WTVS pledges

**rb336** · March-22-12, 11:09 AM

I'm pretty sure their pledge drives run longer than any other PBS station i'm familiar with. I know WCMZ is on regular programming. Is this the fourth week of crap from self-improvement hucksters and lame musical programming? and all this for less new programming.

**EastsideAl** · March-22-12, 12:10 PM

After decades of donating money to channel 56 my mother finally cut them off a couple of years ago over just this issue. After a couple of weeks every few months of seeing nothing but self-help snake oil salesmen getting what is essentially free ad time, and the umpteenth rerun of the same 10 year old tape of the superannuated geriatrics of doo-wop, she'd finally had enough.

She did go to the trouble to actually write the general manager and board members a letter telling them exactly why she wasn't going to be giving them any money for things she absolutely had no interest in watching, that often insulted the intelligence of their viewers, and which had pretty much no relationship to the actual mission of public television.

The blithering, self-serving, and wholly clueless response she got in return was almost beyond belief. It was like they felt that she owed them her money no matter what sort of crap they broadcast. Needless to say, she hasn't given them a dime since.

**Gistok** · March-22-12, 12:31 PM

I too tire of Suze Orman and Dr. Wayne Dwyer... but this month's pledge drive highlighted the concert at The Detroit Opera House by the operatic-pop group IL VOLO... where Universal Music made their worldwide release [[vis-a-vis Detroit PBS) concert video here.

I got free tickets for this show, and it was well done... [[it was nice to get PBS away from Celtic entertainments for a while)...
http://youtu.be/DyCjhBkqKB4

This concert was a coup for both PBS and The Detroit Opera House, since Detroit convinced Universal Music to film this world wide release DVD concert here [[in the most Italian of all American Opera Houses), rather than at the Coliseum in Rome [[as was originally planned).

Both the concert DVD and CD are expected to go platinum worldwide.... and say "LIVE FROM THE DETROIT OPERA HOUSE" on the front cover. So that was nice local exposure for one of Detroit's "crown jewels" that was broadcast across the USA and Canada [[Detroit PBS is seen in 1,000 Canadian cities).

Other than that... it's the same ole, same ole... on PBS.

P.S. It's always good to get a TV set with rabbit ears [[and HDTV converter box) for a TV in your house that gives you channels 56-2 and 56-3 as well as the 56-1 regular channel that is on cable/satellite systems.

**Ray1936** · March-22-12, 12:32 PM

I dunno....the PBS station here in Las Vegas [[KLVX, channel 10) seems to have on-air fundraising ten months out of twelve. They'll put on a great show, such as Pavarotti or Andre Rieu, and interrupt it every ten minutes for a half hour of fund raising BS.

I support PBS, but the overkill has long worn thin.

**Orthophonic** · March-22-12, 02:00 PM

I think the Wixom community needs to rally around their TV station, even if it takes 12 or more months each year.

**Gistok** · March-22-12, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Orthophonic

I think the Wixom community needs to rally around their TV station, even if it takes 12 or more months each year.

I was in Wixom once... but it was closed....

[[A suburbanite make fun of suburbanites...)

**Gistok** · March-22-12, 02:07 PM

Actually... I have never forgiven WTVS for their move out of Detroit. The city was even prepared to "give" them Woodward frontage if they woulds stay. But the ex head of Detroit PBS [[Antonini or some name like that) wouldn't budge.... glad he's gone...

**DetroitPlanner** · March-22-12, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Gistok

I too tire of Suze Orman and Dr. Wayne Dwyer... but this month's pledge drive highlighted the concert at The Detroit Opera House by the operatic-pop group IL VOLO... where Universal Music made their worldwide release [[vis-a-vis Detroit PBS) concert video here.

I will give them money and time again once they set up a ring and heve these two duke it out in a bloodbath with the winner taking on that scary looking live forever guy Gary Null!

**CLAUDE G** · March-23-12, 02:17 AM

Bring back the auction!

**Gistok** · March-23-12, 02:47 AM

Is Andre Rieu running out of concert locations yet??

And whatever happened to Yanni.... will he have a hoe-down at the Vatican... or will he have to settle for the Piazzo del Popolo?

Will Sarah Brightman find another cathedral to perform at?

I wonder what Andrew Lloyd Webber will look like at his concert when he turns 70??

.... and we won't find this kind of entertainment on any other station....

**Detroitej72** · March-23-12, 03:47 PM

I understand part of the reason they have so many pledge drives is because their funding from the government has been cut way back.

As for the programming, I am happy to hear they will start airing new episodes of Doc Martin this Sunday though!

**hhockey** · March-24-12, 08:18 PM

I am certain that if they would lower the amount one must give to obtain the C.D. or video they would get more pledges. I feel they are being greedy trying to get as much money from a few viewers versus more viewers donating. Come on $150.00 bucks for a C.D. and video!

**313WX** · March-24-12, 08:36 PM

PBS'/NPR's funding has been cut by the government. Combine that with the fact that people are penny pinching and aren't donating like they used to and you have what the OP is highlighting.

**hhockey** · March-24-12, 08:43 PM

You are right 313wx people are penny pinching, that is why i say, to charge 75 bucks for a cd and 150 for both a cd and video is a real stretch for most people today. I truly believe more people would donate if they were a little more reasonable in what they ask in pledge amounts.

**Pam** · March-25-12, 04:24 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I will give them money and time again once they set up a ring and heve these two duke it out in a bloodbath with the winner taking on that scary looking live forever guy Gary Null!

I'd watch that.

**rb336** · June-01-12, 08:11 PM

Time again for another month of pledge crap
Jan - Pledge
Feb - Regular
March - Pledge
April, May - Regular
June -Pledge

**gnome** · June-01-12, 09:10 PM

Originally Posted by DetroitPlanner

I will give them money and time again once they set up a ring and heve these two duke it out in a bloodbath with the winner taking on that scary looking live forever guy Gary Null!

Agreed, ... A cage match would be great ... Is Gary Null the Velvetine Rabbit looking guy or is he the one with the Eddie Munster haircut?

**jiminnm** · June-01-12, 10:46 PM

I left Detroit 13 years ago and WTVS still sends me 3-4 requests a year for donations [[more than from our local PBS station). Several years ago I wrote them and told them I no longer lived in the area and would no longer be contributing, to no effect.

**townonenorth** · June-01-12, 10:52 PM

I for one, miss the auctions. Chalkboards and live people were fun, if nothing else.

**Thruster315** · June-02-12, 05:16 AM

Originally Posted by townonenorth

I for one, miss the auctions. Chalkboards and live people were fun, if nothing else.

As someone who worked the Channel 56 auctions [[chalkboards to carting out goods to helping the auctioneers to answering phones) it was a BLAST! The first time I volunteered it was only for a day; I had so much fun I came back the rest of the week! It was as exciting doing the auction as it is bidding on some of that stuff. Now I have no idea the logistics of organizing all of those donations, getting paid on them, and making sure they got to where they needed to go- but I can't imagine that being an easy task. From my perspective as a volunteer though- it ran like clock work and it seemed very organized for us at least.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-02-12, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by gnome

Agreed, ... A cage match would be great ... Is Gary Null the Velvetine Rabbit looking guy or is he the one with the Eddie Munster haircut?

This is him, he kinda looks like both. He will tell you how to live forever because he is a Dr. Looking at his website I see he is a PhD... Does not explain what he got his PhD in. He talks like a biologist but may have his PhD in Communications!
http://www.garynull.com/about-gary/

**Malcove Magnesia** · June-02-12, 02:03 PM

Detroit Public Television's current Charity Navigator score can be seen here:

http://www.charitynavigator.org/inde...ary&orgid=3618

I'm not 100% certain, but I think their score is a wee bit better from previous years.

**Meddle** · June-02-12, 02:42 PM

Originally Posted by hhockey

Come on $150.00 bucks for a C.D. and video!

Anybody know how much the station muckety-mucks take home every year? If they're having money issues, that should be the very first place they look to cut.

**DetroitPlanner** · June-02-12, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by Meddle

Anybody know how much the station muckety-mucks take home every year? If they're having money issues, that should be the very first place they look to cut.

My guess is that they don't make a whole lot. They have quite a bit of turnover I've noticed.