# If PBS went away, where the shows would land **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 11, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289 "2010-11-11T08:05:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![etv78](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d78d45/32.png) [@etv78](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/etv78)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/1 "2010-11-11T08:05:36Z")
PBS’s original mission was to air programming the “Big 3” couldn’t/wouldn’t. With the advent of cable, I wondered where their shows would land. My theories: “Washington Week”/“NewsHour”/“McLaughlin Group”/“Tavis Smiley”-CNN “Nova”-Discovery “American Experience”-History “Seasame Street”/“Dora”-Nickelodeon/Disney “Materpiece Theatre”/“Antiques Roadshow”-Bravo/BBC America The cooking shows-Food Network Feel free to agree/disagree and add your $0.02 ---
**Author:** ![Alpha\_Twit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alpha_twit/32/265_2.png) [@Alpha\_Twit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alpha_Twit)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/2 "2010-11-11T17:13:25Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > “American Experience”-History > > Feel free to agree/disagree and add your $0.02 No chance. **HISTORY?!!** , on the History Channel? They’re too busy airing _Pawn Stars, Ancient Aliens_ and suck-wad copies of British motoring shows. ps - I like _Pawn Stars_ but it has less history than the skid marks on my skivvies. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/3 "2010-11-11T17:30:16Z")
I can’t think of any channel besides PBS that would host “Great Performances”. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/4 "2010-11-11T17:47:32Z")
> [@etv78](#): > > “Seasame Street”/“Dora”-Nickelodeon/Disney Dora is Nickelodeon (at least up until she sued them for making less money than the monkey). ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/5 "2010-11-11T18:20:41Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I can’t think of any channel besides PBS that would host “Great Performances”. [Ovation](http://www.ovationtv.com/) ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2010, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/6 "2010-11-11T22:26:36Z")
BBC ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/7 "2010-11-12T01:20:13Z")
In the 1990’s, I would have said Bravo. Before they fell victim to Network Decline. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_Bowe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/df788c/32.png) [@Doug\_Bowe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_Bowe)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2010, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-pbs-went-away-where-the-shows-would-land/560289/8 "2010-11-12T02:20:22Z")
Ken Burns has said that his specials would only be allowed on an outlet like PBS, so his efforts might fade.