PBS kids Web site to feature ads

WASHINGTON, Aug. 26 (UPI) -- PBS is being criticized for its decision to resume selling ads on its PBS Kids Web site, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Parents, children's advocates and consumer watchdog groups are expressing concern that the ads will pollute one of the last commercial-free places for kids on the Internet, the newspaper said.

Susan Linn, a psychologist and co-founder of Campaign for a Commercial-Free Childhood in Boston, told the Times the PBS Web site was a sanctuary for children from pervasive marketing.

"This is just one more step in the commercialization of PBS and children's programming," she said.

PBS told the newspaper it needed to find new revenue sources because its funding was unreliable. But Kevin Dando -- director of education and online advertising at PBS -- said the ads will be in keeping with public broadcasting's approach to children's programming.

"This is going to be very smart and respectful," said Dando, "and anything that will appear online will be in the spirit of what is on PBS on air."

Dando would not say how much money the ads were expected to generate.