It's "buy, buy, buy!" at PBS

A key purpose of public broadcasting is to free the airwaves of corporate influence and censorship. But unless the government acts, PBS will soon be indistinguishable from corporate TV and the loudmouths who populate it.

For years, PBS has violated FCC rules that prohibit advertising on noncommercial stations. A network that was once free of ads began including commercials between shows a long time ago. I was disheartened one day to find one of our local PBS member stations displaying foodstuffs swirling in a mixing bowl (much like a flushing toilet) as a corporate logo flashed on the screen. It was as if I was watching the commercial break in a bad sitcom. It's a fact that such ads on PBS run afoul of FCC regulations, as member stations are designated for strictly noncommercial use. Not like the FCC does anything about it like they should.

But it's about to get a whole lot worse! (That's been the story of the past 30 years, hasn't it?)

Now PBS has announced that soon they're going to start including commercial breaks during shows - not just single brief ads between shows.

And the FCC and Congress refuse to do shit about it.

Yet the do-nothing Congress can't understand why they only have a 12% approval rating.

I hope Mister Rogers comes back to life and mails a used piece of toilet paper to PBS.

(Source: http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/471758-TCA_PBS_Still_Testing_Commercial_Breaks_During_Programs.php)