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{{other uses}}
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{{Use American English|date=February 2016}}

{{Infobox broadcasting network
| name = Public Broadcasting Service
| logo = [[File:PBS logo.svg.png|200px]]
| network_type = {{flat list|
* [[Non-commercial educational|Non-commercial]]
* [[Terrestrial television|broadcast television]]
* [[Public broadcasting|public broadcaster]]
}}
| country = [[United States]]
| available = {{flat list|
* [[United States]]
* <br>southern [[Canada]]
* <br>northern [[Mexico]] (OTA only)
}}
| founded = {{start date and age|1970|06|23}}
| founder = Hartford N. Gunn Jr.
| slogan  = {{plainlist|
* "Be More" (primary)
* "This is PBS" (secondary)
}}
| headquarters = [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington County]], [[Virginia]], U.S.
| owner = [[Independent business|Independent]]
| key_people = {{plainlist|
* Paula Kerger <br>([[President]] and [[Chief executive officer|CEO]])<ref>{{cite web| title=PBS Corporate Officers and Senior Executives| url=http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/aboutpbs_corp_officers.html| accessdate=September 25, 2009}}</ref>
* [[Afsaneh Mashayekhi Beschloss|Afsaneh Beschloss]] (Director)
}}
| picture_format = {{plainlist|
* [[720p]] or [[1080i]] ([[High-definition television|HDTV]])
* [[480i]] ([[Standard-definition television|SDTV]])
}}
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1970|10|05}}
| replaced = [[National Educational Television]] (1952{{ndash}}1970)
| affiliates = [[List of PBS member stations|List of member stations]]
| website = {{URL|http://www.pbs.org/}}
}}

The '''Public Broadcasting Service''' ('''PBS''') is an American [[public broadcasting|public broadcaster]] and [[broadcast syndication|television program distributor]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://monocle.com/magazine/issues/101/at-your-service/ |title=At Your Service |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=March 2017 |website= |publisher=[[Monocle (UK magazine)]] |accessdate=April 9, 2017}}</ref> Headquartered in [[Arlington County, Virginia|Arlington, Virginia]], PBS is an independently operated [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit]] organization and is the most prominent provider of [[television programming]] to public television stations in the United States, distributing series such as ''[[Keeping Up Appearances]]'', ''[[BBC World News]]'', ''[[NOVA scienceNOW]]'', ''[[Nova (TV series)|NOVA]]'', ''[[Barney and Friends]]'', ''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'', ''[[Sesame Street]]'', ''[[PBS NewsHour]]'', ''[[Walking with Dinosaurs]]'', ''[[Masterpiece (TV series)|Masterpiece]]'', ''[[Nature (TV series)|Nature]]'', ''[[American Masters]]'', ''[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]'', and ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S. TV series)|Antiques Roadshow]]''.

PBS is funded by member station dues, [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting|the Corporation for Public Broadcasting]], government agencies, corporations, foundations and individual citizens. All proposed funding is subjected to a set of standards to ensure the program is free of influence from the funding source.<ref>{{cite web| title=PBS Funding Standards| url=http://www.pbs.org/about/producing-pbs/funding/| accessdate=December 29, 2016}}</ref>

Since the mid-2000s, [[GfK|Roper]] polls commissioned by PBS have consistently placed the service as the most-trusted national institution in the United States.<ref>{{cite press release|title=PBS #1 in public trust for the sixth consecutive year, according to a national Roper survey|url=http://www.pbs.org/aboutpbs/news/20090213_pbsropersurvey.html|publisher=PBS|date=February 13, 2009|accessdate=July 14, 2009}}</ref> However, PBS is not responsible for all programming carried on public television stations, a large proportion of which (including most specials aired during [[pledge drive]]s) come from [[Network affiliate|affiliate]]s, including such member stations as [[WGBH-TV|WGBH]], [[WETA-TV]], [[WNET]], [[WTTW|WTTW National Productions]]), [[American Public Television]] and independent producers. This arbitrary distinction is a frequent source of viewer confusion.<ref>{{cite web|title=Caution: That Program May Not Be From PBS|url=http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/2008/05/caution_that_program_may_not_be_from_pbs.html|author=Michael Getler|publisher=PBS|date=May 15, 2008|accessdate=December 30, 2008}}</ref>

The service has more than 350 [[Network affiliate#Member stations|member]] [[television station]]s, many owned by educational institutions or non-profit groups affiliated with a local public school district, collegiate educational institution or by state government-owned or -related entities.<ref name="StationIndex">{{cite web|title=Network Profile: PBS|url=http://www.stationindex.com/tv/by-net/pbs|publisher=Station Index|accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref> It also operates [[National Datacast]] (NDI), a subsidiary which offers [[datacasting]] services via member stations, and provides additional revenue for PBS and its member stations.

==Overview==

Founded by Hartford N. Gunn Jr., PBS began operations on October 5, 1970, taking over many of the functions of its predecessor, [[National Educational Television]] (NET), which later merged with [[Newark, New Jersey]] station WNDT to form [[WNET]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Articles of Incorporation of Public Broadcasting Service| url=http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/PBSarticles69.html|author=Public Broadcasting PolicyBase|work=[[Current (newspaper)|Current]]|date=January 14, 2000|accessdate=January 12, 2008 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010406090018/http://www.current.org/pbpb/documents/PBSarticles69.html | archive-date=April 6, 2001}}</ref> In 1973, it merged with [[Educational Television Stations]].<ref name="JARVIK">{{cite book|title=PBS, behind the screen|author=Laurence Ariel Jarvik|publisher=Forum|location=[[Rocklin, California]]|year=1997|isbn=0761506683}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Public TV Faces Fund Struggles|url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=SelHAAAAIBAJ&sjid=n_8MAAAAIBAJ&pg=805,469633&dq=hartford+public+broadcasting+television+gunn&hl=en|newspaper=[[Record-Journal|The Morning Record]]|via=[[Google News]]|date=|accessdate=October 28, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title=The Vanishing Vision: The Inside Story of Public Television|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=dKYZynRiU6YC&pg=PA137&lpg=PA137&dq=hartford+n+gunn+jr&source=bl&ots=yWuk8BdeHR&sig=E6rW2CuA9PvX0ma5pLqZVTD03m4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=k2dLUum9ING24APc14H4BA&ved=0CGAQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=hartford%20n%20gunn%20jr&f=false|author=James Day|via=[[Google Books]]|date=September 16, 1969|accessdate=October 23, 2013}}</ref>

Unlike the five major [[commercial broadcasting|commercial broadcast]] [[television network]]s in the United States, [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]], [[CBS]], [[NBC]], [[Fox Network|Fox]] and [[The CW]] – which compensate their affiliate stations to carry their programs – PBS is not a network but a program distributor that provides television content and related services to its member stations. Each station is charged with the responsibility of programming local content (often news, interview, cultural and [[public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] programs) for their individual market or state that supplements content provided by PBS and other public television distributors.

In a 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 (although this structure has been [[reverse compensation|reversed]] in recent years, with the network compensated by the stations). 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 common [[broadcast programming|programming]] schedule to market them nationally more effectively. Management at former [[Los Angeles]] member [[KCET]] cited unresolvable financial and programming disputes among its major reasons for leaving PBS after over 40 years in January 2011.<ref name="KCET">{{cite news|title=Los Angeles PBS affiliate KCET exits network fold to go independent|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/showtracker/2010/10/sorry-charlie-rose-los-angeles-pbs-affiliate-kcet-exits-network-fold-to-go-independent-.html|author=Scott Collins|newspaper=[[Los Angeles Times]]|publisher=[[Tribune Publishing]]|date=October 8, 2010|accessdate=March 12, 2015}}</ref>

Although PBS has a set schedule of programming (particularly in regard to its [[prime time]] schedule, while many members carry a feed of night-time programming from the PBS Satellite Service), 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 stations timeshift 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 retain the right to sell the program in non-broadcast media such as [[DVD]]s, books, and sometimes PBS [[merchandising|licensed merchandise]] (but sometimes grant such ancillary rights as well to PBS).

In 1991, the [[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]] resumed production for most PBS shows that debuted prior to 1977, with the exceptions of ''[[Washington Week|Washington Week in Review]]'' and ''[[Wall Street Week]]'' (CPB resumed production of ''Washington 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Charities Americans Like Most And Least|work=The Chronicle of Philanthropy|date=December 13, 1996}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Charity begins with health, Concern over diseases cited|author=Karen S. Peterson|newspaper=[[USA Today]]|publisher=[[Gannett Company]]|edition=FINAL|page=01D|date=December 20, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Survey helps firms choose charities|author=Laura Castaneda|newspaper=[[The Dallas Morning News]]|publisher=[[A. H. Belo|A. H. Belo Corporation]]|edition=HOME FINAL|page=1D|date=December 13, 1994}}</ref><ref>{{citation|title=Interview with Lavalle|date=September 7, 2009}}</ref>

In December 2009, PBS signed up for the [[Nielsen ratings]] [[audience measurement]] reports, and began to be included in its primetime and daily "Television Index" reports, alongside the major commercial broadcast networks.<ref>{{cite web|title=PBS Signs Up For Nielsen Ratings|url=http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/12/20/pbs-signs-up-for-nielsen-ratings/36822|author=Bill Gorman |work=[[TV by the Numbers]]|date=December 20, 2009 |accessdate=March 10, 2011 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222215318/http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/12/20/pbs-signs-up-for-nielsen-ratings/36822 | archive-date=December 22, 2009}}</ref> In May 2011, PBS announced that it would incorporate breaks containing underwriter spots for corporate and foundation sponsors, [[promo (media)|program promotions]] and identification spots within four breaks placed within episodes of ''[[Nature (TV series)|Nature]]'' and ''[[Nova (TV series)|NOVA]]'', 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.<ref>{{cite news|title=PBS Plans Promotional Breaks Within Programs|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/05/31/business/media/31adco.html?_r=0|author=Elizabeth Jensen|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|date=May 30, 2011|accessdate=March 12, 2015}}</ref>

In 2011, PBS released [[mobile app|apps]] for [[iOS]] and [[Android (OS)|Android]] to allow viewing of full-length videos on mobile devices.<ref>{{cite web|title=PBS Launches Free Full-Length Video App for iPhone and iPod touch and Antiques Roadshow Game App|url=http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/pbs-launches-free-full-length-video-app-for-iphone-and-ipod-touch-and-antiques-roadshow-game-app/|website=PBS|accessdate=July 13, 2016}}</ref> An update in 2015 added [[Chromecast]] support.<ref>{{cite news|last1=King Jr|first1=Bertel|title=PBS Video For Android Can Now Stream Full Episodes To Your Chromecast|url=http://www.androidpolice.com/2015/06/09/pbs-video-for-android-can-now-stream-full-episodes-to-your-chromecast/|accessdate=July 13, 2016|publisher=Android Police|date=July 9, 2015}}</ref>

On February 28, 2012, PBS partnered with AOL to launch MAKERS, a digital documentary series focusing on high-achieving women in male-dominated industries such as war, comedy, space, business, Hollywood and politics.<ref>Dwyer, Kate (March 28, 2016). [http://www.teenvogue.com/story/makers-stories-app-michelle-obama-music-video "How You Can Be in the Music Video for Michelle Obama's Song With Zendaya and Lea Michele"]. ''[[Teen Vogue]]''.</ref><ref>[http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/aol-and-pbs-announce-makers-women-who-make-america/ "AOL and PBS Announce 'MAKERS: WOMEN WHO MAKE AMERICA'"]. PBS. February 28, 2012.</ref>

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 Digital [[Jason Seiken]] warned that PBS was in danger of being disrupted by YouTube studios such as [[Maker Studios]]. In the speech, later described as a “seminal moment” for public television,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://current.org/2012/05/gms-take-up-pbs-plan-to-expand-web-video-output-2/|title=GMs take up PBS plan to expand web video output|date=May 29, 2012|work=Current.org}}</ref> he laid out his vision for a new style of PBS digital video production. Station leadership rallied around his vision and Seiken formed PBS Digital Studios, which began producing educational but edgy videos, something Seiken called “PBS-quality with a YouTube sensibility.”<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digiday.com/publishers/why-pbs-autotuned-mr-rogers/|title=Why PBS Autotuned Mr. Rogers - Digiday|work=Digiday|accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.businessinsider.com/these-are-the-20-most-viral-ads-of-2012-2012-12?op=1&IR=T|title=The 20 Most Viral Ads Of 2012 - Business Insider|author=Laura Stampler|date=December 3, 2012|work=Business Insider}}</ref> By 2013, monthly video views on PBS.org had risen from 2 million to a quarter-billion, PBS.org traffic had surpassed that of the CBS, NBC, and ABC web sites, PBSKids.org had become the dominant U.S. children’s site for video, and PBS had won more 2013 Webby Awards than any other media company in the world.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://digiday.com/publishers/pbs-sees-success-with-year-old-digital-studios|title=How PBS Won at Digital - Digiday|work=Digiday|accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref>

On May 8, 2013, full-length episodes of PBS' prime time, news and children's programs were made available through the [[Roku]] streaming player; programming is available on Roku as separate streaming channels for PBS and PBS Kids content.<ref>{{cite news|title=Roku's PBS, PBS Kids channels go live, stream full episodes|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/8301-33199_7-57583465-221/rokus-pbs-pbs-kids-channels-go-live-stream-full-episodes/|work=[[CNET]]|publisher=[[CBS Corporation]]|date=May 8, 2013}}</ref>

==Programming==
{{Main article|List of programs broadcast by PBS}}

The evening and primetime schedule on PBS features a diverse array of programming including [[fine arts]] (''[[Great Performances]]''); [[drama]] (''[[Masterpiece (TV series)|Masterpiece]]'', ''[[Downton Abbey]]'', ''[[American Family (2002 TV series)|American Family: Journey of Dreams]]''); [[science]] (''[[Nova (TV series)|Nova]]'', ''[[Nature (TV series)|Nature]]''); [[history]] (''[[American Experience]]'', ''[[American Masters]]'', ''[[History Detectives]]'', ''[[Antiques Roadshow (U.S. TV series)|Antiques Roadshow]]''); [[music]] (''[[Austin City Limits]]'', ''[[Soundstage (TV series)|Soundstage]]''); [[Public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] (''[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]'', ''[[PBS NewsHour]]'', ''[[Washington Week]]'', [[Nightly Business Report]]); [[independent film]]s and [[documentary film|documentaries]] (''[[POV (TV series)|P.O.V.]]'', ''[[Independent Lens]]''); [[home improvement]] (''[[This Old House]]''); and [[talk show|interviews]] (''[[Charlie Rose (TV series)|Charlie Rose]]'', ''[[Tavis Smiley (TV series)|Tavis Smiley]]'', ''[[The Dick Cavett Show]]''). 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).

PBS broadcasts children's programming as part of the service's (and including content supplied by other distributors not programmed by the service, its member stations') morning and afternoon schedule. As 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 with [[E/I|educational programming]] guidelines set by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] in response to the enactment of the [[Children's Television Act|Children's Television Act of 1990]]. Many member stations have historically also broadcast [[distance education]] and other [[instructional television]] programs, typically during daytime slots; though with the advent of digital television, which has allowed stations to carry these programs on [[digital subchannel]]s in lieu of the main PBS feed or exclusively over the Internet, many member stations/networks have replaced distance education content with children's and other programming.

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]] member [[WGBH-TV]] is one of the largest producers of [[educational television]] programming, including shows like ''[[American Experience]]'', ''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'', ''[[Masterpiece Theatre]]'', ''[[Nova (TV series)|Nova]]'', ''[[Antiques Roadshow]]'' and ''[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]'', as well as many other children's and lifestyle programs. News programs are produced by [[WETA-TV]] (''[[PBS Newshour]]'') in [[Washington, D.C.]], [[WNET]] in [[New York City]] and [[WPBT]] in [[Miami, Florida|Miami]]. Newark, New Jersey/[[New York City]] member [[WNET]] produces or distributes programs such as ''[[Charlie Rose (talk show)|Charlie Rose]]'', ''[[Secrets of the Dead]]'', ''[[Nature (TV series)|Nature]],'' and ''[[Cyberchase]]''.

PBS member stations are known for rebroadcasting British television [[costume drama]]s, [[Britcoms|comedies]] and [[science fiction]] programs (acquired from the [[BBC]] and other sources) such as ''[[Downton 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 and Chums]]''; ''[[Keeping Up Appearances]]''; ''[[Monty Python's Flying Circus]]''; ''[[Mr. Bean]]'', ''[[The Vicar of Dibley]]'', ''[[Doctor Who]]'', and ''[[Sherlock (TV series)|Sherlock]]''; consequently, this has led to jocular references that the service's name stands for "Primarily British Series". However, a significant amount of sharing takes place. The BBC and British broadcasters such as [[Channel 4]] often cooperate with PBS stations, producing material that is shown on both sides of the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]]. Less frequently, Canadian, Australian and other international programming appears on PBS stations (such as ''[[The 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]]-based [[American Public Television]] (which, among other names, was formerly known as Eastern Educational Network and the American Program Service) is second only to PBS for distributing programs to U.S. non-commercial stations. Another distributor is NETA (formerly SECA), whose properties have included ''[[The Shapies]]'' and ''Jerry Yarnell School of Fine Art''.<!-- [http://www.netaonline.org/ NETA] --> 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|Rerun programming]] is generally uncommon on PBS or its member stations, with some exceptions. ''[[The Lawrence Welk Show]]'' has aired continuously in reruns on PBS (through the [[Oklahoma Educational Television Authority]]) almost every weekend since 1986. Other programs that have been aired in reruns are generally past PBS series whose hosts have retired or are now deceased (for example, ''[[The Joy of Painting]]'' and ''[[Mister Rogers' Neighborhood]]'') or have simply ended production (such as ''[[DragonflyTV]]'' and ''[[Clifford the Big Red Dog (TV series)|Clifford the Big Red Dog]]'').

===PBS Kids===
{{Main article|PBS Kids}}

Launched in 1994 as PTV, PBS Kids is the brand for [[children's programming|children's programs]] aired by PBS. The PBS Kids network, which was launched in 1999 and operated until 2005, was largely funded by satellite provider [[DirecTV]]. The channel ceased operations on October 1, 2005, in favor of [[Sprout (TV network)|PBS Kids Sprout]], a commercial [[digital cable]] and [[satellite television]] channel originally operated as a joint venture with [[Comcast]], [[Sesame Workshop]] and [[Apax 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. As of 2016, PBS Kids and [[Telemundo|MiTelemundo]] are currently only two children's programming blocks on U.S. commercial broadcast television.

As PBS is often known for doing, PBS Kids has broadcast imported series from other countries; these include British series originally broadcast by the [[BBC]] and [[ITV (TV network)|ITV]] (such as ''[[Rosie and Jim]]'', ''[[Tots TV]]'', ''[[Teletubbies]]'', ''[[Boohbah]],'' and ''[[Thomas & Friends|Thomas the Tank Engine & Friends]]''), as well as several Canadian programs (such as ''[[Theodore Tugboat]]''). Through American Public Television, many PBS stations also began airing the Australian series ''[[RAGGS Kids Club Band|Raggs]]'' 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 as ''[[Ghostwriter (TV series)|Ghostwriter]]'' and ''[[The Magic School Bus (TV series)|The Magic School Bus]]'').

===Sports===

Many PBS member stations and networks – including [[Mississippi Public Broadcasting]] ([[Mississippi High School Activities Association|MHSAA]]), [[Georgia Public Broadcasting]] ([[Georgia High School Association|GHSA]]), [[Maine Public Broadcasting Network]] ([[Maine Principals' Association|MPA]]), [[Iowa Public Television]] ([[Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union|IGHSAU]]), [[Nebraska Educational Telecommunications]] ([[Nebraska School Activities Association|NSAA]]), and [[WKYU-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 the [[MountainWest Sports Network]] (now defunct) and [[Big Ten Network]] in 2006 and 2007 and the later launches of the [[Pac-12 Network]] and [[ESPN|ESPN's]] [[SEC Network]], [[athletic conference]]s 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 1988, [[KQED (TV)|KQED]] produced a series of [[Bundesliga]] matches under the banner ''[[Soccer Made in Germany]]'', with [[Toby Charles]] announcing. PBS also carried [[tennis]] events,<ref>{{cite web|title=Mary Carillo|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/940/000354875/|accessdate=October 15, 2012}}</ref> as well as [[Ivy League]] football. Notable football commentators included [[Upton Bell]], [[Marty Glickman]], [[Bob Casciola]], [[Brian Dowling (American football)|Brian Dowling]], [[Sean McDonough]] and [[Jack Corrigan (sportscaster)|Jack Corrigan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Penn Football Tapes 1980–1989|url=http://www.letsgoquakers.com/football1980s.htm|author=Mark|publisher=Letsgoquakers.com|accessdate=March 10, 2011}}</ref> Other sports programs included interview series such as ''[[The Way It Was (TV series)|The Way It Was]]'' and ''The Sporting Life''.<ref>{{cite web|title=Jim Palmer jockeys from underwear to PBS|url=http://www.chron.com/CDA/archives/archive.mpl/1985_251842/jim-palmer-jockeys-from-underwear-to-pbs.html|newspaper=[[Houston Chronicle]]|publisher=[[Hearst Corporation]]|date=April 17, 1985|accessdate=October 15, 2012}}</ref>

==Governance==

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.<ref name=about-board>{{cite web|title=Board of Directors|url=http://www.pbs.org/about/about-pbs/board-directors/|author=PBS|accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref> All PBS Board members serve three-year terms, without pay.<ref name=about-board/> 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Donald A. Baer Elected Chair of PBS Board of Directors|url=http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/donald-a-baer-elected-chair-of-pbs-board-of-directors/|author=PBS|accessdate=October 27, 2015}}</ref>

==Member stations==
{{main article|List of PBS member stations}}

{{As of|March 2015}}, PBS maintains current memberships with 354 television stations encompassing 50 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. possessions;<ref name="StationIndex" /><ref name=re>{{cite web|title=Stations for Network - PBS|url=http://www.rabbitears.info/search.php?request=network_search&network=PBS|work=RabbitEars.info|accessdate=March 12, 2015}}</ref> 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 notably [[New 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 organization]]s, state agencies, local authorities (such as municipal boards of education), or [[university|universities]] in their [[city 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 [[state network|regional "subnetwork"]] (such as [[Alabama Public Television]] and the [[Arkansas Educational Television Network]]); in this model, PBS programming and other content is distributed by the originating station in the subnetwork to other [[broadcast relay station|full-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 member [[KBDI-TV]] in [[Denver]], which is not related to [[Colorado]] member network [[Rocky Mountain PBS]] and its [[flagship (broadcasting)|flagship 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]] and [[KVCR-DT]] – which are all individually owned – serve as PBS stations for the Los Angeles [[media market|market]]; KCET served as the market's primary PBS member until it left the service in January 2011,<ref>{{cite news|title=KOCE takes over as top PBS station after KCET cuts ties with network|url=http://pedrowatcher.ocregister.com/2010/10/08/koce-takes-over-as-top-pbs-station-after-kcet-cuts-ties-with-network/28174/|author=Peter Larsen|newspaper=[[Orange County Register]]|publisher=[[Freedom Communications]]|date=October 8, 2010|accessdate=March 12, 2015}}</ref> at which time it was replaced by KOCE). For these cases, PBS utilizes the Program Differentiation Plan, which divides by percentage the amount 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 amount of program offerings from the service's schedule. Unlike public broadcasters in most other countries, PBS cannot own any of the stations that broadcast its programming, therefore it is one of the few television programming bodies that does not have any [[owned-and-operated station]]s. This is partly due to the origins of the PBS stations themselves, and partly due to historical [[broadcast license]] issues.

===Participating stations===

Most PBS member stations have produced at least some nationally distributed programs. Current regularly scheduled programming on the [[PBS Satellite Service|PBS national feed]] is produced by a smaller group of stations, including:
{{colbegin||35em}}
* [[WGBH-TV]] (''[[Arthur (TV series)|Arthur]]'', ''[[Nova (TV series)|NOVA]]'', ''[[Masterpiece (TV series)|Masterpiece]]'', ''[[Frontline (U.S. TV series)|Frontline]]'', etc.)
* [[WNET]] (''[[Charlie Rose (TV show)|Charlie Rose]]'', ''[[Nature (TV series)|Nature]]'', ''[[PBS NewsHour|PBS NewsHour Weekend]]'', etc.)
* [[WETA-TV]] (''[[PBS NewsHour]]'', ''[[Washington Week]]'', etc.)
* [[WTTW]] (''[[Nature Cat]]'')
* [[Maryland Public Television]] (''[[MotorWeek]]'')
* [[KLRU]] (''[[Austin City Limits]]'')
* [[Oregon Public Broadcasting]] (''[[History Detectives]]'')
* [[UNC-TV]] ("[[The Woodwright's Shop]]")
* [[South Carolina ETV]] ("[[A Chef's Life]]")
{{colend}}

==PBS networks==

{| class= "wikitable"
|-
! Network !! Notes
|-
| [[PBS Kids]] || A programming block that has children's TV shows. 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 Kids Go!]] || A former programming block of [[PBS Kids]]. This block was for 6-8-year-olds. A 24/7 network was announced in 2006, but never launched due to financial issues.
|-
| [[PBS HD Channel|PBS HD]] || A [[High-definition television|high-definition]] programming feed available to PBS' member stations.
|-
| [[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 has [[Spin out|spun off]] a number of [[television network]]s, often in partnership with other media companies. [[PBS YOU]], a distance education and how-to service operated until January 2006, and was largely succeeded by [[Create (TV network)|Create]] (a similarly formatted network owned by American Public Television); PBS Kids Channel was superseded by Sprout at the start of October 2005. The PBS Kids Channel relaunched January 16, 2017. [[World (TV network)|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, simplifying [[PBS-HD|PBS-DT2]] into a timeshift feed for the [[Pacific 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 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 as a placeholder feed to fill their overnight schedules (particularly those that have transitioned to a 24-hour schedule since the late 1990s), in lieu of providing their own programming sourced by outside public television distributors and 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 during their station breaks).

Some or all of these services are available on the digital cable tiers of many cable providers, on [[free-to-air]] (FTA) television via [[C band (IEEE)|C-band satellite]],<ref>{{cite web|title=AMC 21 at 125.0°W|url=http://www.lyngsat.com/amc21.html|publisher=LyngSat|date=March 2, 2011|accessdate=March 10, 2011}}</ref> as well as via [[direct broadcast satellite]]. With the exemption of Sprout, some of these services, including those from PBS Member stations and networks, have not made contracts with Over-the-Top Internet services such as [[PlayStation Vue]] and [[Sling TV]]. With the transition to over-the-air [[digital television]] broadcasts, many of the services are also often now available as standard-definition [[Multicast#TV multicasting|multicast]] channels on the digital signals of some member stations, while PBS-DT2 serves as a secondary HD feed. With the absence of [[advertising]], network identification on these PBS networks was limited to utilization at the end of the program, which includes the standard series of [[Commercial bumper|bumpers]] from the "Be More" campaign.

===Independent networks===

While not operated or controlled by PBS proper, additional public broadcasting networks are available and carried by PBS member stations.

{| class= "wikitable"
|-
! Channel !! Programming !! Origin
|-
|| [[Create (TV network)|Create]] || Educational and artistic programming || American Public Television
|-
|| [[MHz WorldView]] || Ethnic programming || [[MHz Networks]]
|-
|| [[World (TV channel)|World]] || News and documentaries || American Public Television
|-
|| [[The Florida Channel]] || Regional interest || [[WFSU-TV]]
|-
| [[Kentucky Channel]] || Regional interest || [[Kentucky Educational Television]] 
|- 
|| [[Minnesota Channel]] || Regional interest || [[Twin Cities Public Television]]
|-
|| [[The Ohio Channel]] || Regional interest || [[WVIZ]]
|-
|| [[The Wisconsin Channel]] || Regional interest || [[WHA-TV]]
|}

From 2002 to 2011, [[Buffalo, New York]] member station [[WNED-TV]] operated [[ThinkBright|ThinkBright TV]], a service that was carried on several stations in upstate [[New York (state)|New York]].

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.

==Criticism and controversy==

===On-air fundraising===

Since 53% to 60% of public television's revenues come from private membership donations and [[grants]],<ref name="revenue">{{cite web|title=Public Broadcasting Revenue Fiscal Year 2005|url=http://www.cpb.org/stations/reports/revenue/2005PublicBroadcastingRevenue.pdf|format=PDF|publisher=[[Corporation for Public Broadcasting]]|accessdate=March 10, 2011}}</ref> most stations solicit individual donations by methods including [[fundraising]], [[pledge drive]]s or [[telethon]]s, which disrupt regularly scheduled programming. This annoys some viewers, since regularly scheduled programming is often replaced with specials aimed at a wider audience (such as music specials aimed at the [[baby boom]]er 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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Pledging Allegiance, or March Madness?|url=http://www.pbs.org/ombudsman/2006/03/pledging_allegiance_or_march_madness.html|author=[[Michael Getler]]|publisher=PBS Ombudsman|date=March 24, 2006|accessdate=May 22, 2006}}</ref> [[Underwriting spot]]s are aired at the end of each program, which differ from traditional commercials in several ways.<ref>{{cite web|title=PBS Guidelines for On-Air Announcements|url=http://www.pbs.org/producers/guidelines/onair_rule5.html|publisher=PBS|accessdate=April 13, 2014}}</ref> Each spot must be approved to meet several guidelines.<ref>{{cite web|title=PBS Guidelines for On-Air Announcements|url=http://www.pbs.org/producers/guidelines/onair.html|publisher=PBS|accessdate=April 13, 2014}}</ref> The main guidelines state that underwriting spots cannot be qualitative in any way, nor can they have any call to action.<ref>{{cite web|title=Voice-Over Copy Guidelines|url=http://www.pbs.org/producers/guidelines/onair_rule5.html#5.4|publisher=PBS|accessdate=April 13, 2014}}</ref>

===Accusations of political/ideological bias===

A 1982 broadcast of the [[United States Information Agency]] program ''Let Poland be Poland'' about the [[End of Communism in Poland (1989)|martial law declared in Poland in 1981]] was widely viewed in the U.S., but met with skepticism on the part of eastern European broadcasters (communist countries at the time) due to concerns that the program's "provocative and anticommunist" tone was intended as propaganda.<ref>{{cite web|title=Let Poland Be Poland (1982, TV)|url=http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0785022/|publisher=[[Internet Movie Database]]|accessdate=February 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=US Public Diplomacy in Hungary: Past and Present |url=http://www.publicdiplomacycouncil.org/uploads/Eichler_Public_Diplomacy_Hungary.pdf |author=Edward Eichler |work=Public Diplomacy Council |date=April 25, 2008 |deadurl=yes |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225051216/http://www.publicdiplomacycouncil.org/uploads/Eichler_Public_Diplomacy_Hungary.pdf |archivedate=February 25, 2009}}</ref>

In 1999 at least three public television stations were caught selling or trading their mailing lists with the Democratic National Committee. Under [[IRS]] 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.<ref name="NYT2">{{cite news|last1=SEELYE|first1=KATHARINE Q.|title=PBS Stations Shared Donor Lists With Democrats, Stirring Trouble|url=http://www.nytimes.com/1999/07/17/us/pbs-stations-shared-donor-lists-with-democrats-stirring-trouble.html|accessdate=March 31, 2017|publisher=New York Times|date=July 17, 1999}}</ref>

Individual programs aired by PBS have been the targets of organized campaigns by individuals and groups with opposing views, including former [[United States Secretary of Education]] [[Margaret Spellings]].<ref name="msnbc-012605">{{cite news|title=Education chief rips PBS for gay character: Network won't distribute episode with animated 'Buster' visiting Vt.|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6869976/|agency=[[Associated Press]]|work=[[MSNBC]]|date=January 26, 2005}}</ref>

[[Bill Moyers]] resigned in 2005 after more than three decades as a PBS regular, citing political pressure to alter the content of his program and saying Chairman of the Board of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting [[Kenneth Tomlinson]] had mounted a "vendetta" against him.<ref name="farhi">{{cite web|title=PBS Scrutiny Raises Political Antennas|url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A8067-2005Apr21.html|author=Paul Farhi|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|publisher=[[Graham Holdings Company|The Washington Post Company]]|date=April 22, 2005}}</ref> Moyers eventually returned to host ''[[Bill Moyers Journal]]'', after Tomlinson's resignation from CPB. Subsequently, PBS made room temporarily for center-right commentator [[Tucker Carlson]], formerly of [[MSNBC]] and co-host of [[CNN|CNN's]] ''[[Crossfire (TV series)|Crossfire]]'', and ''[[The Journal Editorial Report]]'' with [[Paul Gigot]], an editor of ''[[The Wall Street Journal]]'' editorial page (this program has since moved to [[Fox News Channel]]) to partially balance out the obvious left-leaning PBS shows.<ref name="PBSBias">{{cite web|title=PBS: Back to bias basics|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2007/may/04/20070504-085842-9258r/|newspaper=[[The Washington Times]]|publisher=[[News World Communications]]|date=May 4, 2007}}</ref>

===Lawsuit with Pacific Arts===

In the 1990s, PBS became involved in a dispute over home video licensing rights with [[Pacific Arts Corporation]], a multimedia company owned and operated by former [[The Monkees|Monkees]] guitarist [[Michael Nesmith]].

In 1990, Pacific Arts secured a contract with PBS to distribute their back catalog of programming on VHS under the [[PBS 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.<ref name="current">{{cite web|last1=Behrens|first1=Steve|title=Nesmith wins $47 million in video suit against PBS|url=http://current.org/files/archive-site/pbs/pbs902v.html|website=[[KCMP|The Current]]|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref> 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|WGBH]], [[WNET]], the [[Ken Burns]]-owned American Documentaries and Radio Pioneers Film Project and the [[Children'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.<ref name="current"/> 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.<ref name="pacarts">{{cite web|last1=Mifflin|first1=Lawrie|title=Jury Rules That PBS Must Pay Video Distributor $47 Million|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/03/business/jury-rules-that-pbs-must-pay-video-distributor-47-million.html|website=''[[The New York Times]]''|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref> 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 for ''[[The Civil War (TV series)|The Civil War]]'', about $230,000 to [[WGBH-TV|WGBH]], and $150,000 to [[WNET]].<ref name="current"/>

Following the ruling, Nesmith expressed his personal disappointment with PBS and was quoted by [[BBC 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."<ref>{{cite web|title=Hey, hey, it's a Monkee victory |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/271357.stm|website=BBC News|accessdate=May 30, 2016}}</ref>

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.

==Warning, Alert and Response Network (WARN)==

PBS provides an alternate path for [[Wireless Emergency Alerts|WEA]] alerts to wireless carriers. The alerts are transmitted through the PBS satellite network on the [[AMC-21]] satellite to PBS stations who broadcast the messages over their transmitters for reception by wireless carriers at their cell sites.<ref name="WARN/PBS">{{cite web|title=WARN|url=http://www.pbs.org/about/warn/|publisher=PBS|accessdate=October 12, 2013}}</ref><ref name="PBS//UTUBE">{{cite web|title=PBS WARN Information|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=Nd05QN9lA3w|publisher=PBS|accessdate=October 12, 2013}}</ref>

The network is funded by a grant through [[National Telecommunications and Information Administration]] (NTIA).

==See also==

{{colbegin|colwidth=30em}}
* [[American Public Media]]
* [[American Public Television]]
* [[Instructional television]]
* [[List of United States over-the-air television networks]]
* [[NPR]]
* [[PBS America]]
* [[PBS Digital Studios]]
* [[PBS HD Channel]]
* [[PBS logos]]
* [[Public broadcasting]]
* [[Public Radio International]]
* [[Public, educational, and government access]] (PEG)
* [[Ralph Lowell]] Award<ref>[http://www.cpb.org/aboutpb/awards/lowell/ Ralph Lowell Award]. Cpb.org. Retrieved on October 23, 2013.</ref>
* [[Television in the United States]]
{{colend}}

{{Portal bar|Television in the United States}}

==References==

{{Reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite book|title=Public Television: Politics and the Battle over Documentary Film|author=B.J. Bullert|publisher=Rutgers University Press|year=1997}}
* {{cite book|title=Producing Public Television, Producing Public Culture|author=Barry Dornfeld|publisher=Princeton University Press|year=1998}}
* {{cite book|title=Public Radio and Television in America: A Political History|author=Ralph Engelman|publisher=Sage Publications|year=1996}}
* {{cite book|title=Made Possible by: The Death of Public Broadcasting in the United States|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=acCCyOaUkK8C&printsec=frontcover|author=[[James Ledbetter]]|publisher=Verso|year=1998}}

==External links==

{{commons category|PBS (United States)}}

* {{Official website}}
* {{URL|http://www.pbs.org/producers/redbook/index.html|PBS "Red Book" (presentation guidelines for PBS programming)}}
* {{URL|http://www.wpt.org/blog/2008/07/wpt-be-more-tuned-in-videocast-pbs_31.html|Video interview with PBS President Paula Kerger}}
* {{URL|http://www.current.org|''Current'', the newspaper about public TV and radio in the United States}}
* {{Facebook|pbs|PBS}}
* {{Google+|+PBS|PBS}}
* {{twitter|pbs|PBS}}
* {{YouTube|user=PBS|PBS}}

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