Sounds like PBS Might Be In Trouble

[Mark]

Is it PBS or just the number of PBS stations? Perhaps more than one PBS station per DMA is too many? 

[landtuna]

Actually, with the calls meaning "Mid-Florida Educational", I think the letter "E" should go bye-bye, as many religious shows aren't educational.

On the contrary, preach-and-teach shows are purely educational.  Just not the kind of education that appeals to you.

I have to disagree with that.  If the PnT shows are documented history then you have a point.  But virtually all are merely unsubstantiated opinion and/or Pray for Pay.

[stationless listener]

Well, the situation does merit further watching. I think this is yet another consequence of the steady migration of the audience from broadcast to cable and now to new media like broadband and wireless. All the old assumptions that came out of the golden era of television in the 1950s and 1960s now need changing and has needed changing for some time.

That said, I wonder what is going to eventually happen with NJN here in my neck of the woods.

[kilamanjero]

Actually, with the calls meaning "Mid-Florida Educational", I think the letter "E" should go bye-bye, as many religious shows aren't educational.

On the contrary, preach-and-teach shows are purely educational.  Just not the kind of education that appeals to you.

Ha, says you.

[tripinva]

Not likely.  TBN owns WHLV and they generally prefer commercial licenses, rather than non-commercial.

And yet, there are six TBN owned stations on non-commercial licenses, including WJEB just up the road in Jacksonville and WTCE just down the road in Fort Pierce, as well as KETH Houston (larger market than Orlando).  It's not beyond reason.

However, I do agree Daystar is more likely.  And I say it's sad, since they don't do a whole lot besides the single SD feed with oodles of null packets otherwise.  I don't particularly care for TBN, but at least they make use of their bandwidth.

- Trip

[dhett]

I have to disagree with that.  If the PnT shows are documented history then you have a point.  But virtually all are merely unsubstantiated opinion and/or Pray for Pay.

That's a pretty rigid definition for "educational".  I doubt that PBS could live up to it, either.  As for unsubstantiated opinion, I'm not sure where you got that idea.  Most TV preachers are solidly Bible-based.  You may not agree with their source, or the conclusion they draw from it, but I can say the same about other NCE programming.

Dr. Gene Scott, OTOH, he was waaay out there.  Entertaining as could be (his older stuff, not so much the newer stuff he was doing before he died), but waaay out there.

[dhett]

And yet, there are six TBN owned stations on non-commercial licenses...  It's not beyond reason.

I agree.

And I say it's sad, since they don't do a whole lot besides the single SD feed with oodles of null packets otherwise.  I don't particularly care for TBN, but at least they make use of their bandwidth.

Again, I agree.  Why wouldn't Daystar partner with theologically-compatible broadcasters Cornerstone and/or CTN and fill up those boxcars?  Unfortunately, I think I know the answer, and it ain't so Christian.  It's the same reason TBN tried to prevent Daystar from buying KOCE.

[dhett]

Survey says:  DAYSTAR

http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/comment.pl?Application_id=1422630&File_number=BALEDT-20110401ACW

[tripinva]

Gah, beaten by 3 minutes.

*sigh* Too bad.

- Trip

[MattParker]

The Orlando Sentinel adds the staff is holding a wake for the station.  Also Daystar previously bought a PBS station in Dallas and tried to buy one in Orange County (which is now the main PBS outlet for the LA TV market).  I wonder if they plan to gobble up any more PBS "members" who can't pay PBS' programming fees?  Might they even make a run at KCET, Los Angeles, which does not seem to be getting along at all well without PBS programming.

In 2003, the FCC investigated Daystar for selling time on its non-commercial stations to for-profit enterprises.  The guy who runs Daystar, Marcue Lamb, like other TV preachers, got into hot water after an extra-marital affair became public.  His father in law was sued by a network employee for "sexual harassment."  Most the network's schedule is the same bunch of pay-to-play preachers and tele-evangelists on the other religious channels and cable networks.  If this stuff is educational, it's nothing that people in Orlando or any of their markets can't already watch.