LOS ANGELES (Zap2it.com) - WGBH-TV, one of PBS' leading programming creators, isn't necessarily going Hollywood, but just this once, the Boston-based station is going where the money is. After offering ''Peep and the Big Wide World," a science show for kids, to PBS, WGBH decided to take the show to TLC and Discovery Kids. This will make " Peep" WGBH's first series for commercial television.

" My objective is to make 'GBH the leading producer of educational programming for kids on TV," says Brigid Sullivan, the station's vice president of children's programming. " We would always try to produce for public television first. But if there is no room on their schedule or money, we'll go where we need to go."

According to the Boston Globe, the independently operated WGBH hasn't had a breakout children's hit since " Arthur" in 1996. More recent efforts like the 1999 relaunch of " Zoom" have been successful, but the critically adored reading show " Between the Lions" has run into serious funding problems.

WGBH pitched " Peep" to PBS two years ago, but was told that there simply wasn't room in the schedule for another program aimed at a preschool demographic. Discovery Communications (which owns TLC and Discovery Kids) jumped at the chance to add some quality programming and will actually run the show without commercial interruptions.

The barrier has still been broken. WGBH's only other contribution to commercial television was the 1995 documentary " Driving Passion," which aired on TBS. New York's WNET, PBS' second largest programming supplier, has never produced for another network.

While WGBH's decision may set off warning lights for fans of public television, it won't necessarily become a trend.

" 'GBH has to stay in business," Peggy Charren, a WGBH board member and children's media activist tells the Globe. " Getting the program out anywhere is better than letting it sit as a failed enterprise. I don't think they were delighted about opening up their marketplace to commercial TV. They know that if every station in the system did that, there wouldn't be any more public broadcasting. But I don't think it will get out of hand.""

Source: Zap2It.com