Home ›

PBS Proposes to Interrupt Primetime Shows with Promo and Underwriting Credits

[Source: Current.org, by Dru Sefton, May 18, 2011]

Stated objective is to keep viewers tuned in, not to add more underwriting spots

ORLANDO — PBS will begin breaking into programs with underwriting and promo spots four times per hour on an experimental basis beginning this fall, it told station members at the PBS National Meeting here.

The move could be controversial for the network, which has traditionally prided itself on offering uninterrupted programming over its 40-year history. 

In the trial run of the proposed format change, Nova and Antiques Roadshow will have breaks at approximately five, 20, 40 and 55 minutes after the start of an hourlong program. National underwriting will run at five and 55; national or local spots promoting programs or other pubTV services will be inserted at 20 and 40. Sources say the shows were selected as they are the most easily segmented to accommodate the interruptions.

The immediate purpose of the proposal is not to squeeze in a significant amount of underwriting time. Program content time will remain unchanged at 50 minutes, 10 seconds. PBS says its objective is to clear away underwriting and promo spots from the beginning and end of programs so that viewers are more likely to see a little of the next program and stay tuned rather than tuning away to catch the start of programs on other channels.

At the same time, PBS is re-engineering its primetime schedule to group similar programs together and improve audience flow:

  • Nature will move from Sunday to Wednesday.
  • Frontline will move to a later hour on Tuesday in December, after pubTV's pledge drives.
  • Independent Lens and P.O.V. will move from Tuesday to Thursday.
  • On Sunday, PBS will give the first hour of primetime to specials.
  • A companion program for Antiques Roadshow, yet to be announced, will keep company with Antiques Roadshow on Monday.

PBS's chief programmer, John Wilson, and Shawn Halford, senior director of program scheduling, told the Public Television Programmers Association crowd on Monday that the changes will improve audience flow by getting viewers to the next hour of program content as quickly as possible. Promo breaks will inform viewers of upcoming shows, and why they should keep watching.

PBS also presented the plans to station general managers in a separate meeting, and during a general session in the larger national conference, attended by some 800 public television station execs, employees, producers and exhibitors.

Wilson said focus groups dial-tested the shows with the breaks earlier this month in Las Vegas. PBS Research is currently crunching that data. Sources say early results show no major complaints among those viewers.