Tomorrow, the PBS Board of Directors is expected to decide whether PBS affiliates will be allowed to continue broadcasting religious content given its policy “the Three Nons,” requiring content be noncommercial, nonpartisan and nonsectarian. For stations like KBYU, which airs about two hours of religious devotionals and other content a day, this could mean losing their PBS affiliation or be forced to drop airing such shows.
Not only would this affect KBYU, but it would also stop Howard University’s D.C. affiliate from airing its Mass for Shut-ins, and other stations that broadcast Mass.
A PBS statement explained that the service:
“places a high value on presenting diverse perspectives, as opposed to rigidly adhering to any single political or religious point of view.”
Allowing such programming “would cause the public’s trust in PBS to erode, along with the value of the brand.”
Why single out sectarian broadcasting on PBS? From what I’ve seen of PBS, the shows my children watch are riddled with commercial promotions and its current affairs programming is hardly nonpartisan. It’s also interesting that the FCC only requires PBS to be noncommercial and nonpartisan, while PBS has created the nonsectarian requirement as a self-imposed restriction.
And does eliminating all sectarian programming seem like a very persuasive way to be “presenting diverse perspectives”?
While I like some of what PBS has to offer, in the age of cable TV I don’t see it’s reason to exist. There is definitely worthwhile programming (hello, Masterpiece Theater and America’s Test Kitchen) but nothing that couldn’t easily find a home on cable (or perhaps lift the struggling broadcast networks). Furthermore, PBS apparently struggles so much to support itself that it needs to resort to ever more frequent telethons that seem nothing more than upper-middle class baby boomer infomercials.
Just like with other PBS shows, KBYU programming does have other options, such as BYU Television. But I hope it puts up a fight to keep PBS honest and from becoming even more bland and needlessly secular. However, if KBYU will only be able to broadcast BYU devotionals and Little House on the Prairie reruns, so be it.
Times and Seasons first brought this up.
The PBS Ombudsman presents the PBS perspective with some sample letters for and against sectarian programming.
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My bet is that, yes, it will still be a PBS affiliate. This is not the fight that they want to pick.
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PBS is dead. They do pledge drives once a month now, lasting more than a week each time. All the shows I used to watch are gone, and those that are still on are past my bedtime. Some cable operator should step in and offer some of the programming PBS has abandoned. They just can’t survive much longer on a steady diet of Antiques Roadshow and This Old House. As to the religious programming, what is KBYU without it? That’s why it exists.
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David D,
Which programs are you talking about? The children’s programming is still great. They run quite a few great documentaries, particularly The American Experience series (which I love to Tivo). The News Hour is still great.
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That is the problem here. If KBYU cannot provide some religious content, it may well be shut down in favor of BYUTV, because there already is another PBS station (KUED) that serves the Wasatch Front. Or it could essentially become a variation of BYUTV, with a mixture of the non-PBS non-religious programming it carries now.
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David D.,
Where are you? Here in New York I get three PBS stations; as Chris points out, they provide great (and different) children’s programming, amazing news and historical programs, Austin City Limits and other music programs, as well as a huge host of things that I haven’t watched (including old movies and various British programs). I got home yesterday to find my wife watching an English-language French news program. Yeah, they do pledge drives, but not on a monthly basis.In Virginia, I got three PBS stations, too (a Virginia-based one, a DC-based, and a Maryland-based). I know PBS and NPR are hurting financially this year, but I don’t see any indication of their immenent demise.
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I think PBS is eventually going the way of the dodo but this is all for naught as it’s been announced that PBS will let KBYU and other stations keep their religious content. Good for them.
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Well, it’s not exactly a non-issue.
PBS has decided to allow affiliates to continue to broadcast religous programs already scheduled, but no affiliate may broadcast “purely religous” content in the future.
Furthermore, the board intends to discourage religious programming of any kind- I suppose, since new programming is banned, that means discouraging, while not outright banning, the religious programs already being broadcast.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/06/16/pbs-begin-phasing-religious-programming-airwaves
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Matthew –
Yeah, that grandfathering is a cop-out.
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I think that Matthew is twisting the issue a bit. The rule has existed since 1985. That PBS will allow BYU, and others, to keep their religious programming does not somehow mean that they are really plotting to take it away. They are going to enforce the already existing rule but allow BYU an exception.
The Fox article that Matthew links to says is the sub-title that the decision is”a move that spells the beginning of the end for most spiritual shows like Catholic Masses and Mormon devotionals on public television.” However, nowhere in the article to it offer anything to support this accusation. In fact, the only person in the article upset with the decision is Barry Lynn of American United for the Seperation of Church and State.
Sheesh.
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Oh, and my predication was correct. I think that some were deep down hoping that PBS would act against KBYU so they would have something to rail against. Never hurts to have more evidence against those God-hating liberals.
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Chris H. –
The rule existed but it was never enforced until now. The plain fact is that stations could and did broadcast religious shows but now they can’t except for the few who already were. KBYU and the other stations are still barred from placing “new” religious content but in BYU’s case that’s probably not an issue w/ the existence of BYU TV.
But the larger issue is why is PBS selectively targeting religion? It doesn’t have to legally. It sure doesn’t mind airing commercials cloaked as thanking corporate sponsors or running telethons ad nauseam. Running “news” shows hosted by Bill Moyers and similar people certainly slants to advocating a partisan view.
PBS is legally constrained from commercial and partisan broadcasting but I think it violates that. Instead, PBS decides to impose upon itself a nonsectarian restriction. I think its something worth pointing out.
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Fair enough.
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