I’ve read the criticism in TV Guide: Matt Roush notes that PBS can actually hurt itself sometimes with the way it times its fundraising schedule. It’s the August pledge drive, so instead of showing the 4th episode of a Masterpiece Theatre mini-series (as per the national PBS schedule), local PBS did another round of either Jonathan Pond’s investing tips; the Dr. Phil lookalike show; or Great Performances.
Okay, so I like Great Performances; sometimes the investing stuff might be helpful (but the Dr. Phil stuff should really come from, well, Dr. Phil); and, I’ll applaud our local PBS for keeping “Now with Bill Moyers” at its regular time slot and same with Lehrer newshour.
But, I think that if you, Hypothetical Person in Charge at PBS, are going to seduce people into donating, keep doing your good A-stuff, not your weird, New Age-y, C-level stuff.
Example: like, tell people to give any amount for pledges during the convention, especially since you Guys at PBS are the only ones in free-tv showing it and without the partisan talk garbage. Lehrer’s ratings were up for the Democratic convention, so you know people are watching; tell the audience that it’s a public service or something, you know what I mean? (ok, that’s my Public Awareness message for the day; if you want to donate to PBS yourself, go right ahead). (and, yeah, I’m a PBS snob, can’t help it). 😉
Sunday’s NY Times’ does a story on Los Angeles’ Koreatown, a hip happening place, apparently.
Slate.com’s William Saletan parodies the Vet(erans) Against Kerry with his Vet(erinarians) Against Kerry (Vets Who Don’t Buy that Kerry Saved his Kids’ Hamster, because they were really, really there). Too funny. (plus, a weird little picture of a hamster).
Olympics at the end of the week. Cool, even if there are concerns about terrorism; how Athens will pull it off; and figuring out who among the athletes are on illegal performance enhancing drugs.
Is it just me or are these Back-to-School ads getting on earlier and earlier every year?
I know I should, but I couldn’t resist avoiding the previews/spoilers for the upcoming 4th (maybe last?) season of “Star Trek: Enterprise.” Can it get better? I’m still a little pissed about that annoying season cliffhanger. It can’t get any worse, I guess. Just keep an open mind, I’d say.
“Fruit of the Loom” – the Fruit are back, with a commercial wherein they visit a firehouse to see if their undergarments are approved. Nice to see the Fruit back – there’s something amusing about guys in fruit suits. (the Apple guy gets stuck in the firehouse pole’s hole – forgetting that his foam can’t fit…)
Back to your regularly scheduled Monday…