scanmead opened this issue on Jan 23, 2011 · 101 posts
ockham posted Sun, 23 January 2011 at 10:18 AM
One possible explanation: BBC doesn't have to worry about offending sponsors.
In earlier decades American radio networks would often gamble on new programs, running them as "sustaining" without a sponsor for a season or two. Many of these "sustainers" turned out to be the funniest comedies or the most substantial newsy shows, and picked up sponsors after showing their strength. When TV came along, "sustainers" went away, presumably because of greater production costs. Result was less courage, more pablum.