Yes, a really old thread has come thundering to life:
The problem is that the content for which you watch PBS or listen to on NPR would no longer exist because PBS and NPR would have to have content that SELLS just like all the other junk on the commercially supported stations. There isn't a single commercial television network that would air Doc Martin, for example, and extremely popular show, because it would not get enough viewers to satisfy the minimum those networks demand in return, so they produce more junk instead because they can make more money.
Classical music radio stations have and can still MAKE MONEY, but owners of such stations have long ago switched formats to Pop/Rock/hip-hop whatever because they can make MORE money with such junky formats. That would be the pressure on public broadcasters going commercial, and PBS News Hour would be the horror of CNN that lacks any at length examination of current events in its DAILY news offerings while endlessly repeating the same story all day and with only occasional 40 minutes Docs like CNN Special Reports and PBS would be forced to have all those ding-bats like on all the 24 hour news channels sit around and talk and insult each other.
And there is the children's programming that never tries to sell kids more sugary cereal or make the kids pester you to buy whatever product, and it is mostly educations not the brain rotting kids programming mostly seen on commercial stations.
The only way to have available the programming that you watch on PBS is to publicly support it, or you are willing to do without such programming, but it would be a great loss. There is a reason both Dems and Repubs have supported and passed legislation for continued funds for Public broadcasting (and the same reason Amtrak is always funded no matter which party is in power): too many constituents and most voters want it and don't like the alternative universe that would see the end of public broadcasting. It is what it is.
