vision2020@moscow.com: Re: TV Turn-off Week

Re: TV Turn-off Week

Don Coombs (dcoombs@uidaho.edu)
Fri, 30 Jan 1998 21:08:22 -0800 (PST)

The problem with television isn't that it exists, but that most of the
programming is so mind-numbingly banal. Rather than going a week without
TV, why not go out of your way to watch those programs which you are proud
to watch. And campaign to improve programming. And do what you can to stem
the commercialization of public television. You know what I mean, the
messages on public television (and public radio) which started as
underwriting announcements and now are edging closer and closer to being
simple flat-out commercials.

I regret that public broadcasting is becoming, more and more, a place
where Archer Daniel Midlands ponies up money to help obscure the company's
scummy record. For the rest of us to not support public broadcasting, of
course, just makes the stations more dependent on the ADMs of the world.
We should be lining up to support both public television and public radio,
and if we don't like to hear pledge drives on air, station managers are
becoming more and more open to suggestions that on-air fund raising be
limited to what necessary funds aren't forthcoming from simple
announcements.

Don H. Coombs


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