brad@looking.UUCP (Brad Templeton) (12/20/84)
The PBS stations don't like to admit it, but the Doctor is usually their biggest moneymaker. Unlike the other shows the Doctor has FANS, the type who MUST see the show and will pay. Last year I listened to the tallies and found that they were getting 1/4 of their pledge money from Doctor Who. This causes a problem for them, because the only "pbs-ish" thing about the show is that it is from the BBC, and it isn't mainstream. Their regular viewers who view PBS as "educational" TV question why the Doctor is on. They should not, it's paying for the other programs. Naturally, they don't want to let you know that, for they want to give the impression that the Doctor will be cancelled if the pledges don't come in. As long as they can afford it, that's far from the truth. Although I am sure the folks at Lionheart Distribution (The BBC distributors) are aware of the popularity of the show and price it accordingly. Sadly, the popularity of the show is causing a deliberate watering down of the show. They will stretch it as far as they can take it before giving you new stuff. They ran Baker many, many times before buying the old Pertwees or the first 2 series of Davison. The 5 doctors is still to come locally. Ah for the days of pay-as-you-watch Pay TV! -- Brad Templeton, Looking Glass Software Ltd. - Waterloo, Ontario 519/884-7473