On Sun, 12 Feb 2006 18:04:48 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski"
wrote:

The original concept was more of a DIY than a showcase. As you point out,
people do live like that, but not the masses being entertained. My guess
also is that the typical PBS supporter and contributor has a higher income
level that Joe Sixpac and that is the part of the masses they want to court.

But you have to remember that most of the people who are donating to
PBS aren't the Joe Sixpac DIY crowd, it's the upper crust
more-money-than-God people who want all the latest overpriced gadgets.
They don't want to do it themselves, they want to pay someone else to
do it while they sit around and watch PBS.