Are TV channels funded by advertising on average better than TV channels funded by tax payers?

TV stations make far more off advertising than their competition that gets tax dollars.

The big cable networks you DIDN’T list actually tend to make the most. Like ESPN, Comedy Central, the NFL network…. stuff like that.

PBS is much better than commercial channels in the States.

@janbb Precisely. BUT you’re very limited on finding interesting stuff all the time, but what you do find, like “Nova” and “Nature” is just fascinating. Much, much better than the mindless drivel other stations put out.

No. They all have an agenda. They all promote the special interests of the group that controls them.

@UScitizen Well of course they do! That’s why sometimes you can’t find anything but an orchestra on PBS! But the point is, the quality on public funded television is much higher than on shows funded by commercials.

CNN is turning into Fox Jr. PBS is quickly becoming my favorite source of news. It’s a shame they don’t have more airtime.

On the contrary. Public channels with a minimum of advertising are far superior, at least in Germany. More than 70% of the content of private channels is mind-numbing nonsense frequently interrupted by mind-numbing repetitive ads.