Why do national newspapers and magazines say a program is going to be on PBS one day, but it airs on MontanaPBS weeks later or sometimes not at all?
PBS is not a network such as the commercial broadcasters who pay their affiliates to carry the program as directed by the network, though we are treated essentially the same by the press. Instead, PBS is a television service providing programming and related services to independent stations. Each station is charged with the responsibility of programming that service for their individual market’s needs and interests. There are almost as many reasons why we might move, or fail to carry some particular programs from the announced PBS schedule, as there are programs. For example, MontanaPBS has a long history of local production which often causes us to shift something PBS has in their schedule in favor of our own production. We also aggressively acquire programs of particular interest to Montanans, also causing some displacement. PBS provides an abundance of material to stations, few, if any, of which carry all the programs PBS offers. Likewise, most all PBS stations time-shift some progr
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