PBS Hawai‘i
PBS Hawai‘i is a nonprofit public television broadcaster operating FCC-licensed stations KHET and KMEB across Hawaii, producing local original programming, educational content, and cultural shows funded by donations, memberships, sponsorships, and foundation grants.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1966
- HeadquartersHonolulu, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingDigital Commerce or Content
What PBS Hawai‘i does
PBS Hawai‘i, legally the Hawaii Public Television Foundation (EIN 99-0334518), is a nonprofit public television broadcaster founded in 1966 and headquartered at 315 Sand Island Access Road, Honolulu, Hawaii. The organization operates two FCC-licensed stations—KHET and KMEB—delivering free over-the-air public television across the State of Hawaii. Its technical platform consists of conventional broadcast transmission plus a multi-channel digital footprint: PBS Hawai‘i Livestream, PBS KIDS 24/7, NHK WORLD-JAPAN livestream, the PBS mobile app, and on-demand digital content accessible via pbshawaii.org. The station produces a substantial slate of local original programming including HIKI NŌ (a student journalism program reaching 100+ Hawaii schools), Nā Mele (Hawaiian music), INSIGHTS on PBS Hawai‘i (weekly public affairs), KĀKOU town halls, Home is Here, 'ONO! Hawai‘i's Food Culture, ALANUI MELE, and PBS Hawai‘i Classics, alongside national PBS programming (MASTERPIECE, NOVA, FRONTLINE, PBS NewsHour, etc.). It also distributes podcasts and digital-exclusive shorts.
PBS Hawai‘i operates under a donation-driven nonprofit business model. Primary revenue streams include individual donations, sustaining memberships (starting at $5/month or $60/year), corporate sponsorships (Hawaii Gas, Pasha Hawaii, HEI, Bank of Hawaii Foundation, AltRes, Maui Ocean Center), foundation grants (The Olson Trust, Stupski Foundation), planned giving and legacy estates (Holomua society), vehicle donations, and gifts of securities or IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions. Its PBS Hawai‘i Passport membership add-on provides extended on-demand streaming access to 1,500+ episodes for donors at the $60/year threshold. The station is led by President and CEO Ron Mizutani, governed by a statewide Board of Directors and Community Advisory Board, and holds a 4-star Charity Navigator rating with perfect scores in Accountability and Transparency. PBS Hawai‘i serves the general public of Hawaii, families and children, and Hawaii K–12 schools as its principal audience segments.
PBS Hawai‘i firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PBS Hawai‘i
- Legal name
- Hawaii Public Television Foundation dba PBS Hawai'i
- Website
- https://pbshawaii.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1966
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- PBS Hawai‘i is a nonprofit public television broadcaster operating FCC-licensed stations KHET and KMEB across Hawaii, producing local original programming, educational content, and cultural shows funded by donations, memberships, sponsorships, and foundation grants.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Where PBS Hawai‘i is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Honolulu
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PBS Hawai‘i business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Digital Commerce or Content
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Membership: Individual viewer donations and sustaining memberships form the primary revenue source. Passport membership provides extended on-demand access for donors contributing $60 annually or $5 monthly.
- Business Sponsorship: Corporate sponsors support specific programs and the station. Business development and sponsorship opportunities are offered to advertisers.
- Legacy and Planned Giving: Estate gifts and planned giving programs including legacy gifts and the Holomua legacy society.
- Vehicle Donations: Vehicle donation program allowing donors to contribute automobiles to support the station.
- Securities and IRA Gifts: Gifts of appreciated securities, Donor Advised Fund grants, and Qualified Charitable Distributions from IRAs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | PBS Hawai'i Passport membership for extended streaming access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels8 records
PBS Hawai‘i product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PBS Hawai'i is a nonprofit public television station that broadcasts educational, cultural, and local programming via two over-the-air channels (KHET and KMEB) and digital streaming platforms (livestream, PBS App, PBS KIDS 24/7, and NHK WORLD-JAPAN). The station produces original local series covering Hawaiian music, culture, food, civic affairs, and student journalism, supported by viewer donations, memberships, and corporate sponsorships.
Product overview
PBS Hawai'i operates as a multi-platform public media organization serving the State of Hawai'i. Its core offering is broadcast television programming distributed via two over-the-air stations (KHET and KMEB), live streaming (PBS Hawai'i Livestream, PBS KIDS 24/7 Livestream, NHK WORLD-JAPAN Livestream), and on-demand services. The platform-plus-services architecture centers on the main broadcast channel augmented by local original series (HIKI NŌ, INSIGHTS on PBS Hawai'i, KĀKOU: Hawai'i's Town Hall, Nā Mele, Home is Here, 'ONO! Hawai'i's Food Culture, PBS Hawai'i Presents, PBS Hawai'i Classics, ALANUI MELE, GET CAUGHT READING, What School You Went? Podcast, Digital Exclusives, and PBS Hawai'i Presents Shorts), a subscription-style add-on (PBS Hawai'i Passport providing extended on-demand access to 1,500+ episodes for $60/year donors), and a children's membership club (PBS Hawai'i Keiki Club). National PBS programming (MASTERPIECE, NOVA, NATURE, FRONTLINE, Independent Lens, PBS NewsHour, American Experience, American Masters, Finding Your Roots, Great Performances, POV) is also distributed. The station publishes a monthly program guide PDF and printable schedule, and accepts donations via online credit card, Apple Pay, and Google Pay.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PBS Hawai'i Livestream
- PBS Hawai'i Passport
- HIKI NŌ on PBS Hawai'i
- 'ONO! Hawai'i's Food Culture
- GET CAUGHT READING
- What School You Went? Audio Podcast
- Home is Here
- INSIGHTS on PBS Hawai'i
- KĀKOU: Hawai'i's Town Hall
- Nā Mele
- ALANUI MELE: Hawai'i Hip-Hop History
- PBS Hawai'i Presents
- PBS Hawai'i Classics
- Digital Exclusives
- PBS Hawai'i Keiki Club
- PBS KIDS 24/7 Livestream
- NHK WORLD-JAPAN Livestream
Companies that use PBS Hawai‘i
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
PBS Hawai‘i technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
PBS Hawai‘i partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- PBS (National)corePBS Hawai'i is a member station of the PBS network, broadcasting national PBS programming including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, Frontline, and other national shows. The station also distributes national content through the PBS app and Passport membership.
- PBS KIDScorePartnership with PBS KIDS providing 24/7 children's programming livestream, games, and educational content for Hawaii families.
- NHK WORLD-JAPANminorDistribution partnership for NHK WORLD-JAPAN livestream on PBS Hawai'i platform, expanding international content access for Hawaii viewers.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
PBS Hawai‘i competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KQED: KQED is the PBS/NPR member station for the San Francisco Bay Area, operating as a nonprofit public broadcaster with local news, cultural, and educational programming. Like PBS Hawai'i, it distributes national PBS content while producing region-specific original series and relies on member donations and corporate underwriting.
- WETA: WETA is the PBS member station serving the Washington, DC area and produces PBS NewsHour. It is directly comparable to PBS Hawai'i as a nonprofit public broadcaster producing both local and nationally distributed content, funded through memberships, underwriting, and foundation grants.
- KCET: KCET is the independent PBS affiliate for Southern California, distributing national PBS programming alongside locally produced cultural and public affairs content. It mirrors PBS Hawai'i's nonprofit, donation-and-sponsorship-funded model with Passport-style membership benefits.
- PBS SoCal: PBS SoCal operates as a regional PBS station serving Southern California with local original programming and national PBS distribution. It is comparable to PBS Hawai'i as a community-supported nonprofit broadcaster combining broadcast, streaming, and educational outreach.
- WNET Group: WNET is the PBS member station for the New York metro area and parent of national PBS brands including PBS NewsHour and Great Performances. It shares PBS Hawai'i's nonprofit public broadcasting model with member-funded revenue, local production slate, and Passport streaming offering.
- WGBH (GBH): GBH (formerly WGBH) is the PBS member station for Boston and a major national producer of PBS content (FRONTLINE, NOVA, American Experience). It is comparable to PBS Hawai'i as a nonprofit public broadcaster with Passport membership, original local programming, and diversified donor/sponsorship revenue.
- New Mexico PBS (KNME): KNME is the PBS member station serving New Mexico with bilingual local programming and educational content for K-12 schools. Comparable to PBS Hawai'i as a smaller-market, member-supported nonprofit broadcaster focused on regional cultural storytelling and community engagement.
- Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB): OPB is the PBS and NPR member network for Oregon and southwest Washington, producing local journalism, cultural programming, and educational content. Like PBS Hawai'i, OPB is a statewide nonprofit broadcaster with a multi-platform distribution strategy including broadcast TV, livestream, and podcasts.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PBS Hawai‘i social profiles
Digital presencePBS Hawai‘i financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PBS Hawai‘i leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
PBS Hawai‘i funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PBS Hawai‘i 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 Hawai‘i
What does PBS Hawai‘i do?
PBS Hawai'i is a nonprofit public television station that broadcasts educational, cultural, and local programming via two over-the-air channels (KHET and KMEB) and digital streaming platforms (livestream, PBS App, PBS KIDS 24/7, and NHK WORLD-JAPAN). The station produces original local series covering Hawaiian music, culture, food, civic affairs, and student journalism, supported by viewer donations, memberships, and corporate sponsorships.
Is PBS Hawai‘i a public or private company?
PBS Hawai‘i is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PBS Hawai‘i founded?
PBS Hawai‘i was founded in 1966. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is PBS Hawai‘i based?
PBS Hawai‘i is headquartered in Honolulu, United States, in the North America region.
How does PBS Hawai‘i make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are business Sponsorship, legacy and Planned Giving, vehicle Donations and securities and IRA Gifts.
Who are PBS Hawai‘i's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KQED, WETA, KCET, PBS SoCal, WNET Group, WGBH (GBH), New Mexico PBS (KNME) and Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB).
Does PBS Hawai‘i have an API?
No public API is recorded for PBS Hawai‘i.