Where's Norm?

[Byron Trantham]

I didn't get to see the Fredericksburg edition of Norm this morning.:mad: Our local PBS didn't air it. Even our local newspaper mentioned the show and said it was going to be this morning on PBS. Oh well, did anyone else get to see it?:confused:

[Tyler Howell]

The last two weeks have been a tutorial on routers and their use. Most informative.

[Bill Sampson]

Bryon,
The Fredericksburg program was on Richmond Comcast PBS channel 24 at 1:00 pm. It will play again next Sat. at 10:30 am on Richmond Comcast PBS channel 23. Sorry you missed it; some good shots of the river.

Bill Sampson, Richmond

[Tony Falotico]

Just thinkin' 'bout Norm this morning, haven't seen him (NYW) for about 6 months now, all the satelite channels seem to be featuring Dave Marks and Amy (Freeform Furniture) nowadays. Still get lots of TOH reruns, just not NYW.

[John Timberlake]

I saw the episode with Norm in VA getting wood from an old dam this morning. I was totally underwhelmed with the wood. The oak was black from years of mineral absorption and had lots of cracks, knots and nail/spike holes. Looked like it had been dyed with black aniline dyes. He made a corner/gateleg table and had to put a very dark stain on the wood to make it look anything like a nice wood suitable for a traditional piece. I would only use this wood for something more modern and then let the dark color of the wood show through.

[Eric Shields]

My local PBS Station carried the Shop Clock episode this past Saturday. The next two weeks are on Routers.

[Robert Ziegler]

My NC PBS has been running their annual fundraiser which overrides NYW the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I made a point to wrap up a project early, just to watch. I settled onto the couch, turned on the tv and there was Patsy Cline and a country special. I like PC, but I really wanted to watch Norm.

Oh well,.

[Barry O'Mahony]

My NC PBS has been running their annual fundraiser which overrides NYW the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I made a point to wrap up a project early, just to watch. I settled onto the couch, turned on the tv and there was Patsy Cline and a country special. I like PC, but I really wanted to watch Norm.

Oh well,.Yea, I don't understand the PBS fundraising "strategy" at all. You sit down to watch your favorite show, and PBS instantly pisses you off by showing instead a "special" program about something you have no interest in. 'sure is a funny time to then ask you for money.

One would think they'd do alot better to instead show an hour-long special epside of NYW, or something like that, instead of an opera or whatever else they pre-empt NYW and TOH with during pledge week.

[Larry James]

I saw the episode with Norm in VA getting wood from an old dam this morning. I was totally underwhelmed with the wood. The oak was black from years of mineral absorption and had lots of cracks, knots and nail/spike holes. Looked like it had been dyed with black aniline dyes. He made a corner/gateleg table and had to put a very dark stain on the wood to make it look anything like a nice wood suitable for a traditional piece. I would only use this wood for something more modern and then let the dark color of the wood show through.

John, I second your comments. Norm committed to the project before he actually got a look at the wood. That has to be Norm’s ugliest project ever.
Larry

[Mark Patoka]

Byron,
I was wondering if WETA was going to skip ahead 3 weeks worth of episodes to show that episode. They've never matched the NYW schedule that most PBS channels seem to follow. They still showed the behind the scenes clip after this episode but this week they left off the "See the Fredericksburg episode... on "this date" like they had been doing previously. Maybe we'll see it in April once the fundraising episodes are done.

I wonder what kind of guff the station manager caught after the article was even published in the newspaper about it being on this week?

[John Kain]

Also noticed he had alot of blotching of the finished project that they tried to hide at the end. I suppose it happens to Norm too..............;)

[Keel McDonald]

Regardless of how the handkerchief table finish turned out, I liked the project. There's a corner or two in my house that would perfectly accept this project. I'm not a fan of the choice of wood either, although I am a BIG fan or using reclaimed wood.

[Keith Starosta]

Byron, look for that episode this Saturday at 10:30 on Cox Cable channel 10 (the Richmond PBS feed). They always run one week behind what the actual schedule says they will.

Keith

[Garry Smith]

Yea, I don't understand the PBS fundraising "strategy" at all. You sit down to watch your favorite show, and PBS instantly pisses you off by showing instead a "special" program about something you have no interest in. 'sure is a funny time to then ask you for money.

One would think they'd do alot better to instead show an hour-long special epside of NYW, or something like that, instead of an opera or whatever else they pre-empt NYW and TOH with during pledge week.

I know exactly what you mean. So far this season there have been 2 2-part shows. The first time my PBS station had a fund raiser and the second time which was on the router they had college basketball. I refuse to donate anymore because of this.

[Michael Ballent]

It always makes me snicker when the local PBS station starts on the fundraiser and tell you that only you can keep this type of quality programming on the air... funny thing is that they pull out all the "best" shows during the fundraiser, and then return to regular programming... Always a curious thing :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong... I would love how to paint pretty flowers (Donna Dewberry or whatever is her name), but they only show you how to do it during the fundraising time :p



My NC PBS has been running their annual fundraiser which overrides NYW the last couple of weeks. Yesterday I made a point to wrap up a project early, just to watch. I settled onto the couch, turned on the tv and there was Patsy Cline and a country special. I like PC, but I really wanted to watch Norm.

Oh well,.

[Kevin Herber]

I've been watching that Esteban guitar character. I think I may sell my tools and get a guitar.........not!

[Barry O'Mahony]

I know exactly what you mean. So far this season there have been 2 2-part shows. The first time my PBS station had a fund raiser and the second time which was on the router they had college basketball. I refuse to donate anymore because of this.

Well, the Portland station did it again this past weekend. After a nice Saturday with my son (8 yrs. old), including shop time, after dinner we sit down to watch Roy Underhill and Norm (the PVR is set to record them every Saturday afternoon). I pull up the menu and what do I see instead? A 2 1/2 hour 'special' cooking show!? No Roy, no Norm, no Hometime ('miss Robin on that show), no ATOH, no TOH.

I guess the station figures that people willing to watch a 2+ hr. infomercial for Kitchenaid blenders are more likely to contribute than us woodworkers. ;)

[Garry Smith]

Well, the Portland station did it again this past weekend. After a nice Saturday with my son (8 yrs. old), including shop time, after dinner we sit down to watch Roy Underhill and Norm (the PVR is set to record them every Saturday afternoon). I pull up the menu and what do I see instead? A 2 1/2 hour 'special' cooking show!? No Roy, no Norm, no Hometime ('miss Robin on that show), no ATOH, no TOH.

I guess the station figures that people willing to watch a 2+ hr. infomercial for Kitchenaid blenders are more likely to contribute than us woodworkers. ;)

I got the same thing in my area. Until they change thier times for these shows or change thier fund raising times, I'll be darned if they will get a cent out of my household. Those are the only shows I watch on that channel.

[Steve Beadle]

Let me try to say a good word on behalf of our public broadcasters. I, too, am sometimes disappointed when--three or four times a year--I am all set to watch Roy and Norm and there is a fundraising program about cooking on instead. The sad fact is that public broadcasting stations MUST raise the money from viewers in order to stay on the air, especially since they are increasingly being cut out of state and federal budgets. The other sad fact is that a program about woodworking will NOT have the broad appeal for viewers that a cooking show, for example, or a concert, will have. The great thing about public broadcasting is that EVEN THOUGH WOODWORKERS ARE A SMALL NICHE OF THE VIEWING PUBLIC, THEY STILL HAVE A PLACE FOR US! Instead of complaining about not being able to see Roy and Norm a few Saturdays out of the year, we ought to be supporting our local public broadcasters, so that they can continue to bring what I value as the very best programming in the world of television. If woodworking is all you ever watch on public television, I would suggest that you are missing out on a lot of quality viewing. Don't forget that public television is what brings us such valuable programs as FRONTLINE, NOVA, NEWSHOUR, NATURE, MYSTERY, MASTERPIECE THEATRE, GLOBETREKKER, not to mention all the really great children's programs that have no peer in the broadcasting world.
Okay, I'm off my soap box!
Oh, and one more thing: the episodes of Woodright's Shop and New Yankee Workshop you missed were probably ones you've seen before anyway!

[Jeffrey Makiel]

With cable TV now sporting over 100 channels, Public TV is no longer the only alternative. There are specialty channels for most everything. Further, this is the reason why I believe federal funding for Public Television should be eliminated. It's a remnant of an era gone past. Also, many of the shows on Public TV seem to have a political flavor to them which I understand that PBS is trying to remedy.

The next time you watch the New Yankee Workshop, time how long the actual show is. I believe it's around 20 to 21 minutes. So what's the other 10 minutes? Advertising! Also, the public station that I once watched is only available on cable TV as part of a $75/month cost. Perhaps PBS should get a piece of these revenues instead of begging for it from me.

My previous post inquiring about whether David Mark's show is on DVD (my cable package does not include DIY), was pedicated by my continual disappointment in public TV these days.
-Jeff

[Brian Austin]

It always makes me snicker when the local PBS station starts on the fundraiser and tell you that only you can keep this type of quality programming on the air... funny thing is that they pull out all the "best" shows during the fundraiser, and then return to regular programming... Always a curious thing :rolleyes: Don't get me wrong... I would love how to paint pretty flowers (Donna Dewberry or whatever is her name), but they only show you how to do it during the fundraising time :p
It amazes me how that same station manages to have FOUR FLIPPIN' HOURS of cooking show on during a Saturday afternoon fundraiser, too.

I gave up on them after their "annual" fundraisers started showing up on my TV quarterly.

[Barry O'Mahony]

Also, the public station that I once watched is only available on cable TV as part of a $75/month cost. Well, it's also available on satellite for much, much, less, and free Over-The-Air (OTA).

But in general I agree with you. PBS was necessary when there were few channels available, and it provided niche programming. It's somewhat of an anachronism now (I don't agree with your criticism about political content, BTW. No leftie complained when William Buckley had a very right-wing show on for, what, 20+ years? But now Fox News has as one of its missions to eliminate anything not right-wing oriented from PBS. I think they should have content from all sides).

AN example is what my son and I did when we were confronted with the Kitchenaid PBS infomercial. We watched Davud Marks instead.

In fact, many people argue local broadcating is an anachronism, or quickly becoming one. When most people get national networks via cable or satellite, and local content could be delivered via broadband, why bother using all that valuable radio spectrum for OTA?

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Barry,
You are correct that there is a local PBS station that is free over-the-air in my area, but they must be having trouble because they no longer air those mainstay shows.

This is not uncommon. I've read that many public stations are no longer carrying This Old House or the New Yankee Workshop because of the high production cost of these shows. PBS's dwindling support only compounds the problem perhaps creating a declining spiral. My only other choice is a PBS station out on Long Island that is available only thru satellite or cable which I must pay for. Also, Dishnet in my area is a little cheaper than cable, but not by much.

As far as politics being involved, I think it should be similar to how my elementary public school should be ran. That is, no politics what so ever. No leftie or rightie nonsense. That is, I fully agree with your point. The new president of PBS has acknowledged this and vowed to make their programming more balanced again because they want to reach out to as much supporters as possible.

At one time, The Learning Channel once showed the old NYW and TOH episodes. Not any more though. Now they show junk makeover shows consisting of young models slapping do-dads on the walls to ad-nauseam. A fellow SMC poster also stated that there will be no new episodes of David Mark's show on DIY due to a financial impasse between parties.

Perhaps my local PBS will make a comeback!
-Jeff

[Barry O'Mahony]

At one time, The Learning Channel once showed the old NYW and TOH episodes. Not any more though. Now they show junk makeover shows consisting of young models slapping do-dads on the walls to ad-nauseam.LOL, I know what you mean. The "Trading Spaces" clones have really taken over on TLc, HGTV, etc. I think they get big female audience.

I think they still run TOH reruns on DIY Network during the day.

[Bill Lewis]

I wish that DIY would pick up the Roy Underhill shows, there's not a PBS station in our area that still carries his shows, hasn't been for years. I thought he had been cancelled, don't know, maybe he has, anyone know?
He was always entertaining. I'm so far from being a neander I'd never use the methods he uses, but it was fun to see him become totally out of breath trying to sqeeze it all in. Plus it was historically interesting, and informative.

Funny thing about TOH, though it was mentioned by someone in a previous post that the cooking or concert shows will get a broader draw, and therefore bigger donations (maybe by only those who write the checks), but isn't TOH's claim to fame that they are THE most popular PBS show going? And have been for years? And what about the spinoffs, NYW, Ask TOH, and Inside TOH (which I think is a commercial venture only). Me thinks they're getting beaucoup corporate sponsership. At any rate, this should be a big flag for the PBS stations to run these shows during their plbegde week (not a typo).

Ok so here's my conspiracy theory: WDBH and or Morash Productions has somehow restricted their shows from being used for any fundraising activities. I don't have a clear reason why yet, but I'm workin' on it.