MPBN still stretching the truth about their pledge drive

"Stretching the truth" is about as kind as I can say it.

During an MPBN pledge break the host says something like "My name is Mary, I work here at MPBN and I'm a member". Am I supposed to think that as an employee, she actually has to pay for her membership? I guess it could be true but for some reason I doubt it and would need to see proof.

But that's not the marketing ploy that's really bothering me. They still present the fact that 64% of their income is from the infamous "viewers like you". It is not until they show a pie chart of donations that you might notice the 64% consists of viewer contributions AND corporate donations. So you're at home thinking "Wow, more than two thirds of their income comes from people like me, or families like mine". All the while companies like Mechanics Savings Bank, Hammond Lumber, or Anthem Blue Cross & Blue Shield have donated much larger sums of money than you could never dream of donating yourself.

I don't fault these companies for donating to MPBN. I would think that these companies are involved with public television as part of their civic duty being a corporate member of Maine communities.

But let's not skew the truth as to where MPBN gets their revenue. It would be nice to get real figures and real percentages of donors broken down by corporations versus individuals. This should be done for no other reason than freedom of information.

Here is the most important part of the problem which I call the "bait and switch":

MPBN makes a very big deal during a "special" pledge break where the existing members of MPBN will match your donation. This means that if you donate $25, it will really be a $50 donation in your name to MPBN, right? No.

From the way it is presented, you would think that existing members add a little extra to their annual donation that will be used for the "matching" purpose. It is a very special, once in a lifetime opportunity that a new member can take advantage of. However, if it is so special, then why is it that every single pledge break I have seen since last week has been a "once in a lifetime opportunity" pledge break.

Here's how the matching dollar act really works. If you pledge $20, another member of MPBN who has already donated some extra cash to MPBN will match your pledge and put another $20 into the coffers. So to speak. That extra $20 won't be attached to your name, it's just added to the pile.

So this existing member already gave an extra $300, as an example, to MPBN and it is already considered a donation to MPBN, and it is accounted for. But that $300 gets re-assigned as a "matching" donation, as needed, during one of their "special matching pledge breaks". So, if you called and donated $20, the records would show that you donated $20. Not $40. That matching amount doesn't have your name attached to it. Additionally, the money used to "match" your donation, has already been donated to MPBN. So there is no additional money being donated in your name or anybody elses name that hasn't already been donated.

Are you getting the picture here? It's a bait and switch and they should be ashamed of themselves for false advertising and fraud.

Listen, I firmly believe in public television. Nobody takes advantage of it more than I do. I think I know their TV schedule like the back of my own hand. But I do have a problem with the Maine Public Broadcasting Network. Wht can't they be honest about where their revenue comes from and how it is allocated? What are the real ins and outs of these "matching" pledge breaks? Why are they so behind the times when it comes to technology? Why don't they broadcast public television 24 hours a day? Does it really save them that much money to shut down the entire system for a few hours? You know what they say, by the time you power everything down and shut all the lights off, it's cheaper to just leave it all on.

The State of New Hampshire is smaller in geographical size than Maine but has about the same population. They also have about the same number of Public TV transmitters and have PBS competition in Southern Maine from both the Boston PBS stations and Maine PBS stations. So why is it that New Hampshire public television operates 24 hours a day. They also operate not one, but two separate television broadcasts, one in High Definition 24 hours a day (the national PBS feed) and one Standard Definition local feed also 24 hours a day. If you try to call NHPTV after hours, nobody answers. So it is a high probability that a lot of the overnight programming is automated and doesn't require much additional staff or cost.

So in my opinion, and that's all it is, MPBN should be completely transparent about their finances since this is a public, nonprofit organization. Who is really donating what and how much of their budget comes from individuals, not corporations. They should also be investing in the right kind of technology. High Definition is the future. No, never mind, High Definition is the present, and in some cases, the past, since some TV stations have been doing it for more than 4 years already. For all this pride they have that even places in New Brunswick, Canada, rely on MPBN for programming, how about giving more attention to Maine viewers, be upfront about the money, and be more cutting edge on technology.

Until that happens, I have no other personal choice than to support donating money to New Hampshire public television instead.