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Society & Culture

Underwritten

David Boles: Human Meme by David Boles

Apr 24, 202609:40Society & Culture

I want to start with four seconds. If you watched public television anywhere in the United States between 1971 and January of this year, you know these four seconds. A human face in profile, rendered first in the three c...

About This Episode

Underwritten is an episode from David Boles: Human Meme by David Boles. I want to start with four seconds. If you watched public television anywhere in the United States between 1971 and January of this year, you know these four seconds. A...

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Episode Details

Published Apr 24, 2026, 09:40 long, audio available.

Questions About This Episode

What is Underwritten about?

I want to start with four seconds. If you watched public television anywhere in the United States between 1971 and January of this year, you know these four seconds. A human face in profile, rendered first in the three colors of mid-century corporate design, recast in 1984 as a trio of interlocking faces on a field of white. Six synthesizer notes descending, resolving to a sustained major ninth chord. A voice that said three words. This is PBS. The sequence took less than four seconds. Before it ran: documentaries, children's programming, nature films, dramatic adaptations of novels too difficult for commercial television to attempt. News came after it. Cooking instruction followed. Home-improvement demonstration, classical music, weather announcements on rural affiliates, local public-affairs segments, national programming from Omaha and Boise and Portland and Lincoln, Nebraska, all carrying the same four-second preamble.

Where can I listen to Underwritten?

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Which podcast is Underwritten from?

Underwritten is an episode from David Boles: Human Meme by David Boles.

How long is this episode?

This episode is 09:40 long.

When was this episode published?

This episode was published on Apr 24, 2026.

Can I save Underwritten for later?

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Are there related episodes from David Boles: Human Meme?

Yes. This page shows related episodes from David Boles: Human Meme when more episodes are available from the podcast feed.

Quick Answers About This Episode

Where can I listen to Underwritten?

You can listen to Underwritten on this page when the episode audio is available from the podcast feed.

Which podcast is this episode from?

Underwritten is from David Boles: Human Meme by David Boles.

What are the episode details?

Published Apr 24, 2026 and 09:40 long