PBS Hawai‘i

Public Television Broadcastingpbshawaii.org

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

Location

Headquarters

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 offering

Core 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 profile

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

PBS Hawai‘i technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

PBS Hawai‘i partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

PBS (National)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPBS 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 KIDScoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with PBS KIDS providing 24/7 children's programming livestream, games, and educational content for Hawaii families.
NHK WORLD-JAPANminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorDistribution 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 assessment

Direct 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 financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

PBS Hawai‘i leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

PBS Hawai‘i funding detail

Funding detail

Funding 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 investment

M&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?

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.