In 1997, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting commissioned Market Facts to conduct a survey of Americans' views of commercial activities by public television and public radio stations. The general objectives were to get an up-to-date reading of perceptions and attitudes among the general population and among groups of special interest defined by their viewing, listening, or contributing patterns, and to determine what changes have occurred since the 1995 survey. This report presents an overview of results indicating that: viewers and listeners are largely acceptant of the amount of commercial activity engaged in by public broadcasting, and contributors are even more so; the public generally approves of proposals to sell extra broadcast capacity to private-sector telecommunications providers and the sale or lease of unused channels to commercial broadcasters as ways of raising money; and the public is confused about federal funding of public broadcasting and not knowledgeable about recent changes. Enhanced sponsorship announcements, membership drives, and federal funding are discussed. Graphs present data on: awareness of enhanced sponsorship announcements; perceived increase in disruption of public television and public radio programming for membership drives; awareness that public broadcasting receives federal funding; and preferred level of federal funding. (AEF)