It’s like getting hit on the head with a board. It feels so good when it stops.
Management at KRMA-Channel 6 finally got viewers’ message: Stop shoving our favorite shows around to hit us up for more dollars.
Beginning with its pledge drive next month, the PBS outlet no longer will “pre-empt or otherwise interrupt episodes of is most popular series” to ask for dough.
James Morgese, the station’s general manager, wasn’t big on the board-to-the-head analogy. “I would rather say we had a flash of understanding; people don’t like their favorite programs pre-empted.” Who would have thought?
So, the network’s most popular shows, like “Nova,” “Mystery!” and “Antiques Roadshow” – ones Morgese refers to as “member programs,” meaning the ones viewers most likely to contribute watch – will stay where they are while fundraising will be programmed around them.
“Nowadays, you get someone annoyed, they go somewhere else,” said an enlightened Morgese.
Liberal substitution
Leftie talk-show host Jay Marvin steps into the national spotlight, subbing for Ed Schultz on Thursday, Friday and July 26 from 1 to 4 p.m. on KKZN 760-AM.
Schultz returns to town July 29 to do his show live from The Stage Theater of the Denver Performing Arts Complex.
Both speak at “Celebration of Democracy” at the Jeffco Fairgrounds on July 30, touted as “the largest gathering of progressive thinkers” in the state’s history.
Summertime listening
KCFR 1340-AM continues its series of summer reruns of “Colorado Matters” with a week devoted to Colorado authors.
Dan Drayer interviews Aron Ralston, today; Gary Ferguson, Tuesday; McKay Jenkins, Wednesday; Avi, Thursday, and Roberta Price, Friday.
“Colorado Matters” is on at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. weekdays and 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
Around the dial
Rick Sallinger reports from KCNC-Channel 4 as part of a segment on the methamphetamine epidemic on CBS’s “The Early Show,” starting at 7 a.m. today. … Former KUSA-Channel 9 president Roger Ogden to be inducted into the Silver Circle of the National Television Academy’s Heartland Chapter in October. … Unsettling sight: Dealin’ Doug, who’s been lying low lately, mounted on a longhorn steer to pitch cars in his TV ads. … Quotable: “The Corporation for Public Broadcasting will be carefully guarded from government or from party control. It will be free, and it will be independent – and it will belong to all of our people.” – President Lyndon Johnson, 1967
Dick Kreck’s column appears Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday. He may be reached at 303-820-1456 or dkreck@denverpost.com
