PBS ratings?

[zeebre12]

What kind of ratings does PBS get in prime time compared to the main 5 networks? There seems to be very little on the Web? What programs rate the best?
Do programs air at the same time in prime time on all PBS stations?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Do programs air at the same time in prime time on all PBS stations?

No, thus it is kind of a non-sense question. PBS doesn't operate as a network and so it is not rated as a network.

Individual stations may buy the ratings from Nielsen, but I doubt very many do.

 

[zeebre12]

Then on the PBS Facebook page why does it state what time programs are on at? Like American Masters is on at 9/8c on PBS, same with other shows?

 

[Mr Tony]

Then on the PBS Facebook page why does it state what time programs are on at? Like American Masters is on at 9/8c on PBS, same with other shows?

Not every PBS carries the all the shows. Lots of them pre-empt for local productions thus delaying showtimes.
Here is an example. On Thursdays This Old House is on at 7 Central. But my local PBS has 2 hours of local programming so TOH is on at 9. Another PBS (WDSE Duluth, MN) its not even on the main station. They have local shows for 3 hours. They do carry the encore PBS which does show it at 10pm. Minneapolis has it on at 7.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

PBS relies on donors and royalties from local stations like KQED, KVIE and KPBS. CPB funding comes into play too. I don't know about ratings specifically though. I know that KQED shows up in the Nielsen ratings though.

 

[TheBigA]

PBS doesn't operate as a network and so it is not rated as a network.

It operates as a network in terms of the interconnect, which is the key part of the distribution system. But it doesn't have "affiliates." Instead it has "member stations," who run programs as they see fit. PBS promotes the programming as a national service with its suggested airtimes, but actual airtimes vary. Another difference between PBS and the commercial networks is there are no commercials. PBS is a non-commercial service. Ratings are primarily done to set advertising rates, not for popularity contests. PBS has to supply funders with viewer information, so they compile research and ratings on their shows, but they're not competing against other broadcast networks. That was part of the original intent, to create a system of television that isn't based on selling products but doing informational and educational programming.

 

[FreddyE1977]

PBS went to a system about fifteen years ago where member stations simply go to a website
and download the program content they choose. (I know IT guys who actually worked on setting
this up). Thus they are free to run those shows at their preferred times and there is no longer
a national "schedule" per-se.

 

[Fakeem]

I've seen commercials on PBS for years. The only difference with the broadcast channels is that they only air those spots between the full shows, and not during commercial breaks. Most people think that they are just advertising sponsors/donors, but that is still a commercial IMO.

 

[CTListener]

I believe most of PBS's major events -- the Ken Burns documentaries, for example -- have aired at the same dates and time slots in all markets, at least on their first run. Although some markets have more than one PBS station, so the secondary stations would be carrying something else. WGBH (main) and WGBX (secondary) in Boston, for example.

 

[TheBigA]

Most people think that they are just advertising sponsors/donors, but that is still a commercial IMO.

That may be your opinion, but those announcements follow very strict legal guidelines set by the government about what they can say and how they can say it. Very different from traditional commercials. If they weren't, the commercial TV industry would scream about it.

 

[b-turner]

Those guidelines, I might add, are very detailed and extensive. For example, it is okay to show a person using a product (such as driving a car) but they cannot be smiling and such. On the radio side, you can't say 'give them a call' but rather 'to learn more, you may phone'. The FCC has even admonished a station for having Underwriting (the term for this) that seemed to sound too much like a commercial. Go rogue and the FCC may fine you many times the dollars the Underwriting brought in. The thing to remember is the FCC makes the rules and interprets them. It's similar to the IRS: they make the tax laws and interpret them. The funny thing is the casual listener or viewer doesn't know the difference.

 

[MarcB]

Rhode Island PBS (WSBE Channel 36) runs a delayed PBS schedule mainly because most of the state also receives PBS from either WGBH Channel 2 from Boston or Connecticut Public Television (WEDN Channel 53 Norwich, CT).

Side note: The people at Rhode Island PBS are very rude. Once during a DX opening I received multiple channels. I sent the same email (copy and paste) to the different stations just changing the call letters and somehow when I sent the one to Rhode Island PBS I forgot to change the call letters, they wrote me back and told me I was stupid.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Duplicate.

 

[vchimpanzee]

I believe most of PBS's major events -- the Ken Burns documentaries, for example -- have aired at the same dates and time slots in all markets, at least on their first run. Although some markets have more than one PBS station, so the secondary stations would be carrying something else. WGBH (main) and WGBX (secondary) in Boston, for example.

In the old days TV Guide had local listings. This is not related to that but once they quit doing that I quit subscribing.

There were lists of the best programs for that week and if they listed something for PBS at a particular time, it was almost certain UNC-TV wouldn't air it.

And Charlotte has two PBS stations (three if the SC station is counted, but SC has its own network). Not sure how well those other two stations did with following the schedule TV Guide was showing.