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NPR Catch Up To PBS Comics Scamp

National Public Radio has caught up with a story I ran last year, The JP Silva PBS/History Channel Scamp. I reported how Mr Silva has been calling comic store owners purporting to be a producer working on a series called Myths, Legends, & Supermen, to be hosted by Hugh Downs and appear on either PBS or the History Channel. And asking for payments to feature in the programme.

"They are selling something that they generally cannot deliver," says Garry Denny, program director of Wisconsin Public Television and a past president of the professional association of programming officials for PBS member stations. "In fact, they are probably not carried by any public television station around the country."

But Downs doesn't appear on the cable infomercials or in the marketing videos. According to both Downs' agent and Vision Media's Miller, the retired anchor's contract limits his involvement to public television. Yet for many people approached by Vision Media's cold-calling pitchmen, he's by far the strongest selling point.

Thankfully I don't know of any comic store owner who actually fell for the sca – – – hang on what's this bit?

Vision Media filed a $20 million lawsuit against a blogger who called its business model a scam.

Ooh. Um… Scamp, that's what it it is. A "scamp". Quick, to the editing software, Robin!

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