CET

What CET does

CET, formally the Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation, is a nonprofit public television station based in Cincinnati, Ohio, founded in 1954. It operates under the Public Media Connect parent organization as a 501(c)(3) and serves the Greater Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio region through an FCC-licensed broadcast operation complemented by cable, satellite, and streaming distribution. CET's programming spans eight channels — CET, CET Create, CET Arts, ThinkTV14, ThinkTV14 Create, ThinkTV14 Explore, ThinkTV14 World, and ThinkTV16/World — covering national PBS content (PBS NewsHour, Antiques Roadshow, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Sesame Street), original local productions such as Brick by Brick, arts programming (CET Arts, the first 24/7 arts channel in the U.S.), educational content, and inclusion-focused programming like Move to Include.\n\nCET's business model is the standard public broadcasting mix: individual memberships (including the CET Passport tier), corporate underwriting, foundation and government grants, and on-air pledge drives. Revenue is not publicly disclosed. The organization invests in local journalism (Cincinnati Edition, the focus on covering Northern Kentucky) and educational content, including a partnership with the Ohio Department of Education on the statewide Ohio Learns 360 initiative. CET also runs children's programming (Kids Club at $75/year), a podcast slate, and community engagement programs such as the Move to Include Virtual Book Club, now co-produced with PBS Kansas and WGCU.\n\nThe organization is structured as a community-focused nonprofit with 11–50 employees, an emphasis on work-life balance, and a 19-day workweek. External validation includes a Charity Navigator 4-Star rating (2025) and two Regional Emmy Awards (2023). CET functions as a regional public media utility — content production, distribution, and community education — rather than a commercial technology or media company.

Name

CET

Legal name

Greater Cincinnati Television Educational Foundation

Website

https://cetconnect.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CET is a Cincinnati-based nonprofit public television station and 501(c)(3) founded in 1954, operating eight channels that deliver PBS, educational, local journalism, and arts programming to Greater Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio through broadcast, cable, and streaming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Television Broadcasting

NAICS

Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)

akta.pro primary industry

Education Professionals (Teacher/Administrator CE, CPD) (EDAAALAE)

Keywords

• Public television broadcasting
• Educational programming
• Nonprofit media
• Community broadcasting
• Arts television

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

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, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Membership and Donations: CET operates as a nonprofit public media organization funded primarily through viewer memberships and donations. Membership drives occur multiple times annually with pledge incentives and thank-you gifts. CET Kids Club membership available at $75 annually for families.
2. Corporate Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors gain on-air, online, and print exposure across CET platforms. Action Auction corporate sponsorship offers branded recognition. Sponsors include companies like Netherland Rubber Co., Ameritas, Gallagher, and regional businesses.
3. Government and Foundation Grants: Funded by Ohio Department of Education for Ohio Learns 360 initiative. Additional grants from organizations like Ohio Humanities, Charles H. Dater Foundation, and Marge and Charles J. Schott Foundation support educational programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

CET is a nonprofit public television station serving Greater Cincinnati and Southwest Ohio, operating multiple broadcast channels (CET, CET Create, CET Arts, ThinkTV14) that deliver educational, arts, children's, and local community programming. Funded primarily through viewer memberships, corporate sponsorships, and grants, the station produces award-winning local documentaries and provides free educational resources through the Ohio Learns 360 initiative and Early Learning Workshops.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brick by Brick: Regional community affairs program exploring solutions to complex problems in Southwest Ohio, launched March 2024
• Stephanie's Recipe Journal
• The Baking Journal
• Rodney Veal's Inspired By
• SHOWCASE with Barbara Kellar
• The Art Show
• NewsDepth
• Ohio Learns 360
• CET Kids Club
• Move to Include
• CET Arts
• CET Create

Products and services

• Public Television Broadcasting Service
• CET Passport Membership
• CET Kids Club Membership
• Ohio Learns 360
• Early Learning Workshops
• ThinkTV14 Broadcast Service
• Corporate Sponsorship Packages

Quantifiable outcome

• Charity Navigator Four-Star Rating for financial transparency and accountability
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ohio Department of EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOhio's PBS stations, through a partnership with the Ohio Department of Education, are working with local summer and afterschool programs to address disruptions to learning caused during the COVID-19 pandemic. CET and ThinkTV lead the Ohio Learns 360 initiative providing families, afterschool and summer programs with PBS resources including standards-based curriculum, virtual field trips, interactive video programs, and community events for K-5 students.
• PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCET is the Greater Cincinnati affiliate of PBS, broadcasting national PBS programming including Masterpiece, NOVA, Antiques Roadshow, and Great Performances. PBS App provides streaming access to CET content nationwide. CET also carries PBS Kids programming 24/7.
• PBS Kansas and WGCU PBSminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with PBS Kansas and WGCU PBS for the Move to Include Virtual Book Club for adults ages 18-35 with and without autism diagnosis. This is an expansion of a project launched by WGCU in southwest Florida.
• OCCRRA (Ohio Child Care Resource and Referral Association)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCET's Early Learning Workshops are coordinated through OCCRRA, Ohio's child care resource and referral network. Workshops are listed on OCCRRA's registry for Ohio Approved professional development training.
• Local Cultural and Educational OrganizationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnerships with organizations including Dayton Metro Library, Cincinnati Museum Center, Nancy & David Wolf Holocaust & Humanity Center, League of Women Voters, National Afro-American Museum and Cultural Center, and others for documentary production, programming, and community events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• WVIZ/PBS ideastream: Cleveland-based Ohio PBS station providing public broadcasting, educational services, and Ideastream Public Media. Directly comparable as a fellow Ohio PBS affiliate operating educational programming and member-supported services in the same state.
• KQED: San Francisco Bay Area PBS station producing national programming and operating multiple channels. Directly comparable to CET in operating model, multi-channel structure, educational services, and member-supported nonprofit funding.
• WPBS: Watertown, New York PBS affiliate serving northern New York and eastern Ontario. Comparable as a smaller regional PBS station with similar member-supported funding model and educational programming mandate in a similar-sized market.
• WGBH: Boston-based flagship PBS station and one of the largest public broadcasters in the U.S., producing national programming and operating multiple channels. Directly comparable to CET as a regional PBS affiliate with educational programming, member-supported funding, and multi-channel distribution.
• Oregon Public Broadcasting: Oregon's primary PBS and NPR affiliate operating multiple TV and radio channels. Comparable as a regional public broadcaster with member-supported funding, educational programming, and multi-channel distribution serving a defined state geography.
• WNET: New York metro PBS station operating THIRTEEN, WLIW21, and PBS Kids channel. Directly comparable as a multi-channel PBS affiliate with educational programming, member donations, and corporate sponsorship funding mix serving a major U.S. metropolitan market.
• WTTW: Chicago PBS station operating WTTW, WTTW Prime, WTTW Create, and WTTW Kids. Directly comparable as a multi-channel PBS affiliate serving a major metropolitan area with member-supported funding and educational programming focus.
• ThinkTV: Dayton, Ohio PBS station operating as a sister subsidiary of CET under Public Media Connect. Closely comparable as a regional Ohio PBS affiliate serving the Dayton market with shared operational infrastructure and overlapping educational programming.

Emerging players

• Sesame Workshop: Nonprofit educational media organization producing Sesame Street and other children's educational content. Comparable to CET's CET Kids Club and PBS Kids programming as a nonprofit producing mission-driven educational media for young audiences.
• Khan Academy: Nonprofit educational platform providing free standards-aligned video lessons, practice exercises, and teacher resources. Comparable to CET's educational services arm (Ohio Learns 360, Early Learning Workshops) as a nonprofit delivering standards-aligned educational content to K-12 students and educators.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/cetconnect
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/CETconnect
• Facebookfacebook.com/CETconnect
• Instagraminstagram.com/cetconnect

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries3 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 CET