I watch PBS. I love PBS.
I sit glued to the television during the Jane Austen Sunday nights – sending my husband off to find science fiction on Hulu. (He insists that not even Phil Donahue watches Jane Austen.)
I watch NOVA. I watch NOW and Bill Moyers. I watch the Saturday cooking shows. I am on a first name basis with Norm and Kevin and Tom and Roger and Richard. Whenever I see happy clouds, I like to think that Bob is still painting.
Unfortunately, when PBS pledge time rolls around I am checking out my DVD collection.
I am not the target audience for Pledge Time. I do not go gaga for Larence Welk or Pat Boone. I do not do Do-Wop. My memories of Ed Sullivan are vague at best.
Would PBS be able to make money if they had regular programming with pledge breaks? How about a night pledge night for folks 50 and under? Or a promise never to play Do-Wop again if everyone donated?
I don’t know all the numbers and all the pledge stats. I do know that eventually the current target audience for pledge time will be no more and then, maybe, I will be part of the target audience.
In the mean time, I think I will dig out my Sense and Sensibility DVD.
Sandra