PUBLIC TV STATIONS IN UTAH RUN PERPETUAL FUND DRIVES, RETURN LITTLE TO VIEWERS IN NEW PRODUCTIONS

Both KBYU-TV and KUED-TV ran fund drives all of last week. Let's hope that both stations return to regular scheduling tonight and not continue for a successive second week.

But consider the excessive reiteration of fund appeals on both stations. Instead of just twice a year, both KUED, owned and operated by the University of Utah, and KBYU, owned and operated by Brigham Young University, run these annoying fund drives at least four times a year, maybe more. And mostly they don't last only a week. Viewers have to suffer through two whole weeks, from Friday of one week to the Saturday or Sunday following the Friday two weeks later!

And what do these "public" stations offer their viewers in Utah? Not much when it comes to new and original programming.

Both KUED and KBYU absolutely love Antiques Roadshow. You can tune in and see Antiques Roadshow many times a day on either station. For all the fundraising and disruptions caused by the drives, you might think that KUED and KBYU could do better. Taking in monies, the stations resist spending it on new and available programs.

KBYU, for example, recycles, seemingly endlessly, Sherlock Holmes with the late Jeremy Brett, as well as Poirot, The Brady Bunch, I Love Lucy, et al. These are all productions originally released years ago, and surely much cheaper for KBYU to broadcast than new versions of Sherlock Holmes or Poirot.

I call upon both KUED and KBYU - stop all fund drives and the shameless asking for monies and pledges over the air until and unless you update your programs.