KPBS

What KPBS does

KPBS is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public media station serving San Diego and Imperial counties in California. Founded in 1960, it operates as a member station of PBS and NPR, with broadcast licenses held by the California State University Board of Trustees for San Diego State University, and staff employed through the San Diego State University Research Foundation. The company maintains editorial independence from SDSU, the SDSU Research Foundation, and station management.

The core product surface comprises over-the-air television (Channel 1011 Cox, Channel 1221 Time Warner, plus over-the-air), FM radio at 89.5 (including Classical San Diego), the KPBS+ subscription streaming service, the KPBS Passport member-benefit streaming tier, more than 20 original podcasts (Midday Edition, Roundtable, KPBS Investigates, Port of Entry, Cinema Junkie, etc.), a daily evening news program (Evening Edition), and a Spanish-language news section (Noticias en español). A newsroom of 60+ journalists covers local, regional, national, and international news; investigative reporting; border and immigration; military and veteran affairs; environment, education, arts, and culture. Native mobile apps on iOS and Android and the kpbs.org website complete the distribution architecture.

Revenue mechanics are hybrid and not directly disclosed. Funding sources include individual membership/donations (described internally as the 'lifeline'), corporate underwriting/sponsorship, federal public media funding, and NPR programming participation. Content is free at point of consumption with no paywall; gated premium content (KPBS+, Passport) is gated by membership status rather than direct pay-per-use pricing. The go-to-market is community-led and multi-platform, relying on broadcast reach and audience contribution rather than transactional sales.

Name

KPBS

Legal name

KPBS Public Media

Website

https://kpbs.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1960

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

KPBS Public Media is a San Diego-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) public broadcaster affiliated with SDSU, delivering local news, TV, radio (89.5 FM), streaming (KPBS+), and podcasts to San Diego and Imperial counties.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: KPBS relies on community support through membership programs and individual donations to fund operations. Without federal funding, community support is described as their 'lifeline'.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support KPBS through sponsorship arrangements, with options for becoming a KPBS sponsor.
3. Federal Funding: KPBS receives federal funding as a public media organization, though the organization emphasizes that community support is critical given funding uncertainties.
4. NPR+ Content Partnership: KPBS carries NPR content and programming, participating in the NPR network.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

KPBS Public Media operates a multi-platform public broadcasting service delivering local, national, and international news, cultural programming, and original investigative journalism to San Diego and Imperial counties. Its core offerings span television broadcast (Cox 1011, Time Warner 1221), FM radio at 89.5, the KPBS+ streaming platform, and a portfolio of podcasts and on-demand content. Content is provided free to the public with no paywall, supported by membership donations, corporate sponsorship, federal funding, and PBS/NPR programming partnerships.

Product overview

KPBS Public Media operates as a unified public broadcasting platform offering television, radio, and digital content distribution. The core products include KPBS TV (broadcast and on-demand), KPBS Radio 89.5 FM, and an extensive portfolio of podcasts including KPBS Midday Edition, KPBS Evening Edition, and KPBS Investigates. The platform includes streaming services through KPBS+ (subscription) and KPBS Passport (member benefit), alongside children's programming via Kids TV and accessibility services through Radio Reading Service. Production Services rounds out the offerings for professional media partnerships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• KPBS Passport: KPBS Passport is a member benefit offering extended streaming access to PBS content.
• Evening Edition
• KPBS Midday Edition

Products and services

• KPBS TV KPBS television broadcasting service providing live TV, on-demand content, and program schedules across multiple channels for San Diego and Imperial County audiences.
• KPBS Radio 89.5 FM
• KPBS Podcasts
• KPBS+ Streaming
• KPBS Passport
• KPBS Evening Edition
• KPBS Midday Edition
• Kids TV
• KPBS Investigates
• Radio Reading Service
• Production Services

Quantifiable outcome

• News free for everyone with no paywall

Named customers2 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• San Diego State University Research FoundationcoreOthersKPBS broadcast licenses are held by the California State University Board of Trustees for SDSU. KPBS is associated with SDSU and the SDSU Research Foundation, though maintains strict editorial independence from management, SDSU, and the SDSU Research Foundation.
• PBScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKPBS is a member station of PBS (Public Broadcasting Service), carrying PBS programming and content including kids TV programming through pbskids.org.
• NPR (National Public Radio)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorKPBS carries NPR content and programming as a member station, distributing national news content from NPR.
• California State University Board of TrusteescoreOthersKPBS broadcast licenses are held by the California State University Board of Trustees for San Diego State University.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• KPCC / LAist (Southern California Public Radio): LAist operates as an NPR member station serving the greater Los Angeles region with combined news, radio, and podcast distribution under a nonprofit 501(c)(3) structure, directly parallel to KPBS's dual-license nonprofit public media model in Southern California.
• KQED: KQED is the PBS/NPR member station for the San Francisco Bay Area, operating TV, radio, podcasts, and digital news under a nonprofit model with a comparable multi-platform journalism footprint to KPBS.
• KCRW: KCRW is a Santa Monica-based NPR affiliate operating FM radio, streaming, and original podcasts with a member-supported nonprofit model closely matching KPBS Radio 89.5 FM's role in Southern California.
• PBS SoCal: PBS SoCal is the regional PBS member organization serving Southern California, distributing PBS programming and original local content via broadcast and streaming — directly comparable to KPBS's television and streaming operations.
• WNYC (New York Public Radio): WNYC operates as a major NPR member station with FM/AM broadcast, podcasts (e.g., Radiolab), and a robust newsroom under a nonprofit member-supported model, making it a benchmark peer for KPBS's scale and editorial ambitions.

Broad incumbents

• WGBH (GBH): GBH (formerly WGBH) is a large Boston-based PBS/NPR member station producing national programming and local journalism; it is a broader incumbent in the same public media category with a wider national footprint than KPBS.
• Minnesota Public Radio / APM Studios: Minnesota Public Radio is a large multi-station NPR network with national podcast production (APM Studios); it is a broader public radio incumbent operating across a larger geography than KPBS but serving the same member-supported public radio model.

Emerging players

• Voice of San Diego: Voice of San Diego is a nonprofit digital-only local news outlet covering the same San Diego region as KPBS, representing an emerging player in the local investigative news space where KPBS also competes for audience and donor support.

Others

• NPR (National Public Radio): NPR is the national network that KPBS is affiliated with as a member station; it supplies national content that KPBS distributes and represents the overarching ecosystem partner rather than a competitor.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): PBS is the national television network KPBS is a member station of; it supplies programming (including PBS Kids) and the Passport streaming benefit that KPBS distributes, functioning as a network partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCP9Zo2a0-bS9oPd_8tl92rQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/6673896747
• Instagraminstagram.com/kpbssandiego
• Xx.com/kpbsnews

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

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 KPBS