PBS

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and television program distributor.[2] It is a non-profitorganization and is the most prominent provider of educational television programming to public television stations in the United States, distributing series such as Keeping Up Appearances, BBC World News (as BBC World News America since 2012), Nova ScienceNow, Nova, Arthur, Sesame Street, PBS NewsHour, Walking with Dinosaurs, Masterpiece, Nature, Rick Steves' Europe, American Masters, Frontline, and Antiques Roadshow. PBS is funded by member station dues, 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.[3]

Since the mid-2000s, Roper polls commissioned by PBS have consistently placed the service as the most-trusted national institution in the United States.[4] However, PBS is not responsible for all programming carried on public television stations, a large proportion of which (including most specials aired during pledge drives) come from affiliates, including such member stations as WGBH-TV, WETA-TV, WNET, WTTW National Productions, American Public Television and independent producers. This arbitrary distinction is a frequent source of viewer confusion.[5]

The service has more than 350 member television stations, many owned by educational institutions, by non-profit groups affiliated with a local public school district or collegiate educational institution, or by state government-owned or state government-related entities.[6] It also operates National Datacast (NDI), a subsidiary which offers datacastingservices via member stations, and provides additional revenue for PBS and its member stations.