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Why do the CC disappear several times on The PBS News? It makes the channel less available to me

This is a copy of an email I just sent to KQED, San Francisco, in response to a membership solicitation:

I am receiving solicitations to renew my KQED membership and before I do, I have some comments:

For most of my adult life, I have been an avid advocate for public TV and radio. I have been a basic member, on and off, in several metro areas. My most recent membership renewal for KQED was for the specific purpose of getting access to the vast PBS programming library with a "Passport." However, I found that benefit to be less than satisfying. PBS is rather stingy with what it makes available, and I feel that, as a publicly-funded entity, ALL programming should be available. Frankly, I believe it should be available without subscription, since it is tax supported.

With the growth of streaming media, I find myself willing to pay monthly or annual, auto-renewed fees to several providers. Yet I am reluctant to support public broadcasting, particularly public television because PBS sits on its library of programming like a bird protecting a hatchling. Even with a "Passport" it seemed that I could not watch everything I wanted to watch.

I am tired of supporting infrastructure and administration for an organization that spends 75% of its time fund-raising with programming that looks and feels like the home shopping network or a non-stop infomercial. I just don't watch anymore; I don't even have cable TV. And, for the first time in my life, I would consider urging congress to end funding for public broadcasting.

The entire PBS content delivery model needs to be rethought. What the public that funds public broadcasting deserves is a PBS service that streams its entire catalog. That, I would subscribe to, auto renew and all, because I do understand that our tax dollars may not have covered all production costs, but subscription fees would need to be in line with HBO Now, Hulu. Netflix, etc.

If I have missed something, and a KQED renewal at some level does provide access to all the intellectual and entertainment resources developed by PBS since Congress passed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, then it's only your marketing communications that need to be addressed. As it stands, your messaging is just not getting through to me.

Thanks you,

Barbara Brady Lapsed KQED Member

Hello,

I'm contacting CPB to ascertain whether you have ever heard of or aired educational programming entitled "Behind the Scenes with Laurence Fishburne," https://behindthesceneslf.com. I'm asking because we're a small business designing innovative public infrastructure, and we've been contacted by this company (BSLF) and asked to film a segment about our products. They tell us that Public Television airs these segments from time to time. It all sounds legitimate, but they want a lot of money from us up front for production costs, and we want to ensure that they are a legitimate entity before we engage with them -- or send them money.

Can you please tell me if you've heard of this company and if CPB has aired any of their programming?

Thank you, Susan Altenbach President DezignLine Susan@DezignLine.com 612-850-0760

Should PDS and NPR host the presidential debates including the individual party debate? It seems that would fit with the charter of CPB.

Why is the sound quality on the pbs news hour consistently poor?

When reporting about gun violence, why are those not actually killed... those also shot, who are usually severely injured, disfigured and disabled, ignored? Is being more detailed too complicated? The unacceptable implication is that those who do not actually die are OKAY..... not even remotely true !!!

I think that Amna Nawaz is a truly gifted and wonderful journalist and anchor. However, I felt that she totally lost her objectivity while interviewing Larry Ward on Monday. I am no fan of his type of rhetoric but I do not perceive her role to be an adjudicator. That's it. Best. Greg Landretti

Your program, featuring the attempt to revive largely Jewish influenced music from the 1930's in Warsaw, contains misleading information. To begin with, there may be limited Polish influence along with the overwhelming Jewish connection, but where do you come up with "Polish, Jewish, Palestinian"? The latter has no connection whatsoever and did not exist.

Secondly, you speak of a golden age of such music until the german invasion. There was no golden age for the Jews of Poland and the 1930's saw the enactment of anti- Semitic laws by an anti-Semitic government, even outlawing kosher meat. These were the same people who aided and abetted the destruction of Polish Jewry.

It is truly disgusting that you would present such a mendacious story, somehow believing that you have to kowtow to two historic enemies of the Jewish people.

Watched Sat night on Channel 21 WI public broadcasting. Live from Hyde Park, London (2016). Less than a week after 2 mass murders Ela Paso & Dayton, you air a song about Smackwater Jack buying a shotgun, wanting a confrontation, and shooting down a congregatiin? She's one of my (many) favorite singer-songwriters from the early 70's, so I was engrossed in the wonderful show. But I had to cringe and almost throw up at the words to that song, after all the talk of gun control, and who is to blame for the mass shootings over the years. All these types of things are partly responsible, this one alone airing millions (+?) times over many years. How/why could you possibly air a show containing that song less than a week after the latest mass murders?? I feel you owe the entire PBS/PBC audience an explanation of your oversight.