Contrary to what I have read here, I think "Pawn Stars"

[CBHagman]

18. How revolting.

What troubles me most about the way the media is run in this country is that the message of making money invariably comes to the fore. It's as though increasing profits is not merely the highest good, by corporate and societal standards, but the only good.

I'm not saying your average American or even your average cable subscriber automatically believes it, but the message comes across again and again.

If something is labeled the Learning Channel or the History Channel, it ought to live up to the billing. What I saw during the years I had cable was that very few channels lived up to the promise. TCM remains one of the few exceptions.

What's even more frightening is how virulently today's Republican Party opposes public broadcasting. You'd think the so-called family values crowd would cheer wholesome educational programming, documentaries, concerts, do-it-yourself shows, and science series -- well, maybe not science series -- but they claim it can all be had for a price on cable. Yeah, back-to-back episodes of staged reality shows are just the pinnacle of cultural and broadcasting achievement.