When the television station PBS is mentioned, Mister Rodgers Neighborhood or Sesame Street usually comes to mind, in addition to those telephone marathons where parents were encouraged to make a donation in exchange for their children’s education and a stuffed Elmo. Needless to say, these are at least the memories of my childhood, and I was subsequently rather disheartened when I read Charles McGrath’s article in the New York Times about PBS’s slow but certain death.

McGrath argues that cable television is now more than capable of doing what PBS does, and that it can even do it better. It is an unfortunate fact that the programming on PBS is waning because the cable networks are able to afford better shows. With the addition of funding cuts from the Bush Administration, it’s becoming hard for PBS to draw any crowds at all.

And yet, I still think that there is a place for the Public Broadcasting System within the American television landscape. For one, the article fails to discuss those among us who still cannot afford cable, which is a reality for many people. While most of the college age group is not enthralled by the programming of PBS, this is not exactly its target audience in the first place. PBS provides excellent educational programming for younger children. It is hard to justify ridding the television of any educational programming, even for those who can afford classier cable versions. Additionally, PBS also appeals to the older generation (i.e. Antiques Roadshow) whose members often cannot afford the increasingly expensive medications, much less cable. Then again though, I think people of all age groups enjoy Antiques Roadshow, but I will not mention any names.