by Melissa Hewitt
PBS Logo
History/Overview
Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a public, non-profit organization founded in 1969. PBS is made up of over 350 public television stations in all 50 states, all of which are noncommercial, educational licensees that expose Americans to educational and informative programs in order to enrich their lives. Member stations are operated mostly by non-profit organizations, however some stations are operated by government agencies or local authorities. Each of these member stations pay a membership fee in order to broadcast without commercials and keep PBS a public service.¹
In 1969, PBS replaced National Educational Television (NET) as America’s public television station. Some original NET programs, such as the children’s TV program Sesame Street still air on PBS today. Unlike most television stations, all of the programs carried by PBS are produced and created by other parties. Nationally, PBS has ventured out to a number of different television networks, including PBS Kids, PBS YOU, and PBS World. At a state level, PBS affiliated stations have also ventured into new networks called ‘regional networks’ that broadcast PBS programs as well as local programs.²
PBS programming spans a wide variety of topics. From American history to news to adaptations of books and plays, PBS covers it all. PBS programming includes: American Experience, FRONTLINE, Masterpiece, American Masters, Nature, NOVA, NewsHour, and many more.3
Paula Kerger
Corporate Officers and Executives of PBS4
Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS
Michael Jones, COO
Barbara Landes, Chief Financial Officer and Senior VP of Corporate Services
Katherine Lauderdale, Senior Vice President, General Counsel
John McCosky, Chief Technology Officer
Brian Reddington, Executive Director of PBS Foundation
In the 2011-12 awards season, PBS earned many different awards including5:
-12 Daytime Emmy Awards and 57 Daytime Emmy Nominations
-12 Primetime Emmy Awards and 43 Primetime Emmy Nominations
-6 News & Documentary Emmy Awards and 32 News & Documentary Emmy Nominations
-9 George Foster Peabody Awards
-1 Golden Globe Award and 5 Golden Globe Nominations
-3 Academy Award Nominations
Downton Abbey
Perhaps the most successful program in recent PBS history is part of the PBS Masterpiece Classics programming: Downton Abbey, which premiered in January of 2011 and now attracts over 6 million viewers per episode. In September 2011 Downton Abbey was placed in the Guinness Book of World Records for being the most critically acclaimed television show of the year.6
Watch Downton Abbey: Behind the Drama on PBS. See more from Masterpiece.
News
-This April, PBS will honor Earth Day by airing a month of special programming focusing on nature, science, and the environment. PBS will air re-runs of shows such as Deadliest Tornadoes, but will also air new programs such as Energy Quest USA and Powering the Planet.7
-On February 27, 2012, PBS launched its first Online Film Festival, which showcased 20 short films from independent filmmakers. The festival will run through the month of March and at the end of the month, one film will win a People’s Choice Award for best film (chosen by viewers online).8
-Earlier in 2012, Congress considered legislation that would eliminate federal funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which in turn funds PBS. Federal funding is a critical source of money for PBS (accounting for about 15% nationally, and up to 50% at local stations). Eliminating that funding would be devastating for the network, especially to local stations that rely on federal funding. A national survey showed that 69% of voters oppose this legislation, and 6 in 10 voters believe that losing PBS would be a massive loss to America as a whole.9
Watch A Message from Paula Kerger on PBS. See more from pbs.
-On March 29, 2012 PBS announced that San Diego philanthropist Darlene Shiley would be donating $1 million to PBS Masterpiece, to which she had previously donated $250,000. The $1 million donation is the largest donation yet for the Masterpiece Trust, which was founded in 2011.10
-On April 26, 2012, PBS unveiled its summer lineup of shows including a seven-part celebration of art called the PBS ARTS SUMMER FESTIVAL as well as several programs exploring the history and culture of England in preparation for the Summer Olympics in London. PBS Election 2012 is another show slated for this summer, and will feature coverage of both Democratic and Republican Conventions. This program will air on PBS NEWSHOUR. PBS will also renew many of its popular existing programs, such as Antiques Roadshow and Independent Lens.11
Works Cited
1. http://www.pbs.org/about/corporate-information/
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public_Broadcasting_Service
3. http://www.pbs.org/about/leadership/corporate-officers/
4. http://www.pbs.org/programs/
5. http://www.pbs.org/about/awards/
6. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Downton_abbey
7. http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2012/pbs-earth-day-2012/
8. http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2012/online-fest-rls/
9. http://www.pbs.org/funding
10. http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2012/masterpiece-trust-update/
11. http://www.pbs.org/about/news/archive/2012/sum12-programming/