# Why does PBS change its programming for pledge drives? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 30, 2024, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988 "2024-11-30T20:53:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/21 "2024-12-01T00:32:50Z")
Some stations produce locally-oriented music or other entertainment programs. Some are even worth checking out! ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/22 "2024-12-01T01:50:50Z")
Can’t lose with Austin City Limits. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/23 "2024-12-01T02:11:50Z")
> [@Andy\_L](#): > > In 1990, Tom Baker hosted PBS pledge drives - and when the Doctor asks for a pledge, people respond My all-time favorite swag from charitable donations I’ve made is a Dr. Who scarf, which I got during a PBS pledge drive decades ago. ---
**Author:** ![Roderick\_Femm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/roderick_femm/32/14875_2.png) [@Roderick\_Femm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Roderick_Femm)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/24 "2024-12-01T02:13:57Z")
> [@WildaBeast](#): > > I am a little skeptical that a significant number of people tune in just for the special programming I tune right out from the special programming. I hate about 95% of it, the rare exception being the very occasional classical music or opera broadcast. I have special anathema towards those medical and mental health lectures (it’s been a long time since I’ve seen any, it is remotely possible they’ve changed, although they seem to run the same ones every pledge period). Some of the medical ones seem(ed) to border on quackery. Or that woman who wants to tell me how stupid I am about money. No thanks. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/25 "2024-12-01T02:20:33Z")
> [@Roderick\_Femm](#): > > I have special anathema towards those medical and mental health lectures (it’s been a long time since I’ve seen any, it is remotely possible they’ve changed, although they seem to run the same ones every pledge period). Some of the medical ones seem(ed) to border on quackery. I agree with this; I don’t watch more than a moment or two of those, but they seem kind of off-brand for a network that otherwise seems to be about embracing actual knowledge and intelligence. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/26 "2024-12-01T03:44:15Z")
Dan Hicks with his former and current (at the time) bands was the best televised concert I’ve ever seen > [@Jaycat.again](#): > > I would love to see a list of the acts that appeared on Soundstage. I do remember Dr. John with Etta James. . ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/27 "2024-12-01T03:49:29Z")
Can’t edit so replying to myself. The Dan Hicks extravaganza was on Austin City Limits. ---
**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:** [December 1, 2024, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/28 "2024-12-01T04:10:55Z")
Another issue is you can’t televise Frontline, Nature, American Experience or Nova and chop it up with 7 minutes begs for money. They are a set length and it ain’t gonna work. But that’s where the money is going. Thank goodness. We don’t need another Sha-Na-Na revival. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/29 "2024-12-01T04:19:27Z")
PBS lures people in with special programming during pledge drives. PBS used to air Are You Being Served. There is a special that’s shown during Pledge drives with cast interviews and background on the show. Pledge drives eventually drove me away from _This Old House_. The pledge aways seemed to hit during the middle of the season. They would be interrupted for several episodes. I got frustrated trying to find the make-up scheduled dates. After going through this for several seasons I quit watching the show. It wasn’t worth the aggravation of never seeing a complete season. I haven’t watched _This Old House_ in at least 20 years. I was a veteran viewer that had watched since it started in the late 70’s. There were other factors besides pledge drives. The show changed after Norm quit actually working and became a host. The show got too fixated on technology instead of basic carpentry. Blah, blah Pledge drives are needed for crucial funding. I wish they could do it without disrupting everyones favorite shows. They could simply pause the shows scheduling for two weeks. That way viewers don’t have to search for the make-up schedule to avoid missing episodes. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/30 "2024-12-01T04:32:14Z")
Oh my, in 1983 I was in Chicago at school and watched Dr. Who on PBS. When I was watching it started with John Pertwee, the third Doctor then he regenerated to Tom Baker. On that same block of programs they showed Benny Hill and Dave Allen at Large. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/31 "2024-12-01T04:36:14Z")
PBS used to be the only source for British tv shows. I liked Mystery! and Masterpiece Theater. They presented really great British shows. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/32 "2024-12-01T05:18:34Z")
They also had Monty Python and a few others like Two Ronnies. Watching them in a small town in Iowa on cable was like getting entry into a secret club. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2024, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/33 "2024-12-01T17:53:58Z")
Our local PBS leaned heavily onto _Doctor Who._ They got fans to man the phones and it brought in a lot of money. They appreciated it so much that they showed us _The Three Doctors_ in a private screening several days before it was aired. ---
**Author:** ![That\_Don\_Guy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/that_don_guy/32/538_2.png) [@That\_Don\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/That_Don_Guy)\ **Post date:** [December 5, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988/34 "2024-12-05T18:26:22Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > They also had Monty Python and a few others like Two Ronnies. Watching them in a small town in Iowa on cable was like getting entry into a secret club. The PBS station in San Jose used to air nothing but British comedies (well, a couple of Australian ones snuck in - we saw Judi Dench and Paul Hogan long before they gained their mainstream popularity in the USA) followed by an entire Doctor Who story on Saturday nights starting at 9 PM. It never aired _Monty Python’s Flying Circus_ - that was more or less an exclusive of San Francisco’s station in the area - but it did air _Are You Being Served?_ and _Keeping Up Appearances_. It would also air seasons of _Red Dwarf_ on Pledge Break Saturdays, so, of course, my cable company dropped the station for almost an entire decade right after Season 3 aired. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-does-pbs-change-its-programming-for-pledge-drives/1010988.md?page=1)