As in the Public Broadcasting System. Americans owe a debt of gratitude for PBS for the quality television they have delivered over the decades.
PBS today DOES have commercials. Don't let them tell
you different. Every program is now sponsored by several companies or "made possible by" and then there is a "commercial" for said companies, or organizations.
This did not used to be the case. Also, the
pledge drives tend to go on "all year" now, or a lot more now than they did years ago. Every time a pledge drive starts, our local PBS breaks out the "cooler" shows or special shows to "lure" newbies in making us; the ones' who donate our money
like clockwork, even more angry and annoyed.
Aside from some politics, and the
misnomer that PBS is commercial free; it is a station that is a part of all of us, and sadly isn't watched by more of us.
Example:
"Ughh....just trying to watch PBS Newshour, there is about four minutes of "commercials" before the program starts...I thought PBS was supposed to be commercial free???"
"What? WHY are they interrupting Nova for a 'break' to remind us and ask us for more money? Didn't they just have a
pledge drive two months ago?"
"Awesome 'Grateful Dead' concert from
1975 was on PBS last night, too bad they
ruined it with three "station breaks" to ask for more money, and they only show programs like this when it's time to ask for more money."