PBS still seeks ‘Theatre’ backer

A cloud -- perhaps one of the gloomy sort found in novels by the Bronte sisters -- continues to gather over PBS’ long-running dramatic anthology series “Masterpiece Theatre.”

Ever since late 2002, when ExxonMobil announced it would yank support for the 33-year-old staple of public broadcasting at the end of this year, PBS officials have scrambled to find another backer for the program. On Thursday, PBS President and Chief Executive Pat Mitchell conceded the quest has proved tougher than expected.

“Masterpiece Theatre” has funding lined up through 2006, but after that its future remains unclear.

“We’ve got to get an underwriter here, and we are determined to do it,” Mitchell told reporters at the Television Critics Assn. biannual meeting in Century City. Among the options, Mitchell said, were multiple corporate underwriters.