June 5, 2014

Getting an education about educational television

I've been critical of PBS in the past, especially the affiliate in my old home town, KTCA in Minneapolis, usually for good reason. Nonetheless, I have some fond memories of good old Channel 2; I wrote here about the infamous Action Auctions of the past, and I saw a good share of classic art house films in the day.*

*Not to mention it was where I got my introduction to Doctor Who, only one of my top ten shows of all time.

This is a program KTCA did several years ago, when they were celebrating their 50th anniversary on the air.  It was a different time; KTCA truly was dedicated to educational television, so much so that they were one of the last public stations to affiliate with PBS, which they saw as something of a betrayal of their original mission.  This half-hour show will give you a real taste of what educational television was like, once upon a time.  It was local, serving the community; it was niche programming, without regard to ratings; and it had a little something for everyone.  Now, that doesn't always mean it was good.  But if you read the program listings I post each week at Radio Discussions and Radio Insight, I dare say you'll recognize several of the titles from this show.

Note particularly. around the 13 minute mark, a program called Christmas in Tyrol; I wrote about that, too, once upon a time - it was hosted by Monsignor Richard Schuler, our old pastor at St. Agnes in St. Paul, Minnesota.  Such a grand old man.  Anyway, I think you'll find public TV has changed just a bit over the years.

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