Are the days of “public broadcasting” over? PBS officials have told member stations that the science shows Nature and Nova will have “promotional breaks” during the show rather than airing before and after as they currently do. The plan has been hotly debated among PBS executives. Some PBS officials fear they will lose viewers due to the new model. “One of the biggest things they have to sell is that they are noncommercial,” said lawyer David Oxenford, who represents some public broadcasters. Why the change? PBS currently airs ads at the end of programs, which can run for up to eight minutes—and cause viewers to immediately tune out. But the change may not be so quick: PBS executives are still checking with lawyers to make sure the move is in compliance with FCC guidelines.