• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

RIPBS is truly becoming a real PBS station

I turned on Rhode Island PBS today (formerly known as "WSBE Channel 36"), and I couldn't believe my eyes: They now have a Kids' club, and they are doing a pledge drive around Children's programming. This is something I don't think they've ever had before. It seems like it is just becoming another WGBH. Call me crazy, but I actually missed the old way, when it was really a small station. When I was little, they never did those annoying pledge drives around Children's programming, and if I recall correctly, their afternoon lineup was almost identical to that of WGBH, but they never did any interruptions, AND I don't think they ran voiceover announcements during credits. I remember once I discovered WSBE, I always watched on there, and rarely watched WGBH after that. And I remember that back in the day, not very many people, even in Rhode Island, knew about WSBE. They always thought of WGBH as New England's PBS station. I actually have some old clips of WSBE from around 1992 or 1993, and I think I may be the only one who has any WSBE clips.
 
WSBE still doesn't run the News Hour, does it?

- Trip
 
I don't think WSBE has run the News Hour for a number of years now. In fact, I think the last time they had it on was in 1993 or so.
 
ssetta said:
I turned on Rhode Island PBS today (formerly known as "WSBE Channel 36"), and I couldn't believe my eyes: They now have a Kids' club, and they are doing a pledge drive around Children's programming. This is something I don't think they've ever had before. It seems like it is just becoming another WGBH. Call me crazy, but I actually missed the old way, when it was really a small station. When I was little, they never did those annoying pledge drives around Children's programming, and if I recall correctly, their afternoon lineup was almost identical to that of WGBH, but they never did any interruptions, AND I don't think they ran voiceover announcements during credits. I remember once I discovered WSBE, I always watched on there, and rarely watched WGBH after that. And I remember that back in the day, not very many people, even in Rhode Island, knew about WSBE. They always thought of WGBH as New England's PBS station. I actually have some old clips of WSBE from around 1992 or 1993, and I think I may be the only one who has any WSBE clips.

Personally, I've always prefered watching WSBE-TV over WGBH/WGBX because 'SBE seemed a little more down-to-earth than the 'GBH stations. Eventhough WSBE was more geared to Rhode Island, it seemed like it was more watchable than 'GBH as they did not over-burden you with "begathons" 4 times a year and the on air talent on 'SBE seemed more "real" compared their counterparts in Boston. "Rhode Island PBS" (which BTW is STILL licensed as WSBE) still commands a good cable audience throughout Southeastern Massachusetts to this day. I hope they will continue to be able to be watched in SE Massachusetts in the digital domain. In my opinion, WSBE is a more watchable PBS affiliate than 'GBH could ever be. BTW "ssetta": I'm sure that more people watch WSBE-TV in Southeastern Massachusetts than you think.
 
Their over the air signal still signs off, but on cable it stays on all night long, just as it has for quite a while now.
 
jlehmann said:
Their over the air signal still signs off, but on cable it stays on all night long, just as it has for quite a while now.
Even their digital OTA signal? Their analog signal went off permanently on January 15.
 
ssetta said:
jlehmann said:
Their over the air signal still signs off, but on cable it stays on all night long, just as it has for quite a while now.
Even their digital OTA signal? Their analog signal went off permanently on January 15.

Yes. Their DT OTA signs off at night.
 
That's insane how they even shut their Digital OTA at night. Why in the world would they do that? I also noticed they have a logo that says "RIPBS HD." Is the HD signal available on cable in Rhode Island or Massachusetts?
 
Well, just today, they actually started having pledge drives around children's programming. There's like no need for this station anymore. I really can't believe nobody has any WSBE clips from the 80s or 90s.
 
All the good programming is on WGBH and WGBX anyway. Isn't WSBE just redundant? Does WSBE actually carry any original programming anymore.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom