It's been mentioned in a few other threads that NPR radio stations are struggling with declining donations and pledges. While I have no inside information on PBS TV, I'm guessing they may be even worse off, especially with many of their donors either much older, or having departed this Earth. To your point,
@tbolt909, when "pledge break" season rolls around, it's usually the same stale programming featuring resurrected Doo Wop artists, Andrae Rieu, Andrea Bucelli (sp?), and Larry Welk. It's been a very long time since I've found programming on PBS that I actually stopped and watched - and that was probably a dozen years ago. Our local PBS station has had the same lineup on weekends for at least 15 years, including British comedies featuring actors that have mostly all passed away.
One of my first gigs in radio broadcasting was working for an FM CHR / AM Talker and I remember hearing the talk hosts on AM all the way back then asking if PBS was still relevant and necessary. "Home Improvement" shows like This Old House have been superseded by superior programming on networks like HGTV. Programs about animals that PBS used to feature have been replaced by programming on Animal Planet and Discovery. Mister Rogers has been gone for years, and Sesame Street moved to HBO years ago, while some PBS stations still do air older episodes. People that once tuned in to PBS for cooking shows now have the Food Network and the Cooking Channel. So - how relevent is PBS and how long can it be sustained?