What WEDU PBS does

WEDU PBS (legal name: Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting Inc.) is a nonprofit public television station operating as the designated PBS member station for West Central Florida since 1958. It broadcasts on two channels (WEDU and WEDQ), reaches approximately 6.4 million viewers, listeners, and readers across 16 counties, and is headquartered at the Berkman Family Broadcast Center in Tampa, FL. The organization produces original local programming including WEDU Arts Plus, Florida This Week, Perspectives, WEDU Quest, and WEDU Documentaries, alongside regional sub-brands Greater Sarasota, Greater St. Petersburg, and Ybor City.

The underlying technology stack consists of FCC-licensed over-the-air broadcast facilities, a digital streaming platform at video.wedu.org, the PBS App, and a content management system supporting PBS Passport, a member subscription service priced at $5 per month or $60 per year. Supplemental products include the Florida Storms mobile application for hurricane preparedness, the Sustain digital initiative for environmental content, and the Florida PBS LearningMedia educational resource platform. The organization is FCC-compliant, EEO-compliant, and adheres to the Public Media Code of Integrity.

Revenue is generated through a diversified, community-supported model: individual memberships and donations, corporate sponsorships, federal funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), and PBS Passport subscriptions. Customer-facing segments include children and families (PBS KIDS), general adult audiences seeking local news and documentaries, K-12 educators, environmentally-conscious Florida residents, and corporate sponsors seeking brand association with trusted public media. The governance structure includes a Board of Directors (Chair: Jeff Sparling) and a Community Advisory Board, with senior leadership comprising President & CEO Paul Grove, CFO Shirley Risen, and COO Jack Conely.

Name

WEDU PBS

Legal name

Florida West Coast Public Broadcasting Inc.

Website

https://wedu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1958

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

WEDU PBS is a nonprofit PBS member station serving 6.4 million viewers, listeners, and readers across 16 West Central Florida counties, producing local programming and educational content funded by memberships, donations, corporate sponsorships, and federal CPB support.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting Services

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Educational Services (611)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Public Broadcasting Content Distribution & Interconnection (Sat/IP feeds) (MPABADAI)

Keywords

• Public broadcasting services
• Educational television programming
• Community media services
• Digital video streaming
• Local arts programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Tampa

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: Community-supported public broadcasting with membership programs, individual donations, and planned giving options. Donors receive benefits including WEDU PBS Passport streaming access.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorship partnerships where businesses support programming and events in exchange for brand visibility and association with public media
3. Government and CPB Funding: Funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) and potentially other government sources as a designated PBS member station
4. PBS Passport Subscription: $5 per month or $60 per year subscription providing extended streaming access to PBS content beyond regular broadcast programming

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

WEDU PBS is a non-profit public broadcasting television station that produces and distributes educational, cultural, news, and local arts programming across West Central Florida via broadcast television (WEDU and WEDQ), digital streaming (video.wedu.org), and mobile platforms. The station also offers a subscription-based extended streaming service called PBS Passport at $5/month or $60/year, original local productions, educational resources, and the Florida Storms severe weather preparedness app.

Product overview

WEDU PBS is a regional public television station operating as part of the PBS network, providing multimedia content and community outreach across West Central Florida. The core offering includes broadcast television programming (WEDU Arts Plus, Florida This Week, Perspectives, WEDU Quest) alongside digital streaming via WEDU PBS Passport and the PBS App. The station operates specialized sub-brands including Sustain (environmental content), Greater Sarasota, and Greater St. Petersburg (local regional content), plus educational initiatives through PBS Kids and Florida PBS LearningMedia. The portfolio also includes original documentary productions, community events like Be My Neighbor Day, and the Florida Storms App for emergency preparedness.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Sustain: A WEDU digital initiative focused on the relationships the community has with the environment, covering food, home, lifestyle, and seasonal events.
• Be My Neighbor Day
• Premiere Magazine
• WEDQ PBS

Products and services

• WEDU PBS Broadcasting Service Core public broadcasting television service operating WEDU and WEDQ channels across West Central Florida, providing quality multimedia content including educational programming, local productions, documentaries, news, and cultural content to over 6.4 million viewers, listeners, and readers across 16 counties.
• WEDU PBS Passport Subscription streaming service offering extended access to past seasons of PBS shows, early releases of new series, and exclusive digital content for members at $5 per month or $60 per year, with donations supporting the local station.
• Florida Storms App Mobile application providing hurricane preparation information, storm tracking, and critical action alerts for Florida residents, available on the Play Store at https://floridastorms.org/app/.
• WEDU Arts Plus Local arts and music programming featuring profiles of artists, cultural venues, and performing arts performances across the Tampa Bay region, available for streaming on video.wedu.org.
• Florida This Week Weekly news magazine program covering local and regional news, community affairs, and public policy issues affecting West Central Florida, available for streaming on video.wedu.org.
• Perspectives Local public affairs program featuring discussions and analysis of regional issues affecting West Central Florida communities.
• WEDU Documentaries Original documentary productions covering local history, civil rights, and community stories from West Central Florida, including award-winning works like 'Triumph: Tampa's Untold Chapter in the Civil Rights Movement'.
• Sustain Digital Initiative Digital content initiative focused on environmental storytelling covering food, home, lifestyle, and seasonal events with a focus on West Central Florida, including content like 'Bite by Bite: Sustainable Eats' food programming.
• Be My Neighbor Day Annual community event featuring PBS KIDS characters, educational activities, and family-friendly entertainment promoting kindness and neighborliness, sponsored by partners including Tampa Bay Rays, TECO, Florida Blue, Johns Hopkins All Children's Hospital, and other regional organizations.
• WEDU PBS Membership Program Membership program offering benefits including PBS Passport streaming access, ticket offers, and other perks in exchange for recurring donations to support the local station.

Quantifiable outcome

• WEDU PBS reaches over 6.4 million viewers, listeners, and readers across West Central Florida
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Tampa Bay RaysminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Major League Baseball team serving as sponsor for Be My Neighbor Day 2026 community event, providing brand visibility and community engagement support.
• TECO (Tampa Electric)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Local utility company sponsoring Be My Neighbor Day 2026, supporting community engagement and family-focused programming.
• Florida BlueminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Health insurance provider sponsoring Be My Neighbor Day 2026 community event for family engagement.
• Florida PrepaidminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Education savings program sponsoring Be My Neighbor Day, supporting educational outreach initiatives.
• Johns Hopkins All Children's HospitalminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Pediatric hospital sponsoring community event, supporting family and children's programming initiatives.
• Goodwill Industries SuncoastminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Nonprofit workforce development organization sponsoring community event with focus on community support.
• Clearwater Marine AquariumminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Marine conservation organization sponsoring community event, supporting environmental education initiatives.
• HART (Hillsborough Transit Authority)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Public transit authority sponsoring community event, supporting transportation access to educational programming.
• Helios Education FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Education foundation sponsoring community event, supporting educational outreach and learning initiatives.
• Early Learning Coalition of Hillsborough CountyminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Early childhood education organization sponsoring Be My Neighbor Day, supporting early learning initiatives.
• Avelo AirlinesminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Commercial airline sponsoring community event with community engagement focus.
• Bernard F. and Mary Ann Powell FoundationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Private foundation sponsoring community event supporting educational programming.
• FCC (Federal Communications Commission)coreOthers · 1 January 2026Federal regulatory body overseeing broadcast licensing, public file requirements, and FCC compliance for WEDU and WEDQ television stations.
• Charity NavigatorminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Charity watchdog organization providing transparency ratings and donor guidance for nonprofit organizations.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWEDU is the designated PBS member station for West Central Florida, providing access to national PBS programming, broadcasting standards, professional development, and the collective brand trust that PBS has established as America's most trusted institution.
• NETA (National Educational Telecommunications Association)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional association providing educational television content, professional development resources, and industry awards recognition for public broadcasting stations.
• Florida Public MediaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide public media network partnership providing shared content and resources across Florida public broadcasting stations.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WJCT Public Media: Jacksonville-based PBS and NPR member station serving Northeast Florida with similar nonprofit structure, PBS Passport offerings, and educational outreach. Comparable scale and audience reach across a regional Florida market.
• WUCF TV (Central Florida PBS): Orlando-based PBS member station serving Central Florida with comparable educational programming, broadcast operations, and nonprofit membership funding model. Operates in the same Florida public media ecosystem and competes for similar member/donor audiences.
• WGCU Public Media: Fort Myers-based PBS and NPR member station serving Southwest Florida. Similar regional scale, broadcast infrastructure, and dual TV/radio operations under a Florida public media license.
• WUSF Public Media: Tampa-based NPR member station operating in the same West Central Florida market as WEDU PBS. Serves overlapping audiences with public radio programming and shares the Tampa Bay media market dynamics.
• WMFE Public Media: Orlando-based public radio station (NPR affiliate) operating in the Florida public media ecosystem. Comparable nonprofit structure and audience development model with focus on news and cultural programming.
• WFSU Public Media: Tallahassee-based PBS and NPR member station serving North Florida and the Florida Panhandle. Comparable nonprofit governance structure and PBS affiliate programming model.

Broad incumbents

• KQED: Larger San Francisco Bay Area PBS and NPR member station that serves as a benchmark for successful public media operations at scale. Demonstrates the upper bound of regional PBS station capabilities, digital products, and membership revenue.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): National public television network and WEDU's parent organization. Provides programming, branding, and standards infrastructure that all member stations rely on. Operates PBS Passport, PBS Kids, and PBS LearningMedia at national scale.
• WGBH: Boston-based PBS member station and one of the largest content producers for the PBS network (Frontline, NOVA, American Experience). Represents an evolved public media operator with deep content production capabilities beyond local broadcasting.

Others

• Florida Public Broadcasting Service (Florida Public Media): Statewide coalition of Florida PBS and NPR stations including WEDU. Provides shared services, collective advocacy, and statewide programming initiatives that benefit WEDU's operations and funding positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/wedupbs
• Xx.com/wedupbs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wedupbs

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about WEDU PBS