PBS Wisconsin

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.

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

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

• Public television broadcasting
• Educational media services
• Local news programming
• Children's educational content
• Video streaming platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Madison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. 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.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: On-air sponsorship and event sponsorship opportunities for businesses, with various recognition tiers and on-air acknowledgment of corporate supporters.
3. 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.
4. 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

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core 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

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPBS 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 RadiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWisconsin 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)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 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-MadisoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity 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 PBSminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMilwaukee 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

Direct 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

• Xbsky.app/profile/pbswisconsin.bsky.social
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@pbswisconsin
• Facebookfacebook.com/pbswi
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pbs-wisconsin
• Instagraminstagram.com/pbswisconsin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about PBS Wisconsin