This is an accepted version of this page
 Logo used as of November 4, 2019. | |
| Type |
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|---|---|
| Country | |
| Broadcast area |
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| Affiliates | List of member stations |
| Headquarters | Arlington County, Virginia, U.S. |
| Programming | |
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| Picture format | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | PBS's member public television stations[1] |
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| History | |
| Founded | November 3, 1969; 55 years ago (1969-11-03) |
| Launched | October 5, 1970; 55 years ago (1970-10-05) |
| Founder |
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| Replaced | National Educational Television (1952–1970) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Watch live (US only) |
| Website | www |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Service(s) | DirecTV Stream,Hulu + Live TV,Prime Video Live TV,YouTube TV |
ThePublic Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an Americanpublic broadcaster and non-commercial,[1][2][3][4][5]free-to-air television network based inArlington, Virginia.[6][7][8][9] PBS is a nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider ofeducational programs to public television stations in the United States,[10][11][12][13] distributing shows such asNature,Nova,Frontline,PBS News Hour,Washington Week,Masterpiece,American Experience, andchildren's programs such asMister Rogers' Neighborhood,Sesame Street,Barney & Friends,Arthur,Curious George,The Magic School Bus, and others.[14] Certain stations also provide spillover service to Canada.[15]
PBS is funded by a combination ofmember station dues,pledge drives,corporate sponsorships, and donations from bothprivate foundations and individual citizens. From its founding in 1969 up until 2025, it also received funding from theCorporation for Public Broadcasting.[16] All proposed funding for programming is subject to a set of standards to ensure the program is free of influence from the funding source.[17] PBS has over 350member television stations,[18] many owned byeducational institutions, nonprofit groups both independent or affiliated with one particular localpublic school district or collegiate educational institution, or entities owned by or related tostate government.[4]
PBS was established on November 3, 1969, byHartford N. Gunn Jr. (president ofWGBH),John Macy (president of CPB),James Day (last president ofNational Educational Television), and Kenneth A. Christiansen (chairman of the department of broadcasting at theUniversity of Florida).[19]Fred Friendly was an integral figure in negotiations about the interconnection that would lead to the 1969 creation of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS).[20]
It began operations on October 5, 1970, taking over many of the functions of its predecessor, National Educational Television (NET), which later merged withNewark, New Jersey station WNDT to formWNET. In 1973, it merged withEducational Television Stations.[21][22][23] Around the same time, the groups started out the National Public Affairs Broadcast Center (later National Public Affairs Center for Television), which offered news and national affairs to the service.[24][25] The group was later merged into member stationWETA-TV in 1972.[26][27]
Immediately after public disclosure of theWatergate scandal, on May 17, 1973, theUnited States Senate Watergate Committee commenced proceedings; PBS broadcast the proceedings nationwide, withRobert MacNeil andJim Lehrer as commentators. Although all of theBig Three TV Networks ran coverage of the hearings, PBS rebroadcast them on prime time.[28] For seven months, nightly "gavel-to-gavel" broadcasts drew great public interest, and raised the profile of the fledgling PBS network.[29]
In 1991, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting resumed funding for most PBS shows that debuted before 1977, with the exceptions ofWashington Week in Review andWall Street Week (CPB resumed funding ofWashington Week in 1997).
In 1994,The Chronicle of Philanthropy released the results of the largest study on the popularity and credibility of charitable and non-profit organizations. PBS ranked as the 11th "most popular charity/non-profit in America" from over 100 charities researched in the study conducted by the industry publication, with 38.2% of Americans over the age of 12 choosing "love" and "like a lot" for PBS.[30][31][32][33]
Since the mid-2000s,Roper Opinion Research polls commissioned by PBS have consistently placed the service as themost-trusted national institution in the United States.[3][34] A 2016–2017 study byNielsen Media Research found 80% of all US television households view the network's programs over the course of a year.[5] However, PBS is not responsible for all programming carried on public television stations, a large proportion of which may come from itsmember stations—includingWGBH-TV,WETA-TV,WNET,WTTW,WQED,WHYY-TV,Twin Cities PBS—American Public Television, and independent producers. This distinction regarding the origin of different programs on the service presents a frequent source of viewer confusion.[35]
In December 2009, PBS signed up for theNielsen ratingsaudience measurement reports, and began to be included in its primetime and daily "Television Index" reports, alongside the major commercial broadcast networks.[36]
In May 2011, PBS announced that it would incorporate breaks containing underwriter spots for corporate and foundation sponsors,program promotions and identification spots within four breaks placed within episodes ofNature andNOVA, airing episodes broken up into segments of up to 15 minutes, rather than airing them as straight 50- to 55-minute episodes. The strategy began that fall, with the intent to expand the in-program breaks to the remainder of the schedule if successful.[37]
In 2011, PBS releasedapps foriOS andAndroid to allow viewing of full-length videos on mobile devices.[38]
"PBS UK" was launched as a paid subscription channel in the United Kingdom on November 1, 2011, featuring American documentary programming sourced from PBS. Better identifying its subject matter, this channel was renamed "PBS America" on July 4, 2012. The channel has subsequently become available in other parts of Europe and Australia.
On February 28, 2012, PBS partnered with AOL to launchMakers: Women Who Make America, a digital documentary series focusing on high-achieving women in male-dominated industries such as war, comedy, space, business, Hollywood and politics.[39][40]
PBS initially struggled to compete with online media such as YouTube for market share. In a 2012 speech to 850 top executives from PBS stations, Senior Vice President of DigitalJason Seiken warned that PBS was in danger of being disrupted by YouTube studios such asMaker Studios. In the speech, later described as a "seminal moment" for public television,[41] he laid out his vision for a new style of PBS digital video production. Station leadership rallied around his vision and Seiken formedPBS Digital Studios, which began producing educational but edgy videos, something Seiken called "PBS-quality with a YouTube sensibility".[42] The studio's first hit, an auto-tuned version of the theme from one of their most famous television programs,Mister Rogers' Neighborhood, was one of YouTube's 10 most viral videos of 2012.[43] By 2013, monthly video views on PBS.org had risen from 2 million to a quarter-billion, PBS.org traffic had surpassed that of theCBS,NBC, andABC web sites, PBSKids.org had become the dominant US children's site for video, and PBS had won more 2013Webby Awards than any other media company in the world.[44]
On May 8, 2013, full-length episodes of PBS' prime time, news and children's programs were made available through theRoku streaming player; programming is available on Roku as separate streaming channels for "PBS" and "PBS Kids" content.[45] Some content is only available with aPBS Passport member benefit subscription.[46]
On July 1, 2016,Amazon Prime Video and PBS Distribution entered into a multi-year agreement which saw several PBS Kids series on other streaming services move to Amazon Prime Video.[47]
PBS Distribution partnered withMultiChoice to launch PBS Kids on May 22, 2019, onDStv andGOtv subscription platforms across itsSub-Saharan Africa footprint.[48] In mid-2021, the channel was added to Australia'sFoxtel subscription platform.[49]
At the summer 2019Television Critics Association press tour day for PBS on July 29, 2019, it was announced that MVPDYouTube TV would begin to carry PBS programming and member stations in the fall of 2019. Member stations have the choice of having their traditional channel on the service with its full programming schedule received by Google over-the-air and uploaded to the service, a YouTube TV-only feed provided by the station with some programming substitutions due to lack of digital rights, or a PBS-provided feed with limited localization, though with no local programming or pledge drive programming.[50]
In 2019, PBS announced plans to move its headquarters to another building in the Crystal Gateway complex, while remaining inCrystal City, Virginia, and did so in 2020, which included a top building sign visible off theRichmond Highway.[51][52][18]
On August 4, 2020, theAmazon Prime Video platform added a "PBS Documentaries" package.[53] As of that time it offered four separately-subscribable selections of PBS programming in the United States, "PBS Documentaries", "PBS Living" (also on Apple TV), "PBS Masterpiece" (also in Canada) and "PBS KIDS".[54] In the UK, a "PBS America" documentaries package became available on Amazon Prime Video.[55]
On September 3, 2020, PBS began to offer a livestream of its member stations for free via its website (as well as the websites of the member stations), on smart TVs, and on its mobile apps. However, only a small handful of stations currently do not have a livestream of their stations set up.[56] Jefferson Graham ofUSA Today called it "arguably the best bargain in streaming".[57]
July 1, 2021, saw a PBS Julia Child channel added toPluto TV andTubi in the United States.[58]
The channels "PBS Antiques Roadshow", "Julia Child", "Antiques Road Trip" and "PBS Nature" were added to a number of AmericanFAST platforms in January 2023.[59] Antiques Road Trip later became available in Australia. The channels "PBS Food" (in the United States) and "PBS History" (in the UK and Australia) launched on certain FAST platforms in late 2023.[60][61]
The channel "PBS Retro" was added toRoku's live TV channel lineup in the United States on April 23, 2024, airing PBS Kids shows from the 70s, 80s and 90s.[62] The "PBS Science"[63][64] channel became available in Australia in 2024. It is also available in the UK and Ireland.
On August 1, 2025, theCorporation for Public Broadcasting, from which PBS gets much of its funding, announced they were going to end operations due to being entirely defunded by theRescissions Act of 2025.[65][66]
In September 2025, PBS announced a 15% staff reduction, cutting about 100 jobs, including 34 immediate layoffs, in response to a $1.1 billion decrease in federal funding for public broadcasting over 2026 and 2027. The cuts, which came after the elimination of CPB funding starting October 1, 2025, and the loss of an educational grant earlier that year, led to a 21% drop in PBS's revenue.[67]
Even with its status as a non-profit[8][2] and educational television network, PBS engages in program distribution. PBS provides television content and related services to its member stations, each of which together cooperatively owns the network.[1] Unlike the affiliates for commercial TV networks, each non-profit PBS member station is charged with the responsibility of programming local content such as news, interviews, cultural, andpublic affairs programs for its individual market or state that supplements content provided by PBS and other public television distributors.
In acommercial broadcast television network structure, affiliates give up portions of their local advertising airtime in exchange for carrying network programming, and the network pays its affiliates a share of the revenue it earns from advertising. By contrast, PBS member stations pay fees for the shows acquired and distributed by the national organization. Under this relationship, PBS member stations have greater latitude in local scheduling than their commercial broadcasting counterparts. Scheduling of PBS-distributed series may vary greatly depending on the market. This can be a source of tension as stations seek to preserve their localism, and PBS strives to market a consistent national lineup. However, PBS has a policy of "common carriage", which requires most stations to clear the national prime time programs on a commonprogramming schedule to market them nationally more effectively. Management at former Los Angeles memberKCET cited unresolvable financial and programming disputes among its major reasons for leaving PBS after over 40 years in January 2011, although it would return to PBS in 2019.[68]
Although PBS has a set schedule of programming, particularly in regard to its prime time schedule, member stations reserve the right to schedule PBS-distributed programming in other time slots or not clear it at all if they choose to do so; few of the service's members carry all its programming. Most PBS stationstimeshift some distributed programs. Once PBS accepts a program offered for distribution, PBS, rather than the originating member station, retains exclusive rebroadcasting rights during an agreed period. Suppliers, however, retain the right to sell the program's intellectual property in non-broadcast media such as DVDs, books, and sometimes PBS-licensed merchandise.
The evening and primetime schedule on PBS features a diverse array of programming includingfine arts (Great Performances); drama (Masterpiece,Downton Abbey,American Family: Journey of Dreams); science (Nova,Nature); history (American Experience,American Masters,History Detectives,Antiques Roadshow); music (Austin City Limits,Soundstage);public affairs (Frontline,PBS NewsHour,Washington Week,Nightly Business Report);independent films and documentaries (P.O.V.,Independent Lens);home improvement (This Old House); andinterviews (Amanpour & Company,Tavis Smiley,The Dick Cavett Show).[69][70] In 2012, PBS began organizing much of its prime time programming around a genre-based schedule (for example, drama series encompass the Sunday schedule, while science-related programs are featured on Wednesdays).[71]
Unlike its radio counterpart,National Public Radio, PBS does not have a central program production arm or news division. All of the programming carried by PBS, whether news, documentary or entertainment, is created by (or in most cases produced under contract with) other parties, such as individual member stations.Boston memberWGBH-TV is one of the largest producers ofeducational television programming, including shows likeAmerican Experience,Arthur (with Canada-basedCINAR),Masterpiece Theatre,Nova,Antiques Roadshow andFrontline as well as many other children's and lifestyle programs.[72] News programs are produced byWETA-TV (PBS News Hour) in Washington, D.C., WNET in New York City andWPBT in Miami. Newark, New Jersey/New York City memberWNET produces or distributes programs such asSecrets of the Dead,Nature, andCyberchase. PBS also works with other networks for programming such asCNN International forAmanpour & Company which is a co-production of CNN International and WNET.[73]
PBS member stations are known for rebroadcasting British televisioncostume dramas,comedies andscience fiction programs (acquired from theBBC and other sources) such asDownton Abbey;'Allo 'Allo!;Are You Being Served?;The Benny Hill Show,Red Dwarf;The Fall and Rise of Reginald Perrin;Father Ted;Fawlty Towers;Harry Enfield & Chums;Keeping Up Appearances;Monty Python's Flying Circus;Mr. Bean,The Vicar of Dibley, the original run ofDoctor Who, andSherlock. However, a significant amount of sharing takes place. The BBC and British broadcasters such asChannel 4 often cooperate with PBS stations, producing material that is shown on both sides of theAtlantic. Less frequently, Canadian, Australian and other international programming appears on PBS stations (such asThe Red Green Show, currently distributed by syndicator Executive Program Services); public broadcasting syndicators are more likely to offer this programming to U.S.-based public television stations.
PBS is not the only distributor of public television programming to the member stations. Other distributors have emerged from the roots of companies that maintained loosely held regional public television stations in the 1960s.Boston-basedAmerican Public Television, also formerly known as Eastern Educational Network and the American Program Service, among other names, is another major distributor of programming to U.S. non-commercial stations. The National Educational Telecommunications Association (NETA, formerly SECA) is another distributor, with properties includingThe Shapies andJerry Yarnell School of Fine Art. In addition, the member stations themselves also produce a variety of local shows, some of which subsequently receive national distribution through PBS or other distributors.
Rerun programming, especially domestic programming not originally produced for public television, is generally uncommon on PBS or its member stations. The most prominent exception to this isThe Lawrence Welk Show, which has aired continuously in reruns on PBS (through theOklahoma Educational Television Authority) almost every weekend since 1986. Reruns of programs originally produced for public television are common, especially with former PBS shows whose hosts have retired or died (for example,The Joy of Painting andMister Rogers' Neighborhood). Children's programming (such asClifford the Big Red Dog andDragonflyTV, the latter of which is also syndicated on commercial television) is rerun extensively. In 2020 and 2021, PBS served as the over-the-air home to select specials from thePeanuts library, under sublicense fromApple;[74] the deal was not renewed in 2022.[75]
Launched as PTV on July 11, 1994, PBS Kids is the brand forchildren's programs aired by PBS. PBS Kids, launched in 1999 and operated until 2005, was largely funded by satellite providerDirecTV. The original channel ceased operations on September 26, 2005, in favor ofPBS Kids Sprout, a commercialdigital cable and satellite television channel originally operated as a joint venture between PBS,Comcast,Sesame Workshop andApax Partners (NBCUniversal, which Comcast acquired in 2011, later acquired the other partners' interests in the channel in 2012). However, the original programming block still exists on PBS, filling daytime and in some cases, weekend morning schedules on its member stations; many members also carry 24-hour locally programmed children's networks featuring PBS Kids content on one of their digital subchannels. A revived version of the PBS Kids Channel was launched on January 16, 2017. As of 2019, PBS Kids is the only children's programming block on U.S. broadcast television.
PAs the children's programs it distributes are intended to educate as well as entertain its target audience, PBS and its stations have long been in compliance witheducational programming guidelines set by theFederal Communications Commission in response to the enactment of theChildren's Television Act of 1990. Many member stations have historically also broadcastdistance education and otherinstructional television programs, typically during daytime slots; though with the advent of digital television, which has allowed stations to carry these programs ondigital subchannels in lieu of the main PBS feed or exclusively over online, many member stations/networks have replaced distance education content with children's and other programming.
As of February 2023, the duration of the PBS Kids block was reduced from 13 hours of daily programming including both before- and after-school programs, down to eight hours primarily in the mornings. This move was meant to cater to more general audiences in the afternoons, and as part of an ongoing move of kids programming to on-demand streaming services.[76]
As PBS is often known for doing, PBS Kids has broadcast imported series from other countries; these include British series originally broadcast by theBBC andITV. Through American Public Television, many PBS stations also began airing the Australian seriesRaggs on June 4, 2007. Some of the programs broadcast as part of the service's children's lineup or through public broadcast syndication directly to its members have subsequently been syndicated to commercial television outlets (such asGhostwriter andThe Magic School Bus).
Many PBS member stations and networks—includingMississippi Public Broadcasting (MHSAA),Georgia Public Broadcasting (GHSA),Maine Public Broadcasting Network (MPA),Iowa PBS (IGHSAU),Nebraska Public Media (NSAA), andWKYU-TV (Western Kentucky Hilltoppers)—locally broadcast high school and college sports. From the 1980s onward, the national PBS network has not typically carried sporting events, mainly because the broadcast rights to most sporting events have become more cost-prohibitive in that timeframe, especially for nonprofits with limited revenue potential; in addition, starting with the respective launches of theMountainWest Sports Network (now defunct) andBig Ten Network in 2006 and 2007 and the later launches of thePac-12 Network andESPN'sSEC Network andACC Network,athletic conferences have acquired rights for all of their member university's sports programs for their cable channels, restricting their use from PBS member stations, even those associated with their own universities.
From 1976 to 1989,KQED produced a series ofBundesliga matches under the bannerSoccer Made in Germany, withToby Charles announcing. PBS also carried tennis events, as well asIvy League football. Notable football commentators includedUpton Bell,Marty Glickman,Bob Casciola,Brian Dowling,Sean McDonough andJack Corrigan.[77] Other sports programs included interview series such asThe Way It Was andThe Sporting Life.[78]
The board of directors is responsible for governing and setting policy for PBS, consisting of 27 members: 14 professional directors (station managers), 12 general directors (outside directors), and the PBS president.[79] All PBS Board members serve three-year terms, without pay.[79] PBS member stations elect the 14 professional directors; the board elects the 12 general directors and appoints the PBS president and CEO; and the entire board elects its officers.[80]
As of March 2015[update], PBS maintains current memberships with 354 television stations encompassing 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. possessions;[4][81] as such, it is the only television broadcaster in the United States—commercial or non-commercial—which has station partners licensed in every U.S. state (by comparison, none of the five major commercial broadcast networks has affiliates in certain states where PBS has members, most notablyNew Jersey). The service has an estimated national reach of 93.74% of all households in the United States (or 292,926,047 Americans with at least one television set).
PBS stations are commonly operated by nonprofit organizations, state agencies, local authorities (such as municipal boards of education), or universities in theircity of license; this is similar (albeit more centralized in states where a licensee owns multiple stations rebroadcasting the main PBS member) to the early model of commercial broadcasting in the U.S., in which network-affiliated stations were initially owned by companies that owned few to no other television stations elsewhere in the country. In some U.S. states, a group of PBS stations throughout the entire state may be organized into a single regional "subnetwork" (such asAlabama Public Television andArkansas PBS); in this model, PBS programming and other content is distributed by the originating station in the subnetwork to otherfull-power stations that serve as satellites as well as any low-power translators in other areas of the state. Some states may be served by such a regional network and simultaneously have PBS member stations in a certain city (such as the case with secondary memberKBDI-TV inDenver, which is not related toColorado member networkRocky Mountain PBS and itsflagship station and primary Denver PBS member, KRMA-TV) that operate autonomously from the regional member network.
As opposed to the present commercial broadcasting model in which network programs are often carried exclusively on one television station in a given market, PBS may maintain more than one member station in certain markets, which may be owned by the licensee of the market's primary PBS member station or owned by a separate licensee (as a prime example,KOCE-TV,KLCS andKVCR-DT—which are all individually owned—serve as PBS stations for the Los Angelesmarket; KCET served as the market's primary PBS member until it left the service in January 2011,[82] at which time it was replaced by KOCE). KCET rejoined PBS in 2019, thus giving the Los Angeles area four different member stations.
For these cases, PBS uses the Program Differentiation Plan, which divides by percentage the number of programs distributed by the service that each member can carry on their schedule; often, this assigns a larger proportion of PBS-distributed programming to the primary member station, with the secondary members being allowed to carry a lesser number of program offerings from the service's schedule. Unlike public broadcasters in most other countries, PBS cannot own any of the stations that broadcasts its programming; therefore, it is one of the few television programming bodies that does not have anyowned-and-operated stations. This is partly due to the origins of the PBS stations themselves, and partly due to historicalbroadcast license issues.
Most PBS member stations have produced at least some nationally distributed programs. Current regularly scheduled programming on thePBS national feed is produced by a smaller group of stations, including:
| Network | Notes |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=logo} PBS Kids | A programming block that provideschildren's television programs. The block was formerly called PTV Park. Launched as a 24/7 network in 1999 that was dissolved in 2005 and subsequently revived in 2017. |
| PBS Satellite Service | A 24-hour alternate network feed that provides a mixed variety of programming selected from the main PBS service, as well as for carriage on programming tiers of satellite providers. |
PBS hasspun off a number of television networks, often in partnership with other media companies. PBS YOU, a distance education and how-to service operated between 2000 and 2006, and was largely succeeded byCreate (a similarly formatted network owned by American Public Television). The 24-hour PBS Kids Channel has had two iterations in the age ofdigital television; one which existed between 1999 and 2005 (being superseded by PBS Kids Sprout), and the current version which was launched in 2017.World began operations in 2007 as a service operated by PBS but is now managed by American Public Television.
PBS has also restructured its satellite feed system, simplifyingHD02 (PBS West) into a timeshift feed for thePacific Time Zone, rather than a high-definition complement to its formerly primary SD feed.PBS Kids Go! was proposed as a replacement broadcast network for the original 1999–2005 version of the PBS Kids Channel; however, plans to launch the network were folded in 2006. Programming from the PBS Satellite Service has also been carried by certain member stations or regional member networks to fill their overnight schedules (particularly those that have transitioned to a 24-hour schedule since the late 1990s), in lieu of providing programming sourced from outside public television distributors or repeats of local programming (program promotions shown on the satellite feed advertise upcoming programs as being aired on PBS during the timeslot card normally used as a placeholder for member outlets to insert local airtime information).
Some or all of these services are available on a digital cable tier of many cable providers, on afree-to-air (FTA) satellite receiver receiving fromPBS Satellite Service, as well as via subscription-baseddirect broadcast satellite providers. With the exception of Sprout, some of these services, including those from PBS member stations and networks, have not made contracts with Internet-distributedover-the-topMVPD services such asSling TV and the now defunctPlayStation Vue. With the transition to over-the-airdigital television broadcasts, many of the services are also often now available as standard-definitionmulticast channels on the digital signals of some member stations, while HD02 (PBS West) serves as a secondary HD feed. With the absence of advertising, network identification on these PBS networks was limited to use at the end of the program, which includes the standard series ofbumpers from the "Be More" campaign.
While not operated or controlled by PBS proper, additional public broadcasting networks are available and carried by PBS member stations. The following three are also distributed by PBS via satellite.
| Channel | Programming | Origin |
|---|---|---|
| Create | Educational and artistic programming | American Public Television |
| World | News and documentaries | |
| First Nations Experience | Indigenous programming | San Bernardino Community College District |
From 2002 to 2011,Buffalo, New York member stationWNED-TV operatedThinkBright TV, a service that was carried on several stations in upstate New York. Several state networks also offer apublic affairs subchannel network offering full-time coverage of state government events and legislative/judicial proceedings in the same vein asC-SPAN's coverage of the federal government. Many PBS stations also carried MHz Worldview from theMHz Networks until 2020 when MHz Networks announced its discontinuation of the network on March 1, 2020. Since then, many stations has switched to World Channel as well asFirst Nations Experience.
A separate but related concept is the state network, where a group of stations across a state simulcast a single programming schedule from a central facility, which may include specialty subchannels unique to that broadcaster.
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PBS introduced its first iconographic logo in 1971, a multi-coloredwordmark of the network's initials with the P designed to resemble asilhouette of a human face. The logo was designed by Ernie Smith andHerb Lubalin of the Lubalin Smith Carnase design firm.[83][84] Lubalin's human face "P", known internally at PBS as "Everyman", but more commonly known as the "P-Head", became the basis for all subsequent PBS logos.[85]
In 1984, PBS introduced a new version of the logo, designed byTom Geismar ofChermayeff & Geismar.[86] Chermayeff & Geismar felt that the Lubalin-designed logo was too similar to those of the three dominant commercial networks of the time, and they sought "to develop a symbol that could stand for the more inclusive concept of 'public television'". They inverted Lubalin's Everyman "P" to face to the right instead of the left, and repeated the outline as a series to represent a "multitude" of people. The symbol was subsequently renamed "Everyone".[85] The repeated outline of the face has also been interpreted to suggest a degree ofmulticulturalism, as well as the public service aspect of the PBS mission.[87]
The logo has been used in various forms since: from 1998 onward, the Geismar logo has been rendered in white on a circle.[85]
On November 4, 2019, in honor of the network's 50th anniversary, PBS unveiled a revampedbrand identity byLippincott, intended to be better-suited for use on digital platforms. The Geismar logo was tweaked, a new customsans-serif typeface known as PBS Sans was commissioned for the logo and other branding elements (which replaces theslab serif typeface used in the PBS logo since 1984), and electric blue and white were adopted as corporate colors.[88][89] The network is allowing flexibility in implementation, but is no longer allowing the logo to be displayed independently of the PBS name. Upon the launch of the new logo, some members rebranded themselves to include PBS in their name for the first time, such as Wisconsin Public Television rebranding asPBS Wisconsin.[89][90] PBS is paying out grants to at least 100 members to cover costs associated with the rebranding.[89]
PBS has been praised by critics for its variety of programming.[91] Tim Goodman ofThe Hollywood Reporter marked PBS' airing ofDownton Abbey as a turning point for the network's reputation and program variety.[92] He also wrote, "It's PBS's time to shine"[93] and said that the network "is an endless bounty of riches...Ain't this great?"[92] Stevenonymous ofBuzzFeed wrote, "PBS isn't just TV anymore."[94] David Zurawik ofThe Baltimore Sun wrote, "If you want a reason to believe in PBS...here it is."[95] Mekeisha Madden Toby ofTheWrap wrote, "There is a lot to love...on PBS."[96] Kristen McQuinn ofBook Riot wrote, "PBS is awesome in every way."[97] Caroline Framke ofVariety wrote, "There's still no beating PBS."[91] Alyssa Rosenburg ofThe Washington Post wrote, "PBS is a unifying thread...through our cultural fabric."[98] Margaret Renkl ofThe New York Times wrote, "By aiming to unite...PBS might save us yet."[99] Margie Barron ofEntertainment Today wrote, "PBS remains a beacon...that inspires."[100] TheMarketing & Research Resources survey, said that PBS is the "#1 most trusted media 19 years in a row."[101] In 2021, the network had 14News & Documentary Emmy Award nominations, more than any other organization.[102] Matt Roush ofTV Insider wrote, "PBS is and always has been a bright light."[103] For thePBS Arts program,Rob Owen ofPittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote, "A gift to viewers."[104]
Since 53% to 60% of public television's revenues come from private membership donations andgrants,[105] most stations solicit individual donations by methods includingfundraising,pledge drives ortelethons, which disrupt regularly scheduled programming. This has been perceived as potentially annoying since regularly scheduled programming is often replaced with specials aimed at a wider audience (such as music specials aimed at theBaby Boomer generation and financial, health and motivational programs) to solicit new members and donations; during fundraising events, these programs are often interrupted within the broadcast by long-form segments (of six to eight minutes in length) encouraging viewers to donate to their PBS member.[106]Underwriting spots are aired at the end of each program, which differ from traditional commercials in several ways.[107] Each spot must be approved to meet several guidelines.[108] The main guidelines state that underwriting spots cannot be qualitative in any way, nor can they have any call to action.[109]
A 1982 broadcast of theUnited States Information Agency programLet Poland be Poland about themartial law declared in Poland in 1981 was condemned by broadcasters in communist Eastern Europe, who labeled it as "provocative and anticommunist" propaganda, reflecting the regimes' opposition to criticism of their actions or ideology.[110][111]
In 1999, at least three public television stations were caught selling or trading their mailing lists with theDemocratic National Committee. UnderIRS regulations, nonprofit organizations are prohibited from participating in political actions. Officials from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting condemned the practice and conducted an investigation into the matter. The stations involved were in New York, Boston, and Washington.[112]
Individual programs aired by PBS have been the targets of organized campaigns by individuals and groups with opposing views, including by former United States Secretary of EducationMargaret Spellings in 2005.[113]
In September 2003,Kenneth Tomlinson was chosen as chairman of the CPB board.[114] He criticized PBS andNPR for what he alleged to be a "liberal bias".[115] His efforts sparked complaints of political pressure.[116]
To partially balance out the perceived left-leaning PBS shows, from June 2004 to July 2005, PBS airedTucker Carlson: Unfiltered with conservative commentatorTucker Carlson, and from September 2004 to December 2005, PBS airedThe Journal Editorial Report withPaul Gigot, a conservative editor ofThe Wall Street Journal editorial page.[117] In December 2004,Bill Moyers resigned as a PBS regular, citing political pressure to alter the content of his program, and saying Tomlinson had pursued a "vendetta" against him.[118]
In May 2005, two House Democrats requested the CPB inspector general investigate the complaints of political interference.[119] The inspector general's report was issued in November 2005 and described possible political influence on personnel decisions, including e-mail correspondence between Tomlinson and the White House which indicated that Tomlinson "was strongly motivated by political considerations in filling the president/CEO position", a position filled in June 2005 by formerRepublican National Committee co-chairPatricia Harrison.[120] Tomlinson resigned from the CPB board on November 3, 2005.[121]
In January 2025,Federal Communications Commission (FCC) ChairBrendan Carr ordered an investigation of thecorporate underwriting sponsorships of PBS andNPR member stations for possible violations of FCC regulations prohibiting noncommercial broadcasters from airingadvertisements.[122][123] The following March, theSenate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations opened an inquiry into the investigation ordered by Carr.[124] In 1981, Congress amended theCommunications Act of 1934 to authorize noncommercial station licensees to offer services and facilities in exchange for remuneration on the condition that it not interfere with their provision of public telecommunications services.[125][a][b] In 1984, the FCC adopted a policy under the amendment allowing noncommercial stations to broadcast underwriting spots from for-profit entities that provided donations or underwriting.[125][131]
While the FCC prohibited underwriting spots from including certain specific content (e.g. promotion of the contributor's products, services, or business, comparative or qualitative descriptions of products, price information,calls to action, or inducements to buy, sell, or lease products), the FCC has generally given noncommercial broadcasters deference in determining compliance with its underwriting rules, placed no specific limit on the length of the underwriting spots, and permitted the use of logos andslogans for the purpose of identifying the contributor, business location information and phone numbers, value-neutral descriptions ofproduct or service lines, brand andtrade names, and product and service listings.[125][131] Also, the FCC's underwriting rules and prohibition on noncommercial broadcasters receiving advertising only apply to underwriting spots that arebroadcast and do not apply to the websites of noncommercial broadcasters.[131][c] The 1981 amendment to the Communications Act also established a temporary commission to identify alternative sources of funding for public broadcasting and study the potential for advertising revenue using limited demonstrations, but in its final report released in 1983, the commission found that the prospect of significant advertising revenue was limited and instead recommended that Congress continue providing the appropriation to Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).[125]
In 2012, the CPB issued a report commissioned by Congress and that includedmarket analysis conducted byBooz & Company which noted that corporate underwriting accounted for less than one-fifth of the revenue for public television and radio stations and had declined substantially due to theGreat Recession.[134] Along with the 1983 report and a 2007Government Accountability Office report about public television specifically,[125][135] the CPB report concluded that growth in such underwriting revenue was unlikely, that allowing public broadcasters to air advertisements would not offset a decline in federal funding while likely contributing to a decline in support from other sources, and that there was no alternative source of funding to the federal CPB appropriation that could sustain public broadcasting service at the same level.[136] Analysis of CPB data published by thePew Research Center in August 2023 found that underwriting revenue for NPR member stations from 2008 through 2021 was mostly flat and fell below 2009 levels in 2021 following theCOVID-19 recession, while corporate funding for thePBS News Hour ranged from 17% to 23% of total revenue from 2015 through 2022.[137]
Executive Order 14290, titled "Ending Taxpayer Subsidization of Biased Media", is anexecutive order signed by U.S. presidentDonald Trump on May 1, 2025 to end federal funding forNPR (a radio network) and PBS (a television network) by theCorporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and by federal agencies, alleging biased news coverage in violation of thePublic Broadcasting Act of 1967 (PBA) and that public funding for news programming was "not only outdated and unnecessary but corrosive to the appearance of journalistic independence" in the currentU.S. media market.[138][139][140]
CPB, PBS, and NPR executives issued press releases arguing that the executive order was unlawful under the PBA and that the organizations would explore how to continue providing programming while challenging the order.[141][139][142] On May 27, NPR and three public radio stations sued the Trump administration for ending their federal funding under the executive order, citing it as a violation of theFirst Amendment.[143][144][145] On May 30, PBS sued the Trump administration for ending their federal funding under the executive order.[146][147][148]
Before the executive order was issued, the CPB filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on April 28 after Trump attempted to fire three of the five members of the CPB'sboard of directors,[149][150] while the CPB also filed a lawsuit against theFederal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in March 2025 for halting their funding under the Next Generation Warning System Grant Program within theIntegrated Public Alert and Warning System.[151][152][153]
FEMA released the funds on April 24.[154][155] On June 8,District of Columbia U.S. District Court JudgeRandolph Moss ruled against apreliminary injunction requested by the CPB in its lawsuit against the attempted director removals since the CPB changed itsby-laws afterward under the District of Columbia Nonprofit Corporation Act to prevent any authority, including the President of the United States, from removing a director without a two-thirds vote of the other directors, which allowed for the directors to keep their positions.[156][157][158] On July 15, the Trump administration filed a separate lawsuit to remove the same CPB directors.[159][160]On June 3, President Trump filed a request for arescission bill that included the congressional appropriation for the CPB.[161][162][163] The next day,Office of Management and Budget DirectorRussell Vought testified before theHouse Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government on the rescission request and the administration's 2026fiscal year budget request.[164][165] Before the rescission request, PBS CEOPaula Kerger, NPR CEOKatherine Maher, and the CEO ofAlaska Public Media testified on March 26 before theHouse Oversight Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency about the CPB appropriation, thejournalistic standards and allegedbias of the organizations, and public broadcasting'seducational programming and participation in emergency alert systems inrural areas.[166][167] On June 6,House Majority LeaderSteve Scalise introduced a rescission bill including the CPB appropriation in theHouse of Representatives.[168]
The House passed the bill on June 12 alongparty lines by a vote of 214 to 212.[174] On June 25, Vought testified before theSenate Appropriations Committee on the rescission bill.[175][176][177] The Senate received the House bill on July 10 and it was referred to the Appropriations andBudget Committees.[178] On July 15, the Senate passedmotions todischarge the House bill from the Appropriations and Budget Committees and to proceed to debate withVice PresidentJD Vance castingtie-breaking votes on each motion.[179][180][181] In the morning of July 17, the Senate passed the bill by a vote of 51 to 48 and with an amendment, requiring the bill to be transmitted back to the House for a second vote.[182][183][184] The House approved the amended bill after midnight on July 18 by a vote of 216 to 213.[185][186][187] President Trump signed the bill into law on July 24.[188]
Critics of the rescission bill, such as Nevada U.S. RepresentativeMark Amodei and New York U.S. RepresentativeDan Goldman, noted that the CPB appropriation amounted to less than 0.01% (1/10,000) of theU.S. federal budget.[189] Polls conducted byYouGov from 2022 through 2025 showed PBS and NPR to be among the most trusted media institutions in the United States and that trust in PBS and NPR was growing,[190][195] while five surveys conducted by YouGov and thePew Research Center from February through July 2025 found consistent majorities or pluralities of Americans supported continuing federal funding for PBS and NPR.[201] Previously, in every year from 2004 through 2021, surveys of Americans had shown PBS to have been consistently ranked as the most trusted institution in comparison tocommercial broadcast andcable television,newspapers, andstreaming services, and in January 2021, Americans valued tax dollars spent on PBS behind onlymilitary defense andoversight of food and drug safety.[202]
After the passage of the rescission bill, the CPB announced on August 1, 2025, that it would lay off the majority of its staff by the end of the fiscal year on September 30, with only askeleton crew staying on board until January 2026 to distribute any remaining funds and royalties.[203][204][205]In the 1990s, PBS became involved in a dispute over home video licensing rights withPacific Arts Corporation, a multimedia company owned and operated by formerThe Monkees guitaristMichael Nesmith.
In 1990, Pacific Arts secured a contract with PBS to distribute their back catalog of programming on VHS under thePBS Home Video banner. However, in the early 1990s, Pacific Arts and PBS went through a series of serious disagreements. Lawsuits were filed: by Nesmith and Pacific Arts against PBS for breach of contract, intentional misrepresentation, intentional concealment, negligent misrepresentation, and interference with contract; and by PBS against Nesmith and Pacific Arts for lost royalties.[206] The lawsuits escalated in 1994 and 1995 into major litigation between the parties over these rights and payments. PBS and Nesmith and Pacific Arts vigorously prosecuted these multimillion-dollar counter-suits.
The six plaintiffs included PBS,WGBH-TV,WNET, theKen Burns-owned American Documentaries and Radio Pioneers Film Project and theChildren's Television Workshop. They sought approximately $5 million in disputed royalties, advances, guarantees and license fees for programs and the use of the PBS logo from the defendants Pacific Arts and Nesmith.
Due to the cost of the litigation, Pacific Arts was forced to cease distribution operations and suspended the use of the PBS logo on the Pacific Arts videos.[206] Though Pacific Arts distribution system had ceased operating, the various plaintiffs were counting on capturing a personal financial guarantee Nesmith had made to PBS in the original PBS deal in 1990.
The cases went to jury trial in Federal Court in Los Angeles in February 1999. After three days of deliberation, the jury unanimously sided with Nesmith.[207] The court awarded Pacific Arts $14,625,000 for loss of its rights library, plus $29,250,000 in punitive damages. The jury awarded $3 million to Nesmith personally, including $2 million in punitive damages for a total award to Nesmith and Pacific Arts of $48,875,000. The jury resolved the outstanding license fee issues by ordering Pacific Arts and Nesmith to pay approximately $1.2 million to American Documentaries forThe Civil War, about $230,000 toWGBH-TV, and $150,000 toWNET.[206]
Following the ruling, Nesmith expressed his personal disappointment with PBS and was quoted byBBC News as stating "It's like finding your grandmother stealing your stereo. You're happy to get your stereo back, but it's sad to find out your grandmother is a thief."[208] The decision never went to an appeals court and the final amount paid to Pacific Arts and Nesmith was an undisclosed sum agreed to in an out-of-court settlement.
PBS provides an alternative path forWireless Emergency Alerts to wireless carriers through its Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN). The alerts are transmitted through the PBS satellite network on theAMC-21 satellite to PBS stations, who then broadcast the messages over their transmitters for reception by wireless carriers at their cell sites.[209]
The WARN network is funded by a grant throughNational Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA).[209]
The following public broadcasters and channel have a similar focus on educational programming like the PBS:
TVO (formerly TVOntario),Knowledge Network
China Education Television
ArteFrance 5ARD-alpha
Educational Broadcasting System
Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company (UR)"Tesla, Master of Lightning", New Voyage Communications for PBS Television Network, 2000, 90 minutes.
Suarez joined the PBS NewsHour in 1999 and was a senior correspondent for the evening news program on the PBS television network until 2013.
We are pleased to announce the release of Inside Peace throughout the PBS television network in the United States.
Public television is a major participant in the great tradition of a free and independent American press. To protect public television's journalistic integrity, PBS's funding standards are premised on core principles that ensure the complete editorial independence of producers from influence by underwriters. While funding and fundraising are necessary to support the development and production of content, producers must be free from the influence of funders. This firewall is essential to maintaining the public's trust.
He worked at several advertising agencies in New York. Among them were Sudler & Hennessy and Lubalin, Smith & Carnase, where he developed a logo for PBS.
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