PBS Promotes Fast-Food

We missed this report from yesterday’s MediaPost. A “key new partnership” for PBS is with Arby’s. The fast-food chain is sponsoring the new PBS kids program “Fetch.” Apparently Fetch’s host–a dog named Ruff–will be used in Arby’s “children’s meals promotion.” Ironically, Fetch is also sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF)–they will have to help give grants to those who wish to fight against the fat delivered by Arby’s!

Even if Arby’s offers healthier food choices, we think the point is this. Yes, PBS is hungry for funds. But they are making bad funding choices. Junk food ads aren’t the way out.

Author: jeff

Jeff Chester is executive director of the Center for Digital Democracy. A former journalist and filmmaker, Jeff's book on U.S. electronic media politics, entitled "Digital Destiny: New Media and the Future of Democracy" was published by The New Press in January 2007. He is now working on a new book about interactive advertising and the public interest.

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