Iowa PBS

What Iowa PBS does

Iowa PBS is the statewide public television network for Iowa, operating under the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board as a non-profit organization headquartered in Johnston, Iowa. Founded in 1969, the station distributes educational, cultural, and public affairs programming through FCC-licensed over-the-air broadcast, the PBS national streaming app, and its own digital platform (video.iowapbs.org). Its core programming includes locally-produced shows such as Iowa Press (political interviews), Market to Market (agricultural news established in 1975), Road Trip Iowa, Iowa Life, the Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards Showcase, and the 2026 documentary General Dodge and the Transcontinental Railroad, alongside national PBS franchises including Masterpiece and PBS KIDS.

The station's business model is hybrid: free over-the-air broadcast generates no direct revenue, while the station is funded through viewer memberships (Iowa PBS Passport at $5/month or $60/year), corporate underwriters (e.g., Viking, Raymond James for MASTERPIECE), community partnerships (notably a 28-year relationship with the Iowa Bankers Association that produced $11,790 at the most recent Festival pledge drive), and individual donations routed through the Iowa PBS Foundation. On March 19, 2026 the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board filed three FCC applications for new TV translator stations in Centerville, Dubuque, and Osceola, indicating infrastructure-led geographic expansion within the state.

Iowa PBS serves a primarily consumer audience — Iowa families, educators, and students — with horizontal segmentation, while corporate and institutional partners (sponsors, underwriters, volunteer organizations) form a secondary B2B revenue layer. The organization has 11-50 employees, no disclosed revenue figures, and operates without parent-company ownership, relying on the PBS national distribution network alongside its own broadcast and digital distribution channels. No AI/ML capabilities, patents, certifications, or external funding rounds are documented in the source material.

Name

Iowa PBS

Legal name

Iowa Public Broadcasting Board

Website

https://iowapbs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Iowa PBS is Iowa's statewide non-profit public television network, broadcasting educational, cultural, and public affairs programming to Iowa households via over-the-air broadcast and streaming platforms, funded through memberships, corporate sponsorships, and donations.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Television Broadcasting

NAICS

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

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

Keywords

• Public television broadcasting
• PBS affiliate network
• Educational media content
• Broadcast media streaming
• Public affairs programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Johnston

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, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: Public membership program where viewers become 'Friends of Iowa PBS' through annual contributions. Iowa PBS Passport membership available at $5/month or $60/year providing extended streaming access.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: Corporate underwriters and sponsors provide funding in exchange for on-air recognition and branding. Examples include Viking and Raymond James underwriting MASTERPIECE programming.
3. Community Partnerships and Volunteer Programs: Long-standing partnerships with organizations like the Iowa Bankers Association, where volunteers participate in annual pledge drives to raise funds.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Iowa PBS is Iowa's statewide public television network producing original educational and public affairs programming (Iowa Press, Market to Market, Road Trip Iowa, Iowa Life, and the upcoming General Dodge documentary) and distributing PBS national content through over-the-air broadcast, cable, satellite, and digital streaming platforms (PBS app, video.iowapbs.org), supported by the Iowa PBS Passport membership tier at $5/month or $60/year.

Product overview

Iowa PBS operates as a statewide public television network offering programming through broadcast television, live TV streaming, and digital platforms. The core product portfolio includes news and public affairs programs (Iowa Press, Market to Market), documentary series (General Dodge and the Transcontinental Railroad, Road Trip Iowa), lifestyle programming (Iowa Life), and educational content (Iowa PBS Education, PBS KIDS). The station distributes Masterpiece drama series as part of the PBS network. Iowa PBS Passport serves as a membership add-on providing extended streaming access to PBS content. Programming is delivered via broadcast, the PBS App, and streaming platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Iowa PBS Passport: A membership benefit offering extended access to PBS shows, early releases, and exclusive content on the PBS app.
• Iowa PBS Education
• Iowa PBS Outdoors
• Market to Market
• Iowa Press
• Road Trip Iowa
• Iowa Life
• Iowa Ingredient

Products and services

• Iowa Press
• Market to Market
• Road Trip Iowa
• Iowa Life
• General Dodge and the Transcontinental Railroad
• Iowa PBS Passport
• PBS KIDS Programming
• Iowa PBS Education

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Blank Park ZoominorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 June 2026Iowa PBS partners with Blank Park Zoo for Iowa PBS Day at the Zoo event on July 18, 2026. Families can meet PBS KIDS characters and participate in hands-on STEAM activities.
• Iowa Bankers AssociationcoreOthersLong-standing partnership of 28 years where Iowa bankers volunteer during Iowa PBS's annual Festival pledge drive, answering pledge phones and helping raise funds. The partnership represents one of Iowa PBS's longest continuous community relationships.
• Iowa Bankers (multiple banks across Iowa)coreOthersTen bankers from banks across Iowa volunteered for Iowa PBS's annual pledge drive called Festival, helping raise $11,790 for the public television network.
• Des Moines SymphonyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIowa PBS provides live broadcast coverage of the Des Moines Symphony's Yankee Doodle Pops concert at the Iowa State Capitol. Partnership began in 2021.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Wisconsin Public Television: Statewide PBS member network operated by the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board, offering comparable mix of national PBS programming, local originals, and educational content. Closely comparable in scale, mission, and funding model to Iowa PBS.
• South Dakota Public Broadcasting: Statewide public television and radio network for South Dakota. Comparable small-state PBS operator with similar membership, underwriting, and educational programming mix.
• Minnesota PBS (Twin Cities PBS): Minnesota's public television service operating PBS member stations with local original programming and educational resources. Comparable in regional scope, content strategy, and non-profit funding model to Iowa PBS.
• Nebraska Public Media: Nebraska's statewide public broadcasting network providing PBS programming, local content, and educational services. Comparable midwestern state-level PBS station with similar funding structure (membership, underwriting, donations).
• KQED: Major PBS member station serving Northern California with extensive local original production, Passport membership, and educational programming. Larger in scale but highly comparable in operating model, multi-platform distribution, and member-supported public television mission.
• WTTW Chicago: Chicago-area PBS member station producing local originals, educational content, and cultural programming. Comparable as a public television operator with membership, underwriting, and Passport-style premium streaming offerings.

Regional players

• Iowa Public Radio: Statewide public radio network serving Iowa with NPR-style programming. Operates in the same Iowa non-profit public media ecosystem with overlapping donor bases and underwriting relationships, but in audio rather than television.

Others

• American Public Television (APT): Distributor and programming partner for public television stations, supplying content to PBS affiliates including Iowa PBS. Comparable as a public broadcasting ecosystem participant and potential distribution/coproduction counterpart.

Broad incumbents

• WGBH (Boston): One of the largest PBS member stations and a major producer of national PBS programming (Frontline, NOVA, American Experience). Functions as a content supplier and broader incumbent in the public television ecosystem rather than a regional competitor to Iowa PBS.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): National network that Iowa PBS affiliates with and sources programming from. Operates the PBS App, PBS.org, and Passport platform. Not a direct competitor but the dominant incumbent shaping Iowa PBS's programming pipeline and digital distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/iowapbs
• YouTubeyoutube.com/IowaPBS
• Facebookfacebook.com/iowapbs
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-pbs
• Instagraminstagram.com/iowapbs
• Pinterestpinterest.com/iowapbs

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Iowa PBS