ThinkTv Network

What ThinkTv Network does

ThinkTV Network is a nonprofit public broadcasting station operated by Public Media Connect, a 501(c)(3) organization (EIN 31-0858459) headquartered at 110 South Jefferson Street, Dayton, Ohio. Founded in 1976 and serving the Dayton and Cincinnati markets of Southwest Ohio, the station produces and distributes educational, cultural, and informational programming through a multi-channel broadcast platform (ThinkTV16 and ThinkTV14 with eight sub-channels including dedicated Kids, WORLD, Ohio, Journey, and Explore content), plus digital streaming via the PBS App, cable/satellite carriage, and podcast distribution on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Amazon Music. The station produces original local programming — including the Emmy-winning documentary 'Redlining: Mapping Inequality in Dayton & Springfield,' community affairs program 'Brick by Brick,' arts magazine 'The Art Show,' 'Stephanie's Recipe Journal,' and the 'Our Neighborhood' kids series — alongside educational initiatives such as Ohio Learns 360, NewsDepth, STEM World, Full STEAM Ahead, Move to Include, and Social-Emotional Learning video resources produced with CASEL.

ThinkTV serves a defined set of customer segments: families with children ages 1-10 seeking educational content, K-12 educators and child care providers needing professional development, adults with disabilities and their caregivers (via Move to Include), and general Southwest Ohio viewers. The business model is the standard PBS non-commercial revenue stack: annual memberships (including the $75/year Kids Club and ThinkTV Passport extended streaming benefit for 1,500+ episodes), corporate underwriting from sponsors such as AES Ohio Foundation, Fifth Third Bank, PNC, and US Bank, foundation grants (Greater Cincinnati Foundation, George Margaret McLane Foundation), production underwriting for local documentaries, and federal public media appropriations. Educational distribution spans partnerships with the Ohio Department of Education, Dayton Metro Library, Montgomery County Education Service Center, CASEL, and national PBS peers including WGCU and PBS Kansas.

Technology infrastructure leverages PBS's national broadcast and streaming platform, including native PBS App support across iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV, plus OTA broadcast on channels 16 and 14 serving both Dayton and Cincinnati. Operations are supported by 11-50 employees and a board of trustees, with leadership including Chief Programming Officer Jim Wiener, Chief Education & Content Officer Gloria Skurski, Chief Financial and Operating Officer Lee Weinel, and Vice President & Chief Development Officer Sue Ellen Stuebing.

Name

ThinkTv Network

Legal name

Public Media Connect

Website

https://thinktv.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

ThinkTV Network is a Dayton, Ohio-based nonprofit public broadcasting station operating multi-channel PBS service (ThinkTV16/ThinkTV14) across Southwest Ohio. It produces educational programming, original documentaries, community affairs shows, and educational initiatives serving families, K-12 educators, and child care providers in the Dayton-Cincinnati market.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Broadcasting Television Services

NAICS

Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Television Broadcasting Stations (51612), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)

akta.pro primary industry

National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH), Public/Nonprofit Children’s Educational Broadcasters (MPABAKAF)

Keywords

• Public television broadcasting
• Educational programming
• Nonprofit media services
• Local documentary production
• Children's educational content

Headquarters

HQ city

Dayton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: Station membership program with annual donations from individual supporters. Kids Club membership available for $75 annually covering up to 4 children.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support programs broadcast on ThinkTV. Includes sponsors like Dayton Dental Collaborative, We Care Arts, PNC, and others.
3. Production Underwriting: Local productions funded through production underwriters who donate money and receive credit at beginning and end of programs. Also funded through foundation grants.
4. Federal Funding: Public media federal funding (subject to congressional appropriations and recent executive order challenges)
5. Passport Membership Benefit: Extended access to 1,500+ episodes of PBS shows for station members

Pricing tiers

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

ThinkTV Network is a nonprofit public broadcasting station that operates multi-channel PBS television service (ThinkTV16 and ThinkTV14 with sub-channels) across Southwest Ohio, complemented by streaming via the PBS App and a Passport member on-demand library of 1,500+ episodes. It produces original local programming and documentaries covering community affairs (Brick by Brick), arts (The Art Show), cooking, parenting, and inclusion (Move to Include), and delivers K-12 educational resources and early learning content aligned with Ohio Learning Standards. The station is funded by memberships, donations, corporate sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

ThinkTV Network, a service of Public Media Connect, operates as a multi-channel public broadcasting system serving the Dayton and Cincinnati, Ohio regions. The organization offers a unified platform of broadcast television channels (ThinkTV16, ThinkTV14) and specialized sub-channels including ThinkTV16 KIDS, ThinkTV16 Journey, ThinkTV16 WORLD, ThinkTV16 Ohio, ThinkTV14 Explore, and ThinkTV14 KIDS. These linear broadcast channels are complemented by digital streaming products (PBS App, PBS Kids Video App), membership benefits (ThinkTV Passport offering 1,500+ episodes), and original local programming (The Art Show, Brick by Brick, Stephanie’s Recipe Journal). Educational initiatives include NewsDepth, STEM World, Full STEAM Ahead, Ohio Learns 360, and A to Z Career Lab. The network also produces podcasts including Brick by Brick, Rodney Veal’s Inspired By, and For the Love of EdTech. Content distribution extends across multiple platforms including streaming services (YouTube TV, Hulu+Live TV, Amazon Prime Video), cable providers (Spectrum, Altafiber), satellite (Dish Network, DirecTV), and podcast platforms (Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ThinkTV Passport: A membership benefit offering extended access to 1,500+ episodes of PBS shows.
• ThinkTV16
• ThinkTV14
• PBS Kids 24/7
• ThinkTV16 Journey
• ThinkTV16 WORLD
• ThinkTV16 Ohio
• ThinkTV16 KIDS

Products and services

• ThinkTV16 Dayton's primary PBS channel featuring Masterpiece, NOVA, Antiques Roadshow, and locally produced shows, distributed over-the-air on channel 16.1 plus cable and streaming platforms.
• ThinkTV14 Station broadcasting from Oxford, Ohio with unique affiliate programming including British dramas (Midsomer Murders, Father Brown) and Celebrity Antiques Roadshow on channel 14.1.
• ThinkTV16 KIDS PBS Kids 24/7 channel in Dayton providing free, educational children's programming around the clock on channel 16.5.
• ThinkTV14 KIDS PBS Kids 24/7 channel in Cincinnati offering free, educational children's programming 24 hours a day on channel 14.3.
• ThinkTV16 Journey Lifestyle programming channel on ThinkTV16 featuring shows like Sit and Be Fit alongside international news broadcasts and PBS favorites on channel 16.2.
• ThinkTV16 WORLD Channel devoted to telling complex stories through documentaries, news, and informational programming, distributed on channel 16.3 and Amazon Prime Video.
• ThinkTV16 Ohio Ohio Channel service on ThinkTV16 combining Ohio Statehouse coverage with locally produced PBS programs on channel 16.4.
• ThinkTV14 Explore News-focused sub-channel on ThinkTV14 featuring Deutsche Welle's The Day, NHK Newsline, and PBS primetime repeats on channel 14.2.
• PBS App Free streaming app on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Android TV, and Amazon Fire TV that lets users watch PBS and ThinkTV programming anytime and anywhere.
• ThinkTV Passport Member benefit providing extended on-demand access to 1,500+ episodes of favorite PBS shows through video.thinktv.org.
• PBS Kids Video App Free iOS and Android app streaming thousands of educational videos from PBS Kids shows such as those aired on ThinkTV16 KIDS.
• Brick by Brick: Solutions for a Thriving Community Award-winning regional community affairs TV program exploring solutions to housing, public health, environmental, and economic issues in Southwest Ohio.
• The Art Show Award-winning weekly arts and cultural series featuring profiles from art, music, dance, and theater in Cincinnati and Dayton, hosted by Rodney Veal.
• Stephanie's Recipe Journal Cooking show featuring recipes from pumpkin cinnamon rolls and decadent cakes to hearty soups and crowd-pleasing appetizers, with educational food science, hosted by Stephanie Amlung.
• Redlining: Mapping Inequality in Dayton & Springfield One-hour documentary telling the local and national story of redlining and racial segregation in American cities, winner of two 2023 Regional Emmy Awards.
• Let Ohio Women Vote Documentary telling the story of women's suffrage in Ohio, featuring unpredictable alliances and surprising connections to national events.
• Jeffrey's Journey Documentary following Jeffrey McElfresh, who lives with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, pursuing his dream of being an adventure cyclist.
• Memphis Belle: Her Final Mission Documentary following the Memphis Belle B-17 aircraft from its 25 World War II missions through its 13-year restoration.
• NewsDepth Weekly interactive digital series that breaks down major news stories into teachable lessons for 4th to 6th-grade students, used by Ohio educators.
• STEM World Online educational platform offering discovery-based STEM content for kids and families with Ohio Learning Standards-aligned resources.
• Full STEAM Ahead One-minute science experiments program hosted by Mister C on the PBS Kids 24/7 channel, designed to make learning fun and accessible.
• Ohio Learns 360 Educational initiative partnership with the Ohio Department of Education providing families, afterschool, and summer programs with standards-based curriculum, virtual field trips, and interactive video programs for K-5 students.
• A to Z Career Lab Online career exploration platform helping students investigate career options from Aerospace Engineer to Zoologist.
• Move to Include National inclusion initiative with partner stations (PBS Kansas, WGCU) using public media power to spotlight people of differing abilities and issues across education, healthcare, housing, recreation, and employment.
• Brick by Brick Podcast Podcast diving into solutions and responses to social issues impacting Southwest Ohio communities, with area residents, community leaders, content experts, and regional/national scholars.
• Rodney Veal's Inspired By Podcast Arts and culture podcast where host Rodney Veal interviews artists and creatives about what inspires them through honest conversations with working art makers.
• For the Love of EdTech Podcast Education-focused podcast by educators for educators exploring how educational technology can improve students' learning experience, hosted by Kara Hutchinson and Caryn Kelley.
• Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Resources Video series produced in partnership with Montgomery County Education Service Center and CASEL to help educators understand and implement social-emotional learning in education settings.
• ThinkTV Kids Club Annual family membership program ($75 for up to 4 children ages 1-10) supporting ThinkTV quality educational programs and offering an introductory gift package, birthday cards, free tickets, and event invitations.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2023 Regional Emmy Awards (2) for Redlining: Mapping Inequality documentary
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration16 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStatewide partnership through Ohio's PBS stations to address COVID-19 learning disruptions. ThinkTV and CET lead the Ohio Learns 360 initiative providing standards-based curriculum, virtual field trips, interactive video programs, and community events for K-5 students in summer and afterschool programs.
• Dayton Metro LibrarycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration on PBS Kids Read-Along program bringing video storybooks to families. Joint summer reading initiatives and community literacy programs serving Dayton area residents.
• Move to Include Initiative PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational initiative with partner stations including WGCU (Florida) and PBS Kansas. Uses public media power to promote inclusion of people with differing abilities through programming, resources, and community engagement.
• League of Women Voters of Greater Dayton Area, Cincinnati Area, and USminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborated on 'Let Ohio Women Vote' documentary about women's suffrage movement. League provided historical resources and support for local storytelling.
• National Afro-American Museum and Cultural CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on 'Let Ohio Women Vote' documentary and Queens of the Heartland exhibit coverage. Provided archival materials and historical expertise.
• Montgomery County Education Service CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with CASEL (Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning) to produce video series helping educators understand and implement social-emotional learning in education settings.
• Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerContent partnership for social-emotional learning video series. CASEL identified the ten indicators of schoolwide SEL featured in ThinkTV productions.
• PBS KansasminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PBS Kansas and WGCU PBS for Virtual Book Club program for young adults with and without autism diagnosis.
• WGCU PBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Virtual Book Club expansion, building on project originally launched by WGCU in southwest Florida.
• Ohio DanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRodney Veal serves on board of Ohio Dance. Partnership for arts programming and dance festival coverage.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• WGUC / WVXU (Cincinnati Public Radio): Cincinnati-area public radio stations operating under the Cincinnati Public Radio umbrella, sharing overlapping geography, donor base, and educational mission with ThinkTV. Comparable nonprofit funding model (memberships, underwriting, CPB grants).
• WVIZ / ideastream Public Media: Cleveland/Northeast Ohio PBS station with similar multi-channel broadcast, educational, and podcast operations. Comparable headcount scale and revenue model (membership, corporate underwriting, foundation grants) for a major Ohio media market.
• WOSU Public Media: Columbus, Ohio PBS/NPR affiliate serving central Ohio with comparable multi-channel broadcast operations, educational programming, and statewide Ohio Channel carriage. Same state public media ecosystem and regulatory framework, with overlapping foundation and corporate underwriter pools.
• WHIO-TV (Dayton): Dominant commercial broadcast station in the Dayton market. Competes for local audience share and advertiser dollars, but with a different business model (advertising-driven vs. nonprofit/membership-driven) and less educational programming depth.

Direct peers

• WGCU Public Media: Southwest Florida PBS/NPR affiliate and named partner on the Move to Include initiative. Direct collaboration on Virtual Book Club makes operational, programmatic, and mission alignment tightly comparable.
• WCET / CET (Cincinnati Public Television): Co-operator of the Ohio Learns 360 initiative with ThinkTV and sister PBS station serving the Cincinnati market. Both stations share Public Media Connect as a parent entity, distribute similar educational content, and produce complementary local programming, making them the closest comparable.
• PBS Kansas (KPTS): Kansas PBS affiliate and named partner in the Move to Include / Virtual Book Club collaboration. Comparable educational programming focus and nonprofit station operating model.

Others

• Sesame Workshop: National nonprofit producer of PBS Kids educational children's content (including Sesame Street). Comparable in mission and educational content strategy, but operates at national scale and as an upstream content supplier to ThinkTV's PBS Kids 24/7 channel.

Broad incumbents

• KQED: San Francisco Bay Area PBS/NPR affiliate and a leading producer of national PBS content. Larger-scale public broadcaster with similar educational programming, podcast portfolio, and digital product strategy, but significantly bigger resource base.
• WETA Public Media: Washington D.C.-area PBS station (and PBS Kids producer). A larger, national-content-producing public broadcaster with similar educational mission, PBS network role, and multi-channel operations, but serving a much larger market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ThinkTV
• Facebookfacebook.com/thinktv

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 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 ThinkTv Network