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April 1995, Week 2

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Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
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Wed, 12 Apr 1995 16:47:54 CDT
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----------------------------Original message----------------------------
Kris Butler wrote:
 
>what is the difference between educating and entertaining? Is the line
>clearly defined?
 
well of course not, i was generalizing...but if you consider the whole of
PBS, the *primary* motive is to educate, often by means of entertainment. I
consider educational programming (in this sense, again generalizing) is
trying, at its most base level, to be relating facts to its audience. These
are the goals of PBS fare like Nature and Nova, which are Educational...
that's not to say its not interesting. Take this analogy: i am fascinated by
 Physics texts and Medieval European History Texts, but i am not entertianed
by them, nor is the intent of such texts to entertain. Much the same i feel
with the above mentioned shows... they are not in league with Academic
Journals, but are more for general consumption, like Discover or National
Geographic.
 
 Other shows educate in more general ways, for example, popular programs like
This Old House and Victory Garden, which being far from scientific (i.e. This
Old House is not an academic investigation into historical domestic
architecture or even scientific architectural engineering) still Educate,
but primarily to hobbyists and enthusiasts.
 
Of course PBS programming varies station to station, but in cincinnati both
PBS 48 and PBS 54 stay primarily with these type of shows...the only
"entertainment" seems to be on PBS 48, which plays reruns of Dr. Who and Are
You Being Served and Lawrence Welk.
 
--james goldschmidt

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