PBS "not in peril"

The president of America's Public Broadcasting Service has told reporters that the service will survive despite ongoing worries about its financial future.

Pat Mitchell is quoted by the Hollywood Reporter as saying that she does not think PBS "is in peril," although she did acknowledge there are a number of concerns about dwindling sources of revenue.

Mitchell pledged to find new sources of revenue, and said that PBS would eventually bounce back from its current difficulties. Reports indicate that the PBS board has approved the creation of a national foundation to help support the service, similar to the way in which National Public Radio operates. This would reduce the reliance of PBS on the member dues of individual affiliate stations - many of which have had to add additional fund-raising programmes into their schedules in an effort to keep up with the cost of providing PBS programmes on their air.