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PBS Offers Quality Programming During Pledge Month

© F. Colin Kingston

December is pledge month on your local Public Television station. That can bring good news and bad news. The good news is that PBS tends to put on their best programming during pledge month. They also bring back popular programs for re-broadcast. The bad news is that these programs are often interrupted with pledge breaks. Such is the fate of Public Television.

Though I am a financial supporter of both public television and public radio, even I must admit that the pledge breaks can be annoying. However, I think they are a small price to pay for the quality of uninterrupted programming viewers get the vast majority of the year. If you enjoy public television as much as I do, I hope you make a financial pledge this year if you can afford to.

Here is a brief description of some of the many outstanding programs you can see on public television this month. Check your local listings for the date and times these programs are airing in your area. You can also check out http://www.pbs.org.

American Masters: Good Rockin' Tonight: The Legacy of Sun Records recalls the many legendary performers, including Elvis Presley, who got their start at the famed record company.

A Musical Christmas from the Vatican features a diverse blend of traditional and spiritual Christmas songs. Headline performers include Tom Jones, Dionne Warwick, Bryan Adams, Randy Crawford and Sarah Brightman among many others. This is the first time this broadcast has been seen outside of Italy.

Firesign Theatre: Weirdly Cool, features the legendary comedy troupe in their first television special. Members such as Phil Proctor, Peter Bergman and Phil Austin re-create many of their classic routines.

Great Performances: Alessandro Safina in Concert: Only You, features an evening of love songs. This performance was recorded in front of a live audience at the ancient Greek Theater in Taormina, Sicily.

Peatula Clark In Concert: A Sign of the Times, features the star performing many of her classic hits from her film and stage career. Lou Rawls and Richard Carpenter are among the guests.

The French Impressionists showcases the glorious color and texture that defined paintings at this major turning point in art history.

A Century of Quilts: America In Cloth features renowned quilter Jane Sassman showing and describing many fabulous quilts and telling of the stories behind their creation.

Charlotte Church: Live From Cardiff, features the young singer brining her style of song to a mix of Broadway and contemporary ballads.