Former competitors - partnership between PBS Sponsorship Group and National Public TV

Television Digest with Consumer Electronics, March 16, 1998

Former competitors PBS Sponsorship Group and National Public TV (NPTV) will partner to sell to corporations "sponsorship opportunities" on PTV stations, they said. PBS Sponsorship Group is coalition formed last summer by PBS and major producing stations KCET L.A., WETA-TV Washington, WGBH-TV Boston and WNET N.Y.C.

to coordinate underwriting efforts. As of Jan., group had raised $11.5 million in new funding. NPTV, formed last fall by WTTW Chicago, WHYY-TV Philadelphia, KERA-TV Dallas, WTVS-TV Detroit, KQED San Francisco and KCTS-TV Seattle, is led by video sales rep Robert Williams. It, too, seeks underwriting, with focus on controversial 30-sec. spots. Partnership will seek to sell "corporate support announcements" separate from underwriting such as Mobil for Masterpiece Theatre, with PBS Sponsorship Group continuing focus on national underwriting and NPTV targeting "multimarket" and local underwriting. Partnership is latest PTV step seeking to increase underwriting revenues, even as PBS Pres. Ervin Duggan has insisted PTV industry should remain noncommercial (TVD Jan 12 p6).