PBS programs

There has been some bad talk about PBS and the Scouting
program. I work for a PBS station here in Amarillo and I would
like to tell you a little about how PBS works.
PBS is not a network the way NBC, CBS, or ABC are. PBS is a
program service that sells, yes sells, it's programs to the
individual stations like the one I work for. Every program that
PBS feeds out is availabe to the stations and there are also
programs that the local stations produce and give to PBS. PBS
feeds 8 channels on their satellite to the stations 24 hours a
day. Their are alot of programs that my station does not air.
The BSA Jambo video is offered FREE to PBS and they in turn will
feed it out to the stations for FREE.
The program person at each station decides what programs
to air and at what time. My program person knows that I am
big in scouting and asked if I thought anyone would want to see
the program. I said yes and he put it on the schedule. It was
that simple.
There is no conspiracy to charge scouters to see the show.
Just ask your station and tell them that there are plenty of
scouters in your area that would like to see the program. It
helps if you are a supporter of PBS in your area because
donations to your PBS station are what keep us on the air. If
enough stations decide later to air the program, they can ask
PBS to refeed the program for record. It feeds this Monday at
2pm central time and we are airing it on Jan. 17, but most
stations can air it anytime they want.
PBS stands for "Public Broadcasting Service" and the public is
us viewers. The national PBS offices in D.C. just send out the
programs and the local stations decide what and when to air
them. Call, or better yet, write your local PBS station and ask
them to air the program. If they are like my station here, even
one phone call from an unhappy viewer can send the people in
the front offices into a frenzy.
Terry Slade Senior Engineer KACV-FM\TV Amarillo,TX
tmslade@actx.edu

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