stations in your area??
>
 
WLIW used some very pre-recorded pledge breaks on one of those Visions of Do Wop Disco Cheesy European Singer Self Help Finincal Planning Idiots specials that had their old logo. To WLIW: if you show BBC World News at 7 PM on weekends during pledge time I may consider giving you guys some money, if you show Visions of Do Wop Disco Cheesy European Singer Self Help Finincal Planning Idiots you are going to get nothing.

WNET, of which I do give money to, seems to do their own breaks.

NJN seems to mix local and both.

By the way, I think that many of the pre-packaged national breaks are either from WLIW or WNET.

Given I don't tend to watch most of the pledge garbage, since it is what I do not watch PBS for, I only have a very limited sample.<P ID="signature">______________
<a href=http://blog.spotteddogs.org/blog/>Random Observations on Life, the Universe and Television</a></P>
 
Dayton, OH: pretty much all of the pledge breaks during things like the "My Music" series are nationally-produced, often featuring former Impressions vocalist and solo artist Jerry Butler.<P ID="signature">______________
..from the Ball Park Franks sponsored gr8oldies keyboard...</P>
 
Toby was on to something:

> WLIW used some very pre-recorded pledge breaks on one of
> those Visions of Do Wop Disco Cheesy European Singer Self
> Help Finincal Planning Idiots specials......

Toby:

What a fantastic idea for a PBS pledge special!

All you need to do is to add Wayne Dyer and Andre Rieu, and you'll be all set!

Call WNET today and pitch it to them!!!

;)
 
> Although on-air pledge weeks have long been a part of
> programming on PBS stations, pledge breaks have long been
> locally-produced by member stations.
>
> Viewers got to hear the local phone number to call-in and
> pledge as well as the name/call letters/channel number of
> the local PBS member station quite often during pledge
> breaks (i.e. "Call 1-800-492-1111 and support Channels 2 and
> 44!"). Often, the pledge break was broadcast live the first
> time the pledge special aired, and then recorded by the
> station to be used whenever the show as repeated.
>
> But during the recent pledge drive (still on going in a few
> areas), I've noted something on WGBH-2/WGBX-44 in Boston,
> and it's probably even more prevelant in smaller markets:
> Canned pledge breaks produced on a national basis.
>
> Obviously, it saves stations (especially smaller stations) a
> lot of money in that they don't have to produce their own
> pledge breaks anymore.
>
> But it makes the pledge breaks too generic. And to me, these
> canned national pledge breaks make PBS pledge programming
> even less appealing.
>
> I would think that most smaller PBS stations have switched
> over to these canned generic national pledge breaks and are
> using locally-produced pledge breaks only during
> locally-produced pledge programming.
>
> How prevelant are canned and generic pledge breaks on PBS
> stations in your area??

Anything that I watch on my local PBS during pledge week has 100% local pledge breaks, though I don't watch as much as I used to to be sure. It's usually Jack Neal (General Manager of Blue Ridge Public TV) and someone else sitting at a desk talking about how PBS needs your support... then Jack Neal walks over to two folding tables with six people working phones.

- Trip<P ID="signature">______________
Visit my website, www.rabbitears.info! It's eventually going to be your one resource for television info! Digital television, histories, and technical information for the entire USA from one source!</P>
 
"Generic" pledge breaks are known in the public television family as "virtual breaks," and they have been done for a number of years (although perhaps not in big markets like Boston).

Stations are not REQUIRED to use virtual breaks -- you can always do locally produced breaks. But many PBS stations use them for several reasons:

1) They save money: you can give the production crew the night off.
2) They connect with viewers: if done right, the breaks often feature talent from the show who can keep the audience watching by telling interesting stories about the program and about themselves (and encourage their fans, directly, to call in their pledge). It's difficult for local station staff in Sacramento or Des Moines or Syracuse to connect in the same way.
3) They work: some of the most successful PBS pledge programs have incorporated national virtual breaks.

It is unwise for a station to overdo virtual breaks -- it is important for the viewers to see local station staff and volunteers making the case about their particular station's local services. But many stations have experienced fundraising successes with them, so that's why they mix them in.
 
I think it's sort of half and half in Nashville at WNPT. However, back in the 80s til late 90s, at a certain point of the hour, you'd hear this loud trumpeting sound like from the middle ages. That trumpet and the stopper noise from "Scrabble" scared the bejeezus out of me during my childhood. Anyway, they would tell how much they raised total at that point in the drive.

They did this with a giant number "8" (this is back in the WDCN not WNPT days) which was gray when the drive started and when they had let's say 20,000 bucks since they last did the trumpet thing, they'd pull of 20 gray strips and the big "8" turned a little red.

I miss the big "8" (but not that darn trumpet) and WDCN's "Action Auction" which callers bid on trips, paintings, etc... and the highest bidder after a certain time limit won whatever. I saw something similar to this on WCTE-22 in Cookeville (yes I can get 2 PBS stations for the price of one. Thank you rabbit ears!)

I wonder if anybody does an auction type thing to this day?<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Jets885sports on 12/15/05 12:36 AM.</FONT></P>
 
> I wonder if anybody does an auction type thing to this day?

Yes, a number of PBS stations still do on-air auctions, including the one here in Milwaukee, WMVS.
 
> > I wonder if anybody does an auction type thing to this
> day?
>
> Yes, a number of PBS stations still do on-air auctions,
> including the one here in Milwaukee, WMVS.

WLVT 39 in Philadelphia does it.
 
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