After getting enough of the post-debate commentary Monday evening, I turned to PBS on our Apple TV and went looking for an older episode of Antiques Roadshow to pass some time.
And discovered PBS has erected a paywall around content that was previously available, including Antiques Roadshow. Their posted explanation doesn’t identify exactly what is behind the paywall. For now, I guess you have to select something and see if it’s restricted.
But previously broadcast episodes of Antiques Roadshow, formerly available, are now safely guarded behind the new paywall, which they call the PBS Hawaii Passport.
Okay, it’s not unexpected that PBS would eventually experiment with the paywall routine, even while others, like Civil Beat, have recently moved in the opposite direction by making their content free and open.
But I wish PBS would just be honest about it. They need the money. Fair enough.
Instead, the new paywall is being described as a “benefit” to viewers.
Introducing a new benefit to PBS Hawai‘i supporters that provides extended on-demand access to quality PBS programming.
The problem with this statement is that these archives were previously available online and on platforms like the Apple TV. Now they are restricted to donors of $60 or more.
So I quickly went to the PBS Hawaii website, donated the necessary $60, and expected to receive the information needed to jump the paywall.
Not so fast. The website asked for my “activation code.” None has been received. As a backup, it asked for my email address used when I donated. I entered it. But then PBS returned another error: “That email address is not in our system.”
So for the time being, I’m unable to jump the paywall. Hopefully this just represents growing pains for their paywall system. I’ll just see what happens next
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Ian Lind wrote:
“But I wish PBS would just be honest about it.”
What do you expect from a network that picked debate moderators who were openly contemptuous of Bernie Sanders and fully in the tank for Hillary?
https://youtu.be/FBbD58j_-Rw
PBS must figure their viewers liked being lied to.
I thought experiences like you describe, Ian, were only for the elderly of us suffering digital dementia but if you have experienced it too, a long-time techie in your prime maybe there’s hope for the “Ma and Pa Kettles” riding the “Super Information Highway.”
Ian,
while waiting for your $60 “benefit”, go to YouTube.
Hi Ian,
Sorry for the inconvenience. We left you a voicemail a short while ago and have emailed you your activation code. Our colleagues at PBS Digital are looking into this glitch. Normally the process is immediate, so not sure what happened in this instance. Feel free to give us a call during business hours at 808.462.5000 if you’d like to talk more about this.
Thanks,
Liberty Peralta
VP Communications
As a semi-retired working stiff, I have no problem ignoring the regular pleas of PBS and NPR for my thin supply of income and relying on my social betters to fund the afore mentioned enterprises.
So… do you listen to NPR, watch PBS? I assume not, that being only fair.
Either one would be grateful for five little dollars a month, ya know, the cost of a too-pricey cup of coffee. Could cut back on that one cup, pay your way, contribute to the life of your community!
Interesting, I wonder if cable subscribers also have to pay for access. Currently Hawaii Public Television Foundation receives 1% of the income received from all subscribers for cable services rendered during the preceding calendar year, from all islands. Annually they receive an estimated $3.29 million from fees added to local consumers’ bills, which makes up a substantial portion of its incoming revenue.
Watching pbs on Apple TV. Poldark on masterpiece. Checked several other shows. No paywall here.