TV & VIDEO - Jan. 5, 1989

And a dozen major public television stations have received $100.5 million in underwriting commitments for current and future programs. The funding is mostly from corporations and foundations, topped by a five-year, $57-million underwriting of “The MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour” by AT&T;, Pepsico and the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. Corporations aren’t the only ones writing checks. PBS further reports that December membership drives netted individual pledges totaling a record $18.4 million, up 14.4% from last year.