PBS Wisconsin
PBS Wisconsin is Wisconsin's statewide public television network, operating four broadcast channels and statewide over-the-air, cable, and streaming distribution. It produces local news, public affairs, and educational programming, funded by member donations, corporate underwriting, and state/public funding through the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersMadison, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PBS Wisconsin does
PBS Wisconsin is a non-commercial public television network serving the state of Wisconsin as a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board (a state agency) and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The organization operates four broadcast channels — PBS Wisconsin (flagship news, public affairs, and national PBS programming), The Wisconsin Channel (state government and UW programming), Create (lifestyle and how-to content), and PBS Kids (24-hour children's educational programming) — distributed over-the-air via 12 transmitter locations statewide, through major cable and satellite providers (DirecTV, Spectrum, AT&T U-verse, Xfinity, TDS, Dish), and via the PBS Video app on iOS, Android, Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, Android TV, Samsung Smart TV, and Chromecast.
The organization produces an extensive slate of local original programming including Here & Now (weekly public affairs), Inside Wisconsin Politics (political roundtable in collaboration with Wisconsin Public Radio), Field Notes on Climate (environmental science series), The Ways (Native American language and culture stories supporting Wisconsin Act 31 compliance), University Place (virtual lecture series with UW-Madison), and Wisconsin Foodie, among others. A PBS Wisconsin Education division provides curriculum-aligned resources and professional development for K-12 educators. The PBS Passport membership tier ($60+ annually) provides extended on-demand streaming access layered atop free over-the-air broadcast.
PBS Wisconsin is funded through a diversified mix of individual memberships and sustaining gifts, corporate on-air underwriting and event sponsorship, planned giving and major donor programs, and government/public funding channeled through the Educational Communications Board and UW-Madison partnership. The organization employs 51-100 staff at its Madison headquarters (Vilas Communications Hall) and is governed by the ECB board. It is not a venture-backed or publicly traded entity.
PBS Wisconsin firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PBS Wisconsin
- Legal name
- Wisconsin Educational Communications Board
- Website
- https://pbswisconsin.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- PBS Wisconsin is Wisconsin's statewide public television network, operating four broadcast channels and statewide over-the-air, cable, and streaming distribution. It produces local news, public affairs, and educational programming, funded by member donations, corporate underwriting, and state/public funding through the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PBS Wisconsin industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Broadcasting Television
- NAICS
- Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA), University/Educational Local Stations (College Radio, Campus TV) (MPABACAH)
Keywords
Where PBS Wisconsin is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Madison
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PBS Wisconsin business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership and Individual Donations: PBS Wisconsin relies heavily on viewer contributions through membership programs, monthly sustaining gifts, and one-time donations. Members receive benefits including PBS Passport access for extended streaming privileges.
- Corporate Sponsorship: On-air sponsorship and event sponsorship opportunities for businesses, with various recognition tiers and on-air acknowledgment of corporate supporters.
- Government and Public Funding: As a public broadcasting entity, receives funding through the Educational Communications Board (ECB) and partnerships with the University of Wisconsin-Madison, contributing to operational support.
- PBS Passport Membership: Extended streaming access offered to members contributing $60 or more annually, providing on-demand access to PBS and local programming beyond broadcast schedules.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | PBS Passport extended access membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | General membership |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-time donations |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
PBS Wisconsin product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PBS Wisconsin operates four non-commercial digital television channels (PBS Wisconsin, The Wisconsin Channel, Create, and PBS Kids) distributed statewide via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, and streaming. It produces local news, public affairs, and documentary programming, offers live TV and on-demand streaming through its website and the PBS Video app, and provides PBS Passport as a $60+/year membership benefit for extended on-demand access.
Product overview
PBS Wisconsin is Wisconsin's public media organization operating as a service of the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The organization offers four broadcast channels: PBS Wisconsin (flagship channel with local news, public affairs, and national PBS programming), The Wisconsin Channel (Wisconsin-specific content and state government coverage), Create (lifestyle programming including cooking and travel), and PBS Kids (24-hour children's educational content). Beyond traditional broadcasting, PBS Wisconsin provides multi-platform viewing including live TV streaming, on-demand video streaming, and PBS Passport membership ($60+ annually) for extended on-demand access. The local programming portfolio includes Here & Now (weekly in-depth news and public affairs), Field Notes on Climate (environmental science series), Inside Wisconsin Politics (political roundtable in partnership with WPR), The Ways (Native American language and culture stories), University Place (virtual lecture hall), and Diverse Voices initiative covering various communities. PBS Wisconsin Education provides resources for teachers and students.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- The Wisconsin Channel: One of PBS Wisconsin's four broadcast channels focusing on public affairs and cultural programming
- Create Channel
- PBS Kids
Products and services
- PBS Wisconsin (Main Channel) Flagship broadcast channel offering local news, public affairs programming, national PBS shows, documentaries, dramas, and educational content including weekly programs Here & Now and Inside Wisconsin Politics.
- The Wisconsin Channel
- Create Channel
- PBS Kids Channel
- Live TV Streaming
- On-Demand Streaming
- PBS Passport
- PBS Wisconsin Education
Companies that use PBS Wisconsin
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PBS Wisconsin technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration14 records
Feature3 records
PBS Wisconsin partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)corePBS is the national parent network providing PBS Wisconsin with access to national programming (MASTERPIECE, NOVA, FRONTLINE, PBS NewsHour), the PBS Video app platform, PBS Passport technology, and national marketing. PBS Wisconsin operates as a local member station under the PBS network.
- Wisconsin Public RadiocoreWisconsin Public Radio (WPR) collaborates with PBS Wisconsin on joint news coverage and shares staff resources for Inside Wisconsin Politics, a weekly political roundtable produced collaboratively by WPR News and PBS Wisconsin News.
- Educational Communications Board (ECB)coreThe Educational Communications Board is a state agency that partners with PBS Wisconsin as a service of ECB and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. ECB provides governance, funding oversight, and strategic direction for Wisconsin's public media network.
- University of Wisconsin-MadisoncoreUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison partners with PBS Wisconsin as a service of ECB and UW-Madison. The partnership provides academic resources, faculty collaboration, and institutional support for public media operations and content production.
- Milwaukee PBSminorMilwaukee PBS provides select programming to PBS Wisconsin including Adelante, Black Nouveau, and 10thirtysix, expanding content offerings related to diverse Wisconsin communities.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PBS Wisconsin competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Milwaukee PBS (WMVS/WMVT): Milwaukee PBS is Wisconsin's other major PBS member station, operating as a direct peer with similar public broadcasting mission, multi-channel broadcast, and educational programming focus. It actually provides select content to PBS Wisconsin, evidencing their close operational overlap.
- Twin Cities PBS (TPT): TPT is the PBS member station serving Minnesota, operating a comparable multi-channel broadcast and local-original-content model with similar donor/underwriting revenue streams. As a similarly-sized Upper Midwest public broadcaster, it is a closely comparable operating peer.
- WTTW Chicago: WTTW is the PBS member station serving the Chicago market, with a comparable operating model including multi-channel broadcast, local production, member/donor funding, and educational programming. Its proximity to Wisconsin creates direct audience and sponsorship overlap.
- Iowa PBS: Iowa PBS is a state-level PBS network with multiple transmitter sites and original local programming — a structurally near-identical peer operating as a public television service in a neighboring Midwestern state with similar population scale and rural coverage requirements.
Others
- Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR): Wisconsin Public Radio is a sibling organization under the Educational Communications Board that shares staff resources with PBS Wisconsin for joint news coverage. Although radio rather than television, it shares the public broadcasting mission, state funding source, and editorial collaboration model.
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): PBS is the national parent network providing PBS Wisconsin with programming (MASTERPIECE, NOVA, FRONTLINE, PBS NewsHour), the PBS Video app, and PBS Passport platform. It is an enabling partner/ecosystem participant rather than a direct competitor.
Broad incumbents
- WGBH Boston: WGBH is one of the largest PBS member stations and a major national content producer for PBS (Frontline, American Experience, NOVA). As a much larger-scale incumbent in the public broadcasting space, it represents the upper end of operating scale and content distribution capability.
- WNET (THIRTEEN/PBS): WNET is a major PBS member station serving New York with national content production capabilities. As a larger incumbent public broadcaster, it competes for national sponsorship dollars and content licensing partnerships at a different scale.
- KQED: KQED is a large PBS/NPR member station serving the San Francisco Bay Area with extensive original content production. It represents a larger-scale incumbent model for cross-media public broadcasting including television, radio, and digital.
- WETA: WETA is a major PBS station serving the Washington, D.C. market and a significant producer of PBS NewsHour. As a larger incumbent, it has comparable public broadcasting mission and educational programming focus but at a substantially different scale and national visibility.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
PBS Wisconsin social profiles
Digital presencePBS Wisconsin financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PBS Wisconsin leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
PBS Wisconsin funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PBS Wisconsin M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about PBS Wisconsin
What does PBS Wisconsin do?
PBS Wisconsin operates four non-commercial digital television channels (PBS Wisconsin, The Wisconsin Channel, Create, and PBS Kids) distributed statewide via over-the-air broadcast, cable/satellite, and streaming. It produces local news, public affairs, and documentary programming, offers live TV and on-demand streaming through its website and the PBS Video app, and provides PBS Passport as a $60+/year membership benefit for extended on-demand access.
Is PBS Wisconsin a public or private company?
PBS Wisconsin is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was PBS Wisconsin founded?
PBS Wisconsin was founded in 1980. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is PBS Wisconsin based?
PBS Wisconsin is headquartered in Madison, United States, in the North America region.
How does PBS Wisconsin make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership and Individual Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship, government and Public Funding and PBS Passport Membership.
Who are PBS Wisconsin's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Milwaukee PBS (WMVS/WMVT), Twin Cities PBS (TPT), WTTW Chicago and Iowa PBS. Others are Wisconsin Public Radio (WPR) and PBS (Public Broadcasting Service). Broad incumbents are WGBH Boston, WNET (THIRTEEN/PBS), KQED and WETA.
Does PBS Wisconsin have an API?
No public API is recorded for PBS Wisconsin.
What industry is PBS Wisconsin in?
PBS Wisconsin's product category is Public Broadcasting Television. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM), with a secondary code of MPABADAA, National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style). Its NAICS code is 5161 and its SIC code is 4833.