To the Editor:

I have been a long time supporter of both Public TV and public radio. However, over the last few years I have become distressed at the volume and number of paid advertisements that have crept into what was once called commercial free broadcasting.

While I realize that the public venues are in competition with the private sector, I am concerned with the increasing number of infomercials WPBS choses to run during its fundraisers.

On Sunday there was a 1 1/2 hour production featuring a Dr. Daniel Amen who claimed to be an expert on the human brain. Said physician is in fact a psychiatrist whose training was attained at the now defunct Oral Roberts University.

The gentleman continually shows images that he claims represent diseased and healthy human brains. One critic compared his science to that of phrenology of the 19th century. His claims about brain scans have been widely debunked and criticized by actual doctors as being potentially harmful to his patients.

The network nationally is underwriting a money making mini empires for Dr. Amen and a few other self proclaimed experts who are in fact just hawking their movies, books, diet supplements and hardware in order to raise a few buck for Public TV.

Perhaps the station should consider selling cookies instead.

Elia Filippi

Richville