John Wiser wrote:

>Karl Miller wrote [in part]:
>
>>.... I guess I still think that public broadcasting should explore things
>>not likely to be offered on commercial stations.
>
>I guess I agree with you up to a point, but do you think that public
>broadcasting should be strictly confined to such things?

Yes.

>Without taking direct issue, Karl, where is the commercial competition
>for the subject matter customary to public broadcasting? I'm particularly
>interested to know where the commercial classical-music stations are,
>outside of major market areas and whether they actually offer anything
>directly comparable to the few surviving music programs in the NPR orbit.

There are commercial classical stations.  Also consider what you can get
with your TV dish...There are also non-commercial stations which broadcast
classical music and have no NPR affiliation...I work at one on the
weekends.

I would agree that there are few good things to be said about public
broadcasting, but from my perspective they are overshadowed by the bad.

Part of my "problem" is that I still believe in the notion of educational
broadcasting.  I remember some of the wonderful things of the past...a
multi part series with Copland presenting music of the 20s.  PBS shoves
those three tenors or the equivalent at us and thinks it represents
"culture." From my perspective public broadcasting degrades the arts.

Karl