Mental Engineering

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Mental Engineering is a public television series where host John Forde leads a panel discussion featuring critical—and humorous—analysis of TV commercials. The show originated as a public access program on the Saint Paul Neighborhood Network in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1997. It is considered by its host to be the first cable access show to be aired nationally, as one episode following Super Bowl XXXVI in 2002 aired on public television stations capable of reaching 85% of the population of the United States. "Super Commercials: A Mental Engineering Special" featured nationally-known TV personalities Aisha Tyler and Lizz Winstead along with two other guests from Minnesota, but is considered to have been one of the poorer-quality episodes made over the show's run. The show stopped airing for a couple of years, and returned to public TV in autumn 2005.

Funding has been a major issue for the program, as Forde does not want to solicit or accept donations from corporations. He did obtain some assistance from Lutheran Brotherhood, a non-profit life insurance company, along with production help from Twin Cities Public Television (TPT). Forde essentially gave the show away for free, paying TPT a US$120 uplink fee to distribute each program through public television's satellite network. By September 2001, the program was airing on stations covering 41% of the U.S., and was most importantly carried by notable public TV outlets WGBH in Boston and WNET in New York City. The show received rave reviews from The New York Times and other influential news outlets, even prompting a congratulatory letter from Bill Moyers.

At nearly every step along the way, the show has been considered a "no-budget" program, though the Super Bowl appearance did warrant a nicer set. Some episodes have had production costs as low as $300, including the uplink fee. Nonetheless, the show has continued to attract nationally-known figures to act as panelists. Al Franken, Sam Simon, Greg Proops, Louis C.K., and Jeff Cesario are among those who have contributed their observations.

Two somewhat similar shows aired on public TV stations back in the 1960s, the Ford Foundation-sponsored programs Public Broadcast Laboratory and Your Dollar's Worth.