SNIP
>So why is the US afraid of letting a public service into the mix? Something that would be just granted sufficient funding to be independent... from commercial interests. Which would then finally have some competition.

Because we disdain anything controlled by the government. It may be free from commercial interests, but it would NOT be free from government interests. Instead of ratings determining what stays on (it is the ratings and not commercial interests which determine whether or not a show stays on the air - the more viewers - the more companies are willing to buy advertising time), the government would be deciding. It would be far from free or independent. Also, when the funding is taken from tax dollars, it's not free and there is no more choice in the matter. The last thing I want is Big Brother controlling the airwaves under the guise of 'free and independent programming.'