Austin PBS
Austin PBS is a nonprofit public television station (KLRU-TV) serving 3 million viewers across 20+ Central Texas counties with local originals including Austin City Limits, Austin InSight, and Central Texas Gardener, funded by memberships, underwriting, and a $6M ACL Trust campaign after the loss of federal CPB funding.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1962
- HeadquartersAustin, United States
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Austin PBS does
Austin PBS (legal name: The Capital of Texas Public Telecommunications Council; on-air: KLRU-TV) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public television station headquartered in Austin, Texas, serving 3 million potential viewers across more than 20 Central Texas counties. Founded in 1962, it operates four broadcast channels and reaches audiences via the PBS App, PBS Passport, YouTube, and PBS KIDS, delivering 35,000 hours of curated content covering education, arts and culture, and news and public affairs.
Its programming portfolio is anchored by Austin City Limits (the longest-running music series in U.S. television history, now in season 52), supported by Austin InSight (a weekly news magazine launched October 2024), Central Texas Gardener (season 30), Decibel (community journalism), Overheard with Evan Smith, High School Quiz Show: Austin, Taco Mafia, and digital originals such as David Eats Everywhere (YouTube-first, 2026). Production is supported by a next-generation broadcast facility unveiled in 2025, and seven Lone Star Emmy nominations were earned in 2025.
Revenue is generated through monthly/annual memberships ($5–$100+ monthly, $75–$1,200 one-time), corporate underwriting (Dell Technologies, Cirrus Logic, HEB, Austin Convention Center, AXS Ticketing), a Digital Originals Grant program, and previously through federal funding via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which was eliminated in 2026. To offset that loss, the station is pursuing a $6M ACL Trust capital campaign. Strategic co-development partnerships with the Texas Tribune's Austin Current newsroom and multi-station initiatives like Amerigo extend editorial and national reach.
Austin PBS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Austin PBS
- Legal name
- The Capital of Texas Public Telecommunications Council
- Website
- https://austinpbs.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1962
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Austin PBS is a nonprofit public television station (KLRU-TV) serving 3 million viewers across 20+ Central Texas counties with local originals including Austin City Limits, Austin InSight, and Central Texas Gardener, funded by memberships, underwriting, and a $6M ACL Trust campaign after the loss of federal CPB funding.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Austin PBS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Television Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (5162)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH), Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG), K–12 Instructional Video & Multimedia (EDAGALAA)
Keywords
Where Austin PBS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Austin
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Austin PBS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Membership and Donations: Recurring monthly memberships ($10/month suggested) and annual donations, with one-time gift options ranging from $75 to $1,200. Membership provides access to PBS Passport extended content.
- Underwriting and Sponsorships: Corporate sponsors underwrite programming. Austin City Limits is funded in part by Dell Technologies, Austin Convention Center Department, Cirrus Logic, and AXS Ticketing. Central Texas Gardener is underwritten by Lisa and Desi Rhoden, and HEB.
- Federal Funding: Previously received federal funding through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, which has been eliminated as of 2026, creating a significant funding deficit.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | PBS Passport Membership |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | One-time Donations |
| Subscription | Monthly | Monthly Sustaining Gifts |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Austin PBS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Austin PBS (KLRU-TV) is a nonprofit public television station that produces, curates, and broadcasts educational, cultural, news, and music programming across four channels and digital streaming platforms. The station distributes locally produced original series such as Austin City Limits, Austin InSight, Central Texas Gardener, and Decibel alongside national PBS content, reaching approximately 3 million potential viewers across more than 20 Central Texas counties. Operations are sustained through member donations, corporate underwriting, and previously federal funding via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Product overview
Austin PBS (KLRU-TV) is a nonprofit public television station operating as the only locally owned and operated public media organization in Central Texas, serving approximately 3 million potential viewers across more than 20 counties. The organization offers a multi-platform portfolio of local original programming alongside national PBS content. Core local Originals include Austin City Limits (52nd season music performance show), Austin InSight (weekly news magazine), Central Texas Gardener (30th season gardening program), David Eats Everywhere (food docuseries), Overheard with Evan Smith (interview program), Decibel (community journalism), High School Quiz Show: Austin, and Taco Mafia. Content distribution occurs via broadcast television (four channels devoted to education, arts and culture, and news), the PBS App streaming platform, PBS Passport membership tier, YouTube, and PBS KIDS. Membership and donations sustain operations alongside limited federal funding.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Austin City Limits
- Austin InSight
- Central Texas Gardener
Quantifiable outcome
- Serves 3 million potential viewers in more than 20 counties
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Austin PBS
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Austin PBS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration1 record
Feature3 records
Austin PBS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- NomadminorNomad produced the new original docuseries 'David Eats Everywhere' for Austin PBS, featuring food content creator David Douglass exploring Austin's immigrant-owned restaurants.
- America-Dreams.comminorDigital platform launched at SXSW inviting Americans to submit video messages about their hopes for the American Dream. Multiple PBS stations participating in initiative tied to Amerigo documentary.
- South Florida PBSminorPBS member station partnered with McCourt Entertainment for the Amerigo documentary exploring the American Dream. Documentary will premiere on PBS stations nationwide in June 2026.
- McCourt EntertainmentminorIrish American producer David McCourt produced the documentary 'Amerigo: The Search for the American Dream' in partnership with PBS stations for June 2026 premiere.
- Austin Current (Texas Tribune)coreAustin Current, the new local newsroom under Texas Tribune, partners with Austin PBS. Multimedia journalist Sam Stark covers local government for both Austin Current and Austin InSight.
- Dell TechnologiescoreCorporate sponsor providing funding for Austin City Limits production. Dell Technologies is a major technology company sponsoring public television music programming.
- Austin Convention Center DepartmentcoreLocal government sponsor funding Austin City Limits production as part of Austin's convention and tourism efforts.
- Cirrus LogiccoreCorporate sponsor providing funding for Austin City Limits production. Cirrus Logic is an Austin-based semiconductor company.
- AXS TicketingcoreTicketing company sponsor funding Austin City Limits production.
- HEBcoreMajor Texas grocery retailer sponsoring Central Texas Gardener. Since 2004, HEB has turned 58 million pounds of recycled plastic into composite decking and other products.
- Lisa and Desi RhodencoreIndividual donors providing underwriting support for Central Texas Gardener's 30th season.
- Diane Land and Steve AdlercoreIndividual donors providing underwriting support for Central Texas Gardener.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Austin PBS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentOthers
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): PBS is the national network of which Austin PBS is an affiliate member station. It provides shared programming, the PBS App streaming platform, and PBS Passport membership infrastructure that Austin PBS leverages for distribution and member benefits. Not a competitor but the core enabling network for the station's operations.
- NPR (National Public Radio): NPR is the national public radio network that complements PBS in the U.S. public media ecosystem. Some PBS stations (including potential peers) also operate NPR affiliates, and NPR's Next Generation Radio program has trained Austin PBS journalists. Comparable as the audio counterpart in public media but not a direct television competitor.
Broad incumbents
- KQED: KQED is the PBS and NPR member station for the San Francisco Bay Area and a leading producer of national PBS content. It is comparable to Austin PBS as a major-market nonprofit public broadcaster with original journalism, documentaries, and educational programming, but at larger scale.
- WGBH (GBH): WGBH (now GBH) is the largest PBS station and a major content producer for the PBS network, based in Boston. It is a broad incumbent that produces nationally distributed PBS programming and operates a similar nonprofit membership model, but at materially larger scale and with national rather than regional orientation.
- WNET (THIRTEEN): WNET is the flagship PBS station for the New York metropolitan area and a major national content producer. It operates the same broadcast-and-streaming nonprofit model as Austin PBS but at significantly larger scale, producing nationally distributed series and educational content.
Direct peers
- KLRN (San Antonio): KLRN is the PBS member station serving San Antonio and South Central Texas. It is a direct peer as another regional Texas PBS station of similar size, operating broadcast channels, PBS Passport membership, and local original programming under the same nonprofit public media framework.
- HoustonPBS (KUHT): HoustonPBS is the PBS member station serving the Houston metropolitan area through Houston Public Media. Like Austin PBS, it is a nonprofit public television station producing local news, original programming, and educational content for a large Texas market under a similar funding model.
- KERA (North Texas Public Broadcasting): KERA is a PBS/NPR member station serving the Dallas-Fort Worth market, operating comparable public television and radio services. It is a direct peer as another Texas-based PBS station producing local journalism, original programming, and educational content with a similar nonprofit membership model.
- South Florida PBS (WPBT & WXEL): South Florida PBS operates two PBS member stations in Florida and is explicitly cited as a partnership peer by Austin PBS on co-productions like the Amerigo documentary. Both are mid-sized PBS stations producing local journalism, original series, and educational content for regional audiences.
Regional players
- Texas Tribune: Texas Tribune is a nonprofit digital news organization operating Austin Current, which has a formal content partnership with Austin PBS. It is a regional peer in the local journalism space, sharing Austin PBS's nonprofit model and audience overlap but operating in print/digital rather than broadcast.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks3 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Austin PBS social profiles
Digital presenceAustin PBS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Austin PBS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Austin PBS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Austin PBS 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 Austin PBS
What does Austin PBS do?
Austin PBS (KLRU-TV) is a nonprofit public television station that produces, curates, and broadcasts educational, cultural, news, and music programming across four channels and digital streaming platforms. The station distributes locally produced original series such as Austin City Limits, Austin InSight, Central Texas Gardener, and Decibel alongside national PBS content, reaching approximately 3 million potential viewers across more than 20 Central Texas counties. Operations are sustained through member donations, corporate underwriting, and previously federal funding via the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Is Austin PBS a public or private company?
Austin PBS is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Austin PBS founded?
Austin PBS was founded in 1962.
Where is Austin PBS based?
Austin PBS is headquartered in Austin, United States, in the North America region.
How does Austin PBS make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Membership and Donations are the primary driver. The others are underwriting and Sponsorships and federal Funding.
Who are Austin PBS's main competitors?
Others on record are PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio). Broad incumbents are KQED, WGBH (GBH) and WNET (THIRTEEN). Direct peers are KLRN (San Antonio), HoustonPBS (KUHT), KERA (North Texas Public Broadcasting) and South Florida PBS (WPBT & WXEL). Texas Tribune is listed as a regional player.
Does Austin PBS have an API?
No public API is recorded for Austin PBS.
What industry is Austin PBS in?
Austin PBS's product category is Public Television Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM), with a secondary code of MPABADAH, Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning). Its NAICS code is 516120 and its SIC code is 4833.