V-Me is co-owned by WNET, New York (a PBS flagship station), not PBS. Perhaps they and the private investors are moving to a commercial model. This has happened to other channels that were not advertiser supported such as RFDTV. In fact, BBC World is the BBC's commercial service. During broadcasts when commercials are to be inserted by carriers, BBC World plays news stories to fill the time for those who have not sold airtime or for public broadcasters. Out cues and in cues are provided for services leaving and returning so it appears the program was not interrupted. It is too bad, really, because we don't get to see the 1 minute countdown video and music to the BBC World News that is aired on the feed, but almost always filled with a commercial by subscribers to the service. I, for one, think the countdown is neat.
Since, V-Me is not PBS, nor a public TV station, there is nothing to prevent V-Me, a presumably PI, from converting to a full commercial model and airing on local PBS sub-channels. In fact, governments, ours and the UK's, for example, have encouraged such commercial ventures from public broadcasters.
