“Some critics have howled that, with Sprout, PBS has crossed a line, giving up any claim to being a safe, noncommercial haven. But PBS supporters say the public TV system has to face reality in a time of uncertain federal funding and unprecedented competition. ‘Unfortunately, PBS has a really hard path to forge. They used to be the only game in town if you were looking for a channel that was safe for your kids. But commercial offerings are now so vast, that in order to have a level playing field, they have to end up doing some of the same things’.”