HoustonPBS: Viewers spoke, and (new) management listened

[Tim-In-Houston]

Houston media blogger Mike McGuff reports that Houston Public Media's (KUHT/KUHF/KUHA) new leader, Lisa Trapani-Shumate has decided to not blow-out (most of the) regular PBS programming for those awful "pledge specials" because viewers were complaining (and for obvious and correct reasons).

They're doing a couple locally-produced nights of live pledge specials featuring local groups/individuals but otherwise it appears regular programming will run with pledge appeals added in.

 

[tripinva]

WCVE/WHTJ in Richmond/Charlottesville VA also do this. They show the pledge programming a little bit, but most of the pledge drive is regular programming with breaks where promos would go. It's apparently been wildly successful, to the point that I think all of their pledge drives since that one test run have been like this.

- Trip

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

WCVE/WHTJ in Richmond/Charlottesville VA also do this. They show the pledge programming a little bit, but most of the pledge drive is regular programming with breaks where promos would go. It's apparently been wildly successful, to the point that I think all of their pledge drives since that one test run have been like this.

I've been on pledge drives as a guest host (from my radio days -- even met Fred Rogers at WQED) but I've never seen one in my life. Really.

So what type of programming was traditionally aired during PBS station pledge drives? How did it differ from the usual fare on these NCE facilities? I did cut-ins on the Action Auction on WDCN in Nashville, hawking products and services -- trying to hype the bidding higher. Is that pretty much the routine?

I'm likely 180 degrees out of phase from Trip since I watch tons of sports and rarely watch PBS. I imagine I've seen more of the signal meter on KERA than I have any actual programing...thus my query

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

Some stations go (or did at one time) the "Action Auction" route, but for the last several years most have run the same 3 or 4 pledge specials to death.

One that stands out is country singer Vince Gill hawking "Grand Ole Opry" tapes. It seems like every time I turn on a PBS station, it's during pledge time, and that one is airing.

Right now (12:04am Saturday) I'm watching a pledge special on KUHT's .2 channel about Lucille Ball. This one is at least watchable and enjoyable, though it could very well be a Gunthy-Renker infomercial if it didn't have the pledge information dropped in from time to time.

I seem to recall when PBS fed programming that had pledge breaks built into them for stations to use during the drives, so you were actually seeing the normal programming (though likely cut down a bit to fit the extra breaks).

I'm glad to see KUHT going this route, though.

 

[tripinva]

Bob, there's a pledge drive on WTCI right now. I'm looking at TitanTV; all are "reruns" with some dating to 2000. Starting right now, I'll tell you what the schedule is:

3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Rick Steves' European Christmas
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
Beautiful World with Jim Brickman
American Masters: Lucille Ball: Finding Lucy
My Music: Country Pop Legends
Great Performances: Jackie Evancho: Dream with Me in Concert
Barbra Streisand - One Night Only at the Village Vanguard
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

And that takes us to 1AM.

The other local PBS, GPB, is at least leaving the kids shows intact rather than blowing those away too.

Starting at 11:30AM:

Amen Solution: Thinner, Smarter, Happier with Dr. Daniel Amen
The Story of Jesus
He Touched Me: The Gospel Music of Elvis Presley
Barbra Streisand - One Night Only at the Village Vanguard
My Music: Aretha Franklin Presents: Soul Rewind
Great Performances: Andrea Bocelli and David Foster: My Christmas
My Music: Ed Sullivan's Rock and Roll Classics - The '60s
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

And that's up until 2AM.

One of the things I hate about WBRA is that they like to kill PBS World in favor of a direct simulcast of the main feed during pledge drives. Not even unique pledge programming; no, it's the same stuff across 15-1, 15-2, and 15-3.

- Trip

 

[arnoldevns]

This has always been a tough call for PBS stations. Many times their most popular regular programming is not the biggest money draw when they ask for donations. That's why they run the pledge specials to death. The plan the Houston station has put into place is somewhat risky because of the cost of producing the local programming to try to get the pledge money. If it works, that's great. If not, it can put the station into a serious financial hole that will be hard to dig out of. I hope it works. My default position is to like local programming more than national.

 

[azumanga]

Though personally, the biggest hook public stations use is that viewers should pledge if they want to see more of this special programming, yet:

1. This is not the programming they would normally show on a regular basis.

2. There are instances in which stations would vow to return to regular programming when they get a certain amount, making these pledge shows more like a sort of "hostage" situation.

3. Yet as explained before, most of the programs are the same stuff we have seen before in previous pledge periods -- nothing new. And many of these stations rely more on self-help, health and get-rich-quick specials, heavy on the repeats (as the WTCI example above attests).

If stations want to bring more money in for their station, more power to them. But the same old tactics are getting stale, and in these economic times, sometimes it pays to take risks.

 

[JHBrandt]

Bob, there's a pledge drive on WTCI right now. I'm looking at TitanTV; all are "reruns" with some dating to 2000. Starting right now, I'll tell you what the schedule is:

3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
...
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
...
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

And that takes us to 1AM.

The other local PBS, GPB, is at least leaving the kids shows intact rather than blowing those away too.

Starting at 11:30AM:

...
3 Steps to Incredible Health! with Joel Fuhrman, M.D.

And that's up until 2AM.
...
- Trip

I haven't seen "3 Steps to Incredible Health!" But a quick Google search gave me a strong impression that it's essentially an infomercial for Dr. Fuhrman's wares. (BTW, Dr. Fuhrman also appears to be a bit of a quack, judging from some of the pseudoscientific ideas he's endorsed.) They probably skate down a fine line, never directly asking viewers to make a purchase, but instead directing viewers to Dr. Fuhrman's website (or possibly a toll-free number for "free info") where the actual pitch is made. But I still think this sort of programming shouldn't be aired at any time, pledge drive or otherwise, on noncommercial stations.

 

[azumanga]

I haven't seen "3 Steps to Incredible Health!" But a quick Google search gave me a strong impression that it's essentially an infomercial for Dr. Fuhrman's wares... I still think this sort of programming shouldn't be aired at any time, pledge drive or otherwise, on noncommercial stations.

It disgusts me that public stations are resorting to these crappy infomercials to raise funds for their station, some more than others (WTCI).

If you want a look at how pledge season was handled this timed back in 1977, see the listings for WHRO, WCVE and WVPT here:

http://boards.radio-info.com/smf/index.php?topic=202149.0

 

[Megapsycle]

Just turned on KERA 13 here in Dallas to watch Motorweek. Just like last week, an infomercial. This week "Moments To Remember". I haven't pledged in years because of this kind of, ahem, programming.

 

[JHBrandt]

I tuned in Sunday around 1 PM and KERA was showing, yes, "3 steps to better health!"

 

[fredcantu]

I guess you missed "Andrea Bocelli: Concert in Central Park." It was on a couple of times over the weekend, too. Great stuff in HD.