General Motors has made a lot of dumb decisions in their day, and three-quarters of them are still being sold to gullible car-buyers across the globe.

However, one of their biggest, boneheaded moves doesn't involve a car at all. The soon-to-be-former car manufacturing giant has announced that it's ending its 22-year run as primary sponsor for PBS filmmaker Ken Burns, and it just might end Burns' career in television as we know it.

PBS is getting into the coffee game by joining with Green Mountain Coffee Roasters and creating the PBS Blend. The coffee will be organic, and will be "offered in whole bean, 10 oz. packages, and single serve K-cups for use in Keurig Single-Cup brewers."

But the PBS ombudsman column above raises an interesting question: how can PBS get into the for-profit business of selling coffee and other commercial endeavors and still get taxpayer support? Whatever side you happen to fall on, the column probably answers any questions you might have and is well worth reading.

I wonder if they'll do it for certain shows. Maybe a Sesame Street Hazelnut or a Bill Moyers Vanilla Bean. Though I don't really want to know what a McLaughlin Group-flavored coffee would taste like.

[via Romenesko]