Gripe Session- PBS is really just a BBC outlet.

[fuzzybuddy]

I love PBS. I love the documentaries and wild life shows. I know millions loved the English country estate show,s not my cup of tea. But quite frankly, I don't like the amount of BBC shows on PBS. Let's see, shows about Henry VIII, Elizabeth II, Victoria, British cooking shows, British sewing shows, Prince Charles at 70, British postmistress shows, shows about the 12th Duke of Devonshire and his family, British antique roadshows, multiple British crime shows, multiple comedy shows. And even the show about an American settlement is a British production. And outside of documentaries, after 8PM, the multitude of American dramas on PBS are....................?????

I understand it is a matter of economics as the reason for so many British TV shows on PBS. But I wonder if PBS's poor ratings is the result of poor programing by the overuse of British shows.

 

[RadishRose]

I know what you mean, Fuzzy, but... I like them except for so many of the detective shows (save for Poirot).

Here's my gripe about PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) It used to be free and commercial free. It depended on contributions from viewers, national endowments and then contributions from commercial sponsors. They didn't really get enough since cutbacks and low viewer contributions vs high cable costs.

Since I cut the cord, I can now stream PBS programs, BUT- for anything new or current, I have to buy a "passport", PLUS watch a (brief) commercial or two. I can only view old stuff without a passport. I don't know how much or if it's yearly, monthly or what.

Their offerings may be dictated by the price of the programs, customer ratings, not sure. It could be that American programs go to Netflix, Hulu and Amazon.

I like Brit-coms and documentaries, especially.

 

[hollydolly]

That's amusing to hear that, because the PBS we get here which is buried deep in the satellite channels.. is called PBS America...

We don't get any BBC shows or any of our other network shows on there, it's all American old documentaries like Bonnie & Clyde,,or Nazi hunters or ''who killed Rasputin'' etc... I never watch it!!

 

[retiredtraveler]

I love PBS...... I don't like the amount of BBC shows on PBS. Let's see, shows about Henry VIII, Elizabeth II, Victoria, British cooking shows, British sewing shows, Prince Charles at 70, British postmistress shows, shows about the 12th Duke of Devonshire and his family, British antique roadshows, multiple British crime shows, multiple comedy shows. And even the show about an American settlement is a British production......

As a self-professed 'Anglophile', bring it on. We don't watch American TV, so we're fine with PBS programming (well, not all of it....). And who doesn't like the 12th Duke of Devonshire. For the most part, Brit royalty acts like it. Basically, the rich and shameless of America behave badly.

 

[RadishRose]

That's amusing to hear that, because the PBS we get here which is buried deep in the satellite channels.. is called PBS America...

We don't get any BBC shows or any of our other network shows on there, it's all American old documentaries like Bonnie & Clyde,,or Nazi hunters or ''who killed Rasputin'' etc... I never watch it!!

Hah! that is funny, Holly and now that you mention it, several years ago when I had cable, there was a cable network called BBC America! Endless Dr. Who at the time. Very tight playlist..... here's a link to their offerings-

http://www.bbcamerica.com/schedule/