Tonight kicks off the 42nd annual WTVP-47 auction at Peoria's home for Public Service Broadcasting.  If you watch the station from time to time, tune in tonight through Sunday night and make a bid on an item or two to keep public TV alive and well in central Illinois.

I'll be taking my yearly turn as a guest auctioneer tonight from 9-11 o'clock.  Yes, I know there are plenty of good programs on Thursday night, but record those and drop by the annual auction.  

Live programming is always fraught with unexpected glitches, as I knew too well during my years on The Morning Mix, and this is no exception.  We auctioneers sometimes get handed our 5" X 7" cue cards minutes before going on the air to read off the items you'll be bidding on.  It's not uncommon to be doing "cold reads," so expect me to mess up the name of some French painter tonight.

If the chance of a live TV train wreck isn't enough to pull you into the auction, consider bidding if you watch the PBS programs.  I'm a huge fan of Frontline, which I consider to be the best journalism on TV, and I find myself watching NOVA, This Old House, Austin City Limits, POV, American Experience, Independent Lens, and Rick Steves' Europe to name a few.  We know former Congressman Aaron Schock was a big fan of Downton Abbey.  You, your kids and grandkids probably have watched the PBS kids lineup.  And H Wayne Wilson does a great local interview show with area newsmakers.

Watch some of the auction, tonight through Sunday night, to support and contribute to WTVP-47 and its excellent programming.

Doc Watson