There’s an old saying that “He who pays the piper calls the tune.” You editorialized on Dec. 17 that WTTW should “grow up and compete” by running even more commercials.
Normally, the Tribune is tough on people who break the law. But even though the editorial admits that WTTW violated FCC regulations against running commercials, it wanted everyone to overlook the violation. The Tribune claims, “We’re talking about the difference between a voice announcing that a certain oil company sponsored the previous show and a voice announcing that a certain oil company that makes great gasoline sponsored the show.”
Obviously, the Tribune hasn’t watched public television lately. We’re talking about the difference between a three-second announcement of who sponsored the show and the playing of a professionally produced 30-second commercial, identical to what is shown on “commercial” television.
A fine line, indeed? It’s the line between TV run by the public and TV controlled by the advertisers. Let’s make the public in public television mean something. And if WTTW doesn’t want to end its commercialization, the public should stop giving it money.
