# PBS Pledge-Time Programming (Not a Rant) **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 9, 2003, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995 "2003-03-09T00:37:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/21 "2003-03-10T18:03:52Z")
I remember Doctor Who\* marathons and more recently Red Dwarf marathons. This year they showed “Duct Tape Forever” with Red Green himself visiting the Madison Station (tho I was watching the station in LaCrosse\*\*) I liked the glass thing (tho I’d rather see a new NOVA) the fisrt time I saw it, but have no desire to see it again. Brian - For a long time DW was the least requested show on the viewer’s survey, but brought in the most pledge money \*\*Actually I think thier antenna is across the river in LaCrescent (as 2 other Lacrosse channels are). Madison did well during the last RG pledge drive so they showed Duct Tape Forver at a local theatre. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/22 "2003-03-10T18:44:08Z")
Last night, we watched Tony Bennett live in San Francisco, which was pretty good, but it killed me that during the pimp section, the whores kept saying that “if we wanted to see more great programing like this” we had better pony up the dough. Huh? No matter how much I give you, we ain’t gonna get show like that! You only show them during pimp week!! You want me to shell out some duckets? Put on “Frontline” and “Nova” in their normal time-slots and let me know when that is! ---
**Author:** ![austen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b2d939/32.png) [@austen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/austen)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 7:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/23 "2003-03-10T19:22:29Z")
Here at Chicago’s PBS affiliate, WTTW, they have a wonderful guy who works for the station and for the Chicago Architectural Society - Geoffrey Baer. He’s put together 5 wonderful programs that they always show during Pledgetime here - they are: \*The Chicago Loop - A Walking Tour of Loop architecture. \*Chicago by Boat - tour of Chicago architecure on the Chicago River - based on the Architectural Society’s Boat tour. \*Chicago’s Lakefront - history of the Lake Michigan lakefron from the Indiana dunes to the Wisconsin border. \*Chicago by “L” - looks at all of the varied neighborhoods that surround the various CTA “L” lines - and how the CTA came to be. \*Chicago’s North Shore - looks at the history of the Northern suburbs of Chicago - with future programs to come about the Western & Southern suburbs as well. When I moved here from Philadelphia, only the first two were out - they seem to add another one every 1.5 years. The reason why they probably take so long to produce is that they are so informative and detailed. I learned a great deal about Chicago’s architecture and history just from watching those shows. They also aired them on the PBS affiliate (WHYY) in Philly after the nation American Experience series on Chicago. That will be the thing to get my duckets this year - they offer the collection of them on DVD. Oh - and I love when they show all of the Anne of Green Gables productions - I’m such a sap. But that Haley guy - there’s just something a little bit OFF about that guy, you know? ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2003, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/24 "2003-03-10T22:09:49Z")
KLRU here in Austin has been airing a mix of some nigh-unwatchable Red Green movie about duct tape (is this funny in Canada?) and some lady on a stage speaking in hushed tones about personal finances during the current pledge drive. Lawrence Welk is a weekly fixture which I avoid, as it makes me highly un-nostalgic for the golden age of television. And this is coming from a guy who listens to the Praire Home Companion. ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/25 "2003-03-11T02:15:52Z")
Just updating…the Boston PBS station is pledging their little hearts out, and they are showing a special on Frank Sinatra…tapes of him with various Rat Packers, and reminiscences by Frank Jr., Tina, and Nancy. It was interesting, at one point Frank Jr. instead of saying “My father was like such and such…” said “Sinatra was like such and such…” New Hamphire PBS seems to be showing the same thing. I really can’t believe other parts of the country are so Welk-saturated. I can’t imagine anything that would go over worse here. ---
**Author:** ![Catamount](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/catamount/32/2840_2.png) [@Catamount](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Catamount)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/26 "2003-03-11T02:35:38Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by peepthis \* > \*\*I’d guess it’s a matter of local demographics, plus PBS skews an older demographic (hence the glass-blowing and whatnot). The Lawrence Welk thing is probably restricted to the upper Midwest, I’d venture to say. The only time I ever encountered that show on the air was when visiting family in the northern reaches of MN, where the folks go batty for a good polka. \*\* They show it in North Carolina too. It’s a big hit with the over 70-set and, for some reason, my mid-50s parents. Every time it comes on, I think of _American Beauty._ I don’t remember what our PBS affiliate shows during pledge week. Probably _Antiques Roadshow._ I haven’t cared since they stopped showing _Red Dwarf_ and _Dr. Who._ ---
**Author:** ![Road\_Rash](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a8b319/32.png) [@Road\_Rash](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Road_Rash)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/27 "2003-03-11T03:56:30Z")
Rick Steeves paid KUHF, Houston, a visit just yesterday. He comes to Houston quite a bit. I love his show. A couple of the old Firesign Theater was at a pledge drive about a year ago. It seems in Houston they like to play the good stuff to draw you in and donate. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2003, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995/28 "2003-03-11T07:20:25Z")
KOCE in Orange County, Calif., is heavy on “Brit coms” such as Are You Being Served?, As Time Goes By and Keeping Up Appearances, a daft thing about a superhero with an Irish brogue and a postively wretched show called No, Honestly – in addition to Lawrence Welk, self-help gurus and endless variations on the “Three Tenors” concept. I’d love to see some Flying Circus or Red Dwarf on TV again. I thought BBC America had them all locked up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pbs-pledge-time-programming-not-a-rant/159995.md?page=1)