The Push for a “PBS for the Internet” • Hacker News Board

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#41

Post by ewhanley » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:11 PM UTC

Mizza wrote: post #5

But PBS is already on the internet.. I love public media and have worked in the public media industry, and what I think what we really need is PBS for conservatives. Can you name a _single_ conservative PBS/NPR host or program? Was there a _single_ time in the past 5 years they gave any legitimate consideration to the viewpoints that 50% of the country hold, or acknowledged the material conflict underlying their ideo…

I am admittedly a big fan of PBS, so maybe I'm blind to it, but I don't see the bias. I can't name a single conservative show, I suppose, but I can't name a single liberal show either. News and televisions don't have to have a political slant. I think we are all (in the US) too accustomed to opinionated news programming and are left searching for the bias when presented with plain information.

PBS presents a lot of history and art. I wouldn't consider either of these politically charged in their presentation. Again, maybe I'm just missing it, but I watch a lot of PBS programming.

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#42

Post by plussed_reader » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:11 PM UTC

mumblemumble wrote: post #18

cogman10 wrote: post #14

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It appears the call is for more local journalism/programming online. PBS has great national and children's programs and does have broadcast local journalism/topics of interest. However, getting access to that online is more difficult. Do we need this? Meh.. IDK.

I get that more from my local NPR affiliate than I do PBS. Which I think is perhaps appropriate, if we've got to make a choice between the two. Textual media are a somewhat smaller jump from radio than they are from TV, and also, at least in my area, public radio is already doing a lot more local journalism. The public television station has a fair bit of locally produced programming, but most of it isn't really jour…

Kqed is both the npr radio and TV station for a good chunk of the sf bay area. I know in other markets this is not the same arrangement.

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#43

Post by technofiend » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:12 PM UTC

Mizza wrote: post #5

But PBS is already on the internet.. I love public media and have worked in the public media industry, and what I think what we really need is PBS for conservatives. Can you name a _single_ conservative PBS/NPR host or program? Was there a _single_ time in the past 5 years they gave any legitimate consideration to the viewpoints that 50% of the country hold, or acknowledged the material conflict underlying their ideo…

NPR already airs opposing viewpoints regularly. I've heard them interview Republican senators and conservative commentators many times this year right alongside with people on the other side of the aisle.

If you mean NPR needs to carve out some time dedicated to a particular political view, then perhaps your perception of them is the rest of the time they present an opposite view? In these highly politicized times perhaps it seems that way since people have trouble agreeing on things that are widely accepted and based on science, as one example. So any news that presents that as fact will naturally be dismissed as biased by anyone who disagrees. Personally I don't think it's really incumbent upon NPR to create more air time for that kind of disagreement; they should stick with the facts. People who disagree with fact-based journalism already have many other outlets and are (IHMO) disinclined to seek out anything that will challenge their views.

Even so I daresay if someone is on a journey to find and listen to opposing viewpoints, the person who finds NPR to be a bastion of liberal values would be far more challenged by listening to Pacifica. If someone wants to really hear viewpoints left of center, they should try listening to Democracy Now for a week.

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#44

Post by d6ba56c039d9 » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:19 PM UTC

Mizza wrote: post #32

tekromancr wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's almost like Alex Jones/qanon/alt-right/whatever are the logical conclusions of the conservative ideology.

It would be equally as foolish to say the logical conclusion of liberalism is Stalinism. The underlying fallacy is the idea that politics has any conclusions at all.

> The underlying fallacy is the idea that politics has any conclusions at all.

I'd say that there are certain flavors of political thought that have an unfolding utopia built into them. With enough of XXXism, an optimal state is reached.

It's an exercise for the reader to determine which sorts of philosophy of human organization have that notion built-in.

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#45

Post by igorstellar » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:20 PM UTC

duxup wrote: post #7

Well there is: https://www.pbs.org/video/ Also PBS has a great kids games app(s) that are free with games that are fun / no ads. And PBS kids video app is again free, great content, no ads. If you're in the US and care about that content, I suggest contributing to your local station. The quality of the content from kids to adult is outstanding. It's not usual for me to browse a few streaming services and just end up…

> I suggest contributing to your local station

how do you find one to contribute? definitely interested in that, been binge watching The Great British Baking Show for a while now

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#46

Post by TurningCanadian » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:20 PM UTC

nikkinana wrote: post #33

I love government sponsored content for free, that's where I get all of my news and stuff. Except, wait, what, PBS isn't free? Don't we already pay taxes?

If the US government paid $1 in total to PBS, would you be surprised that PBS couldn't provide its service for free? The US pays about 4% of what the UK pays per capita for public broadcasting.

https://site-cbc.radio-canada.ca/documents/impact-and-accoun...

Members, corporate underwriting, and distribution fees each provide a bigger percentage of its revenue than the federal government https://publiceditor.bento-live.pbs.org/publiceditor/blogs/p...

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#47

Post by somenewaccount1 » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:21 PM UTC

I can support efforts to create more Big Birds, but not more Elmo's. Worst child influence ever.

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#48

Post by ultrarunner » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:21 PM UTC

devwastaken wrote: post #4

1-6 wrote: post #2

If we just focus on video just a sec and not the ENTIRE INTERNET, PBS seems increasingly irrelevant in an era where YouTube has narrowed the gap between content creators and content consumers. I remember the 90's being filled with pledge drives so PBS can raise funding. The content was good at the time but it's no where near what YouTube has become. If we go back to this original article linked, who gets to decide wh…

Problem is quality. "YouTube kids" is a big meme, because some of the most popular content creators were certainly not creating kid friendly content. Example being "spiderman and Elsa". In my opinion kids should not be on the internet. Not that we can reasonably stop them, but I don't at all believe YouTube is an equivalent to directed quality content like PBS.

I think your point is valid for an equivalent understanding of unrestricted (or popular) access. All YouTube kid videos lead to toy review/recommendation videos eventually. However, the internet is a big place, and if I have something in mind that explores an idea I can usually find it somewhere online. In contrast, legacy media like PBS doesn't generally allow for picking relevant content— the unrestricted or passive mode is the only mode available without scheduling your day around TV (something I'm not keen to encourage).

So no, not equivalent, but not necessarily worse.

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#49

Post by kart23 » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:22 PM UTC

bloaf wrote: post #30

I don't think there needs to be a government owned internet media company. Sometimes I wonder how weird and wild a government run social media company would be. Open to US citizens only, identity verification required? No rules other than actual speech laws? No anonymity?

We already have a government owned internet media company.

https://www.voanews.com/

Re: The Push for a “PBS for the Internet”

#50

Post by Lendal » Mon, Aug 02, 2021, 5:22 PM UTC

jds_ wrote: post #6

I would like to note that PBS does actually publish Youtube videos via PBS Digital Studios[0][1]. They have great creators making PBS quality content but in "Youtube" style formats with a wide range of topics (science, popular culture, art, food, news, and music). [0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBS_Digital_Studios [1] https://www.youtube.com/c/pbsdigitalstudios/channels

Yes, and the article is talking about deplatforming issues. What if Alphabet decided it didn't like what PBS was saying, and decided to use its leverage as owner of the platform to influence PBS content? Given everything crazy that has transpired over the last few years, it's not so far fetched now. Maybe it has already happened. Sure, eventually we would find out about it, but in the meantime great damage to society could be done.