----------------------------Original message----------------------------
The prolific Larry Jarvik wrote:
 
"PBS has lots of good shows. My argument is that these
shows would be there with or without the federal subsidy, because they are
the shows the audience watching wants to see and they will pay for them one
way or the other."
 
 
Many of these shows would never have gotten off the ground without PBS seed
money.  Sesame Street is a prime example.  Chidren's show, high startup
costs, no real precedent . . . risky!  Of course, now that it's wildly
successful, networks and cable would kill for it.
 
But what about groundbreaking, possibly expensive educational programs of the
future on which commercial commercial programming executives won't want to
take a chance?