Andre Yoskowitz
12 Jun 2008 15:52
Although on TV it normally shuns commercials, the publically supported, non-profit broadcaster PBS has announced that it has struck a deal to have several of its shows streamed on the new (and getting more and more impressive) Hulu website.
The shows are “Nova,” “Wired Science,” “Carrier” and “Scientific American Frontiers.”
Each show will a solitary 30-second ad before each program and the revenue will be split between Hulu and PBS. Andrew Russell, the senior vice president who runs PBS Ventures, reasoned on how the company's need for revenue could balance with its traditional heritage.
“It is very important to carry the principles of public television into these environments,” he said. Notably, he added, the deal only allows for the commercials at the beginning of the shows. “We do not allow interruption of our programs,” he finished. Russell also made it clear that certain advertisers would not be allowed to have commercials on PBS programming such as tobacco companies or politicians.
Currently, PBS offers some of its shows online on its own website, a few other shows on Joost (with superimposed ads), and some clips on a YouTube channel. Making digital distribution even harder is the fact that PBS only has the rights to a fraction of its shows. For example, "the show Nova is produced by WGBH in Boston, which acquires individual episodes from various production companies."
Making matters worse is the fact that local PBS stations feel if too many people begin watching online, the stations will lose the close relationships it has with viewers that regularly donate to pledge drives.
Regardless, by the fall of 2008, the company hopes to have redesigned its PBS.org website and added much more video content.