A Questionable Public Television Pitch Made to Nonprofit Groups

On August 16, 2008, the New York Times reports about a questionable public television pitch that is directed solely at nonprofit groups.  In order to take advantage of the opportunity, the nonprofit organization is required to put up over $20,000.  Here is an excerpt from the article:

Community foundations and universities around the country are raising questions about a sales pitch being directed their way this summer.

Representatives of Vision Media Television, a production company based in Boca Raton, Fla., have been calling leaders of such organizations over the last few months with an offer to be part of a television program with Hugh Downs, the retired broadcaster, as its host.

The caller suggests that the production will be shown on public television and major cable news stations. But the initial pitch, foundation representatives said, does not mention that the production would cost the university or foundation $20,000 or more.

PBS, the national public broadcasting program provider, has had a warning on its Web site for the last three years that it “is not associated with and does not endorse, distribute programming for, review underwriting for or otherwise have any business relationship” with a list of productions companies that includes Vision Media Television.

For the entire article, see “Company Pitches a Television Production, and Nonprofit Groups Are Wary” in the August 16, 2008, issue of the New York Times.

DAB