Like pledge specials, KCPT schedule errors come in bunches

This morning reader (and former Kansas City Star reporter) John Dvorak wrote to tell me that KCPT had pre-empted part three of a three-parter on Winston Churchill for "some British rock concert," which as experienced public TV watchers know is code for "pledge programming." That's (1).

Well, I went to look it up, and noticed in KCPT's bimonthly printed program guide: (2) that there was no listing for last night, May 31st, (3) that furthermore, next week there is a blank line next to the lineup for Monday, June 4th ... and that Monday's lineup was bumped down to Tuesday's, and so on, and so on, for the rest of the month!

A red-faced, at least he sounded red-faced, Alex Greenwood at KCPT manfully faced up to all the screwups when I called on him. First off, most people weren't affected by the Churchill goof because that's programming offered only on KCPT's extra digital channel.  But it's pledge season, and KCPT decided to pre-empt it.  Making matters worse, Greenwood said, "we dropped the ball by not updating our TV listings." Part three of the Churchill bio will be rescheduled, probably for August.

The program guide error can't be fixed, of course.  "We made a mistake," Greenwood said.

"Or three," I said.  Greenwood chuckled ruefully, and said, "Well, you said that.  But we do apologize sincerely to all our viewers for this error."  Or errors.