PBS board drops credits rule

The board that oversees PBS has quietly dropped its rule against the controversial 30-second underwriting credits that critics say make them indistinguishable from advertising. The Feb. 21 issue of Current, which covers public broadcasting, reported that the PBS board voted to eliminate the rule, which had never been enforced since it was put on the books five years ago. But the board encouraged its affiliates to use 15-second underwriting credits instead of the 30-second ones. Some PBS stations have even run 30-second commercial spots during their donor announcements. Kansas City's KCPT, Channel 19, opposes the use of 30-second credits. "We were against them then and we still are now," said KCPT president Bill Reed. >>>