Recently there has been phenomenal advertising campaign for the PBS
program ?Unforgivable Blackness?.  More advertising that I can
remember for any commercial program.  I have seen advertising on
commercial networks, radio, major newspapers, magazines and the
internet. These are substantial ads with high frequency.  But this is
for a Public Television program. Not for a commercial network. Which
leads to the question, who is making money on this?  And,how?

When you see this big an outlay for a commercial program you
understand the economic dynamics. But what?s the deal of this for PBS?
 How can anyone justify this major an advertising campaign for
non-profit network.  What?s the deal?  Who is making the money?

Hi zmaster-ga,
In response to "justification" for this major advertising campaign:

Ken Burns, United States Senators Edward M. Kennedy, Orrin G. Hatch,
John McCain, Harry M. Reid, and Jim Talent are calling for a
posthumous pardon for Johnson.

They among many others are currently awaiting President Bush to grant
the pardon who actually declared March 31 (Jack Johnson's birthday),
"Jack Johnson day" for 5 years (1996-2000)

Please let me know if you have anymore questions.

-googleexpert

References:

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d108:SE00447:@@@L&summ2=m&

Film Spurs Movement To Pardon Jack Johnson
--------------------------------------------
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8193-2005Jan13.html

I don't know who is "making money" but I do know PBS regularly shows 
the Sponsors at the beginning of each program.

As a matter of fact, you can see who the sponsors are at:
http://www.pbs.org/unforgivableblackness/

Ken Burns' previous documentaries have been of such remarkable quality
that they have brought PBS many new viewers and sponsors. It seems
likely that advertising this program will pay off substantially if new
viewers tune in, are impressed by it, and later contribute to PBS
during its annual fund drive.