PBS39
PBS39 (Lehigh Valley Public Media) is a community-owned nonprofit broadcaster operating PBS television (WLVT-TV), NPR radio (91.3 WLVR), and digital local news (LehighValleyNews.com) for viewers, families, and news consumers across the Greater Lehigh Valley.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1967
- HeadquartersBethlehem, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What PBS39 does
PBS39 operates as a community-owned nonprofit public broadcasting organization serving the Greater Lehigh Valley in eastern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1967 and operating under the corporate entity WLVT Lehigh Valley Telecommunications Corporation, Inc., the organization runs a multi-platform media portfolio that includes a PBS-affiliated television station (WLVT-TV), an NPR news radio station (91.3 WLVR), and the digital news platform LehighValleyNews.com. It is headquartered at the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, PA, and serves the Eastern Pennsylvania and Western New Jersey region with roughly 101–250 employees.
The product portfolio centers on broadcast television and radio infrastructure paired with multi-platform streaming distribution. Linear broadcast channels deliver PBS national programming — including MASTERPIECE, NOVA, Ken Burns documentaries, and PBS Kids — alongside locally produced content. PBS39 Passport, a membership-based on-demand streaming benefit, extends content access via the PBS app across Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Android TV, iOS, and Android, plus web browsers. The organization also operates educational initiatives (Scholastic Scrimmage, Production U, Storytime, Summer Series, Arte y Español), event programming (First Fridays, Good Neighbors awards), and production studio rental services at its SteelStacks facility.
PBS39's revenue model is donation- and membership-driven rather than commercial. Recurring memberships start at $5/month for PBS39 Passport access; sustaining tiers range from $10 to $100/month, and Leadership Society starts at $100/month or $1,000/year. One-time gifts are accepted from $75 to $1,000+. Additional revenue comes from underwriting and corporate sponsorships (with donors giving $5,000 or more annually publicly disclosed) and grants. The organization has publicly noted that federal funding for local public media has been eliminated, materially shifting reliance toward individual donors and corporate underwriters. Customer segments are horizontal and geographic: general public viewers, families/educators, and news consumers within the regional service area.
PBS39 firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- PBS39
- Legal name
- WLVT Lehigh Valley Telecommunications Corporation, Inc.
- Website
- https://wlvt.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1967
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- PBS39 (Lehigh Valley Public Media) is a community-owned nonprofit broadcaster operating PBS television (WLVT-TV), NPR radio (91.3 WLVR), and digital local news (LehighValleyNews.com) for viewers, families, and news consumers across the Greater Lehigh Valley.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
PBS39 industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Broadcasting Services
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style) (MPABABAB), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH), Local News & Weather Stations (MPABACAJ)
Keywords
Where PBS39 is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Bethlehem
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
PBS39 business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Membership and Donations: Primary revenue stream from community members who pay annual dues or make one-time donations. Members receive PBS39 Passport access as a benefit. The organization emphasizes that federal funding cuts make community donations vital for operations.
- Underwriting and Sponsorships: Accepts gifts, grants, and sponsorships from individuals and organizations. Corporate underwriters appear on digital platforms and broadcasts but have no control over content, in compliance with FCC guidelines. Donors giving $5,000 or more per year are publicly disclosed.
- Federal and Foundation Grants: Government and foundation funding supports operations. The website notes that federal funding for local public media organizations has been eliminated, making other revenue sources more critical.
- Membership Applications and Transactions: Revenue generated from membership applications requiring disclosure of contact and payment information. Credit card processing for membership dues.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | PBS39 Passport membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Sustaining/Leadership Society membership |
| Subscription | Annual | One-time and annual donation tiers |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels5 records
PBS39 product offering
Product offeringCore offering
PBS39 operates public television broadcasting (WLVT-TV), public radio (91.3 WLVR), and a digital local news platform (LehighValleyNews.com) serving the Greater Lehigh Valley. The organization distributes PBS national programming, produces local shows, offers educational content, and provides a membership-based on-demand streaming benefit called PBS39 Passport.
Product overview
PBS39 is the public television station of Lehigh Valley Public Media (LVPM), a community-owned nonprofit media organization operating a multi-platform portfolio. The core offerings include PBS39/WLVT television broadcasting with local and national PBS content, PBS39 Passport (a membership-based on-demand streaming benefit), live TV streaming via the PBS39 Video App and PBS.org platform, and the PBS Kids educational programming block. LVPM also operates 91.3 WLVR (NPR news radio) and LehighValleyNews.com (nonprofit digital news), alongside educational programs (Scholastic Scrimmage, Storytime, Arte y Español, Production U), studio rentals, and events. The Ken Burns documentary collection represents premium content available through Passport membership. The organization is headquartered at the Univest Public Media Center on the SteelStacks campus in Bethlehem, PA.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PBS39 Passport: Membership benefit providing extended on-demand access to PBS programming including Masterpiece catalog, Ken Burns documentaries, and local productions
- 91.3 WLVR
- LehighValleyNews.com
Products and services
- PBS39/WLVT Television Broadcasting Over-the-air public television broadcasting service providing local shows, PBS national programming, and children's educational content to viewers in the Greater Lehigh Valley region.
- 91.3 WLVR Public Radio All-day NPR news radio station serving the Lehigh Valley, providing national and local news, public affairs programming, and community journalism content.
- LehighValleyNews.com Digital News
Quantifiable outcome
- Community media coverage across television, radio, and digital news platforms serving the Greater Lehigh Valley
Companies that use PBS39
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
PBS39 technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature2 records
PBS39 partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
PBS39 competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KQED: KQED is the PBS and NPR member station for the San Francisco Bay Area, operating public television, public radio, and a major digital newsroom (KQED News). Closely comparable as a multi-platform, donation-driven public broadcaster with a strong local journalism focus.
- Vermont Public: Vermont Public operates PBS and NPR services for Vermont with broadcast, radio, and digital news properties. Comparable as a regional public broadcaster combining television, radio, and digital journalism under a single nonprofit entity with member-supported funding.
- KCET: KCET is the PBS member station serving Southern California (Los Angeles), operating broadcast television and a robust digital platform. Comparable as a regional PBS affiliate with community programming and donor-supported operations.
- WETA: WETA is the PBS member station serving the Washington, D.C. area, producing nationally distributed programming (PBS NewsHour) while operating local broadcast and digital properties. Comparable as a PBS affiliate with both local service and national production scale.
- WHYY: WHYY is the PBS and NPR member station serving the Philadelphia region, making it the closest geographic and operational peer to PBS39. It operates the same three-platform model (public television, NPR radio, and digital news via WHYY.org) with a comparable community nonprofit fundraising approach.
- WTTW: WTTW is the PBS member station serving Chicago, with multiple channels and an affiliated NPR station (WBEZ Chicago is now merged). Comparable as a metropolitan-area PBS broadcaster with educational programming and a membership-driven funding model.
- Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB): OPB operates public television, public radio, and digital news across Oregon and the Pacific Northwest. Closely mirrors PBS39's three-platform model (TV, radio, digital news) with a community-funded nonprofit operating structure.
- WGBH: WGBH is the PBS and NPR member station in Boston and one of the largest producers of public broadcasting content nationally (Frontline, NOVA, American Experience). Highly comparable multi-platform nonprofit broadcaster with deep community and educational programming ties.
- Houston Public Media (KUHT): Houston Public Media operates KUHT (PBS) and KUHF (NPR) for the Houston market as a university-licensed public broadcaster. Comparable as a multi-platform public broadcasting organization with educational programming emphasis.
- WNET: WNET is a major PBS member station serving the New York metro area, operating multiple public television channels and digital properties. It is a directly comparable PBS member station with national content production capabilities and a multi-platform nonprofit model.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
PBS39 social profiles
Digital presencePBS39 financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
PBS39 leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
PBS39 subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries2 records
PBS39 funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
PBS39 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 PBS39
What does PBS39 do?
PBS39 operates public television broadcasting (WLVT-TV), public radio (91.3 WLVR), and a digital local news platform (LehighValleyNews.com) serving the Greater Lehigh Valley. The organization distributes PBS national programming, produces local shows, offers educational content, and provides a membership-based on-demand streaming benefit called PBS39 Passport.
Is PBS39 a public or private company?
PBS39 is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was PBS39 founded?
PBS39 was founded in 1967. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is PBS39 based?
PBS39 is headquartered in Bethlehem, United States, in the North America region.
How does PBS39 make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Membership and Donations are the primary driver. The others are underwriting and Sponsorships, federal and Foundation Grants and membership Applications and Transactions.
Who are PBS39's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KQED, Vermont Public, KCET, WETA, WHYY, WTTW, Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), WGBH, Houston Public Media (KUHT) and WNET.
Does PBS39 have an API?
No public API is recorded for PBS39.
What industry is PBS39 in?
PBS39's product category is Public Broadcasting Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM), with a secondary code of MPABABAB, Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style). Its NAICS code is 516120 and its SIC code is 4833.