PBS coming to the UK

Tonight 7:50 pm.

Can't believe I forgot to set Sky+for Prohibition before I went to the football! 

I really enjoyed it last night.
Recorded NOVA for my partner as it was about computers and the like. Recorded first ep of Prohibition, but dont know if well be able to keep up as we have so much on the sky+ box sitting unwatched atm.

Im a BIT disappointed theres ad breaks (dont remember them being there in the US) but as its not viewer supported, I guess its the compromise made. Im also hoping theyll be launching HD soon.

Im a BIT disappointed theres ad breaks (dont remember them being there in the US) but as its not viewer supported, I guess its the compromise made.

There are more "commercials" on PBS now, albeit shorter than the other channels.  Usually just a quick mention but they do seem to be getting more obvious.

But the ads on PBS are inbetween the shows, aren't they?  They don't interrupt the shows. 

All the ads were for other PBS shows.  I am really excited about the show on Pinball!

But the ads on PBS are inbetween the shows, aren't they?  They don't interrupt the shows. 

All the ads were for other PBS shows.  I am really excited about the show on Pinball!

Yes & Yes
Im okay with it.. I just thought PBS shows ran straight through (like the BBC) Its been a good 7 years since Ive watched PBS so I guess things have changed up a bit.

I also want to watch the pinball doc!

I watched PBS when I was home last year and I think the shows did run straght through.  The had ads for other PBS stuff and the whole sponsored by but only inbetween the shows.

Is it only PBS UK where the shows are interupted? 

BBC America shows ads whereas BBC here doesn't. The BBC News website has ads if you access outside the UK but doesn't here.

Am I the only one that keeps reading the title of this thread as "Points Based System"?? I keep thinking "But they already have a Points Based System in the UK!"

This visa thing is really doing my head in!

I don't care if they show ads or put it on pay only subscription.  I understand they need to raise money, and BBCA does it in the States.  I would much rather have commercial access to it than none.  Or to pay the incredible amounts to access online American telly that some sites are offering.

I just wish 1)the volume wouldn't go up so much between the program and the break. I always thought they did that to make the adverts sell more, but since they're only advertising PBS shows at the moment, they shouldn't need to. 2)They'd show News Hour from the same day.  I mean, it is a bit dry anyway.  Old and dry is a bit too much to take.  I used to love NH in the States, but I didn't watch it every day.  Them delaying it has made me not want to watch it at all.  3)They should show more programs. A lot of programming falls under the PBS umbrella, and for those of us fortunate enough to have a well funded station know that it wasn't all Brit-coms and Ken Burns. 

From the first night, Wilson the computer reminded me a bit of Cheesoid. 

Pet-trel?   

I didnt want to create a new thread just for one tv show, so re-named the title of the post (sorry for any confusion)

From 2 Jan at 2.10pm Americas Test Kitchen will now be airing on PBS UK

I cant wait until they start showing Austin City Limits on PBS here!! I think they showed it on New Years Eve because it was a Coldplay New Years' Eve Special, but I cant wait until they actually show it regularly!! I watched the Coldplay New Years' Eve Special streamed live on KAMU-TV(a College Station, Texas affiliate) on [url=http://www.tvpc.com (which meant I had to get up at 3:30AM!!!LOL). Also it would b nice if they show Rick Steves' Travel programmes as well!!

Plus, I prefer the telethons that PBS do in order to fund the channel(so that you can pledge and pay what YOU can afford) as well as local business and corporation sponsorships for the local affiliates!! Its a million times better than having an extortionate TV Licence bill forced down your throats that if you dont pay it then you have TV Licence Detector people who force their way into your home and you get your TV taken away from you!!! How unfair is that???

I really don't mind the licence fee.  I also don't think it's all that expensive, and we're not exactly rolling in money.  The licence fee is a huge political issue here, but PBS/NPR are battered little Republican punching bags in the States.  And the people who want to get rid of the licence fee don't want to turn the BBC into a donation driven body, but a commercial based one.  Well, not really.  They want to get rid of it all together.  I think that any piece run in any paper or on any media whose owners have a vested interest in getting the BBC whittled down or removed as we know it should have to run a disclaimer at the top of the article or the beginning of the piece.  But I digress.

That said, I think the Beeb could learn a bit from public telly and radio in the States about value for money.  I wonder if people will see that if they actually watch PBS.  I really wonder what the ratings are for it and Current TV, and if they've changed any minds about the uninformed American stereotype.

I much prefer having 4+ channels that broadcast commercial free AND provide me with excellent programming. When we go back to the US, I can barely watch TV there because of all the bleeding ad breaks. Just when you get into a scene, commercial break! So annoying. My license fee is worth it for the fact I can watch Glastonbury without leaving my couch or the science programs it provides. Even the childrens programming is provides is top notch. Even the channels it subsidises (ITV & C4) provide high quality product now and then...

Give me the license fee that provides me TV entertainment rather than just commercials.

BTW with Current TV, its programming is now with UK docs and less US based ones. Also PBS UK is now airing regular commercials. That saddens me

With PBS telethons back home, you pledge what you can initially afford, but with each campaign they ask you to increase your donation by  $5 or so dollars at a time (my parents used to give $10 per pledge season to the point when they stopped, two and half years later, it risen to over $30) They stopped giving as they felt pressured into giving more than they could afford.