Arizona PBS
Arizona PBS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public television station serving Arizona from Phoenix, broadcasting five channels plus Passport streaming to 1.8 million weekly viewers and funded primarily through individual memberships, corporate underwriting, and major-gift philanthropy through ASU.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1960
- HeadquartersPhoenix, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Arizona PBS does
Arizona PBS is a nonprofit public television station licensed as KAET, founded in 1960 and operating as a community service of Arizona State University under the Arizona Board of Regents. The station broadcasts five channels from a South Mountain tower (originally constructed in 1984): Arizona PBS HD (8.1), Life (8.2), World (8.3), KIDS (8.4), and Classical Arizona PBS/KBAQ (8.5). It reaches approximately 1.8 million viewers weekly in the Phoenix market per Nielsen Scarborough 2022, making it the top-rated public media station in the region, and distributes content across major cable, satellite, OTT (YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, DIRECTV STREAM, Amazon Prime Video FAST), smart TV, and mobile platforms.
The product surface combines national PBS programming (Masterpiece, NOVA, Frontline, Nature, American Experience) with locally produced content including Arizona Horizon (daily news magazine), Horizonte (Spanish-language news), Check, Please! Arizona (five-time regional Emmy-winning culinary series now in season 13), Trail Mix'd (digital-first outdoor series), What Happened in AZ?, Energy Switch, Jobs Explained, and the upcoming Resolve to Solve with Miles O'Brien. The Passport streaming benefit ($5/month or $60/year membership) provides access to over 6,000 hours of extended on-demand content, and education services include AZPBS LearningMedia and Family Math workshops. Central Sound at Arizona PBS provides audio production for the Phoenix Symphony, Phoenix Chorale, and ASU School of Music.
The business model is community-supported and donation-driven: over 80% of annual funding comes from individual membership, sustainer programs ($5/month), annual memberships ($60/year), and tiered society giving (Signal $1,000-$9,999 through Program Partner $50,000+), supplemented by corporate underwriting (Banner Health, SRP, BOK Financial, AARP, and others), vehicle donations through an Arizona Humane Society partnership, and major gifts including a $5 million transformational donation from Susan Hart-Wadley and Searle Wadley supporting the $9 million tower replacement project. Donations flow through the Arizona State University Foundation (EIN 86-6051042) under 501(c)(3) status.
Arizona PBS firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Arizona PBS
- Legal name
- Arizona PBS (KAET) - Community Service of Arizona State University
- Website
- https://azpbs.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1960
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Arizona PBS is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public television station serving Arizona from Phoenix, broadcasting five channels plus Passport streaming to 1.8 million weekly viewers and funded primarily through individual memberships, corporate underwriting, and major-gift philanthropy through ASU.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Arizona PBS industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Television Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style) (MPABADAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- 24/7 National & International News Channels (MPABAIAA), Local Multicultural/Language Broadcasters (Spanish/Asian/Other Local Markets) (MPABACAI), Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH)
Keywords
Where Arizona PBS is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Phoenix
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Arizona PBS business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Community Member Support: Individual donations and memberships from viewers constitute over 80% of annual funding. Members receive benefits including Passport streaming access, magazine subscriptions, event invitations, and donor wall recognition. Tiers include $5/month sustaining membership, $60/year basic membership, and $1,000-$9,999 Signal Society level
- Corporate Sponsorship and Underwriting: Corporate sponsors receive multi-platform exposure across television, digital, print, and social media. Sponsors gain 'halo effect' association with trusted public media brand. Contact via Robyn Duda at ASU Foundation
- Arizona PBS Passport Premium Membership: Enhanced streaming benefit requiring $5/month or $60/year donation, providing extended library access to PBS favorites and locally produced content
- Vehicle Donation Program: Partnership with Arizona Humane Society for vehicle donations. Donors receive tax deduction, one-year magazine subscription, Passport access, and Signal Society benefits for donations of $1,000+. Process managed entirely by AHS on behalf of Arizona PBS
- Major Gifts and Planned Giving: Philanthropic donations exceeding $1,000 supporting tower upgrade project and general operations. Notable $5 million gift from Susan Hart-Wadley and Searle Wadley toward tower replacement. Society tiers: Signal ($1,000-$9,999), Executive ($10,000-$24,999), Broadcast ($25,000-$49,999), Program Partner ($50,000+), Legacy ($100,000+ bequests)
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Sustaining Membership - $5/month |
| Subscription | Annual | Basic Annual Membership - $60/year |
| Subscription | Monthly | Family Membership - $10/month |
| Subscription | Annual | Signal Society - $1,000-$9,999/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Executive Society - $10,000-$24,999/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Broadcast Society - $25,000-$49,999/year |
| Subscription | Annual | Program Partner - $50,000+/year |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Vehicle Donation - Variable value |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels7 records
Marketing channels8 records
Arizona PBS product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Arizona PBS operates five broadcast television channels (8.1 HD, 8.2 Life, 8.3 World, 8.4 KIDS, 8.5 Classical) distributing PBS national programming and locally produced content free over-the-air. The station complements its broadcast service with the Arizona PBS Passport member streaming platform offering extended on-demand access to over 6,000 hours of content, public affairs programming, original local shows, educational resources for schools, and audio production services through Central Sound.
Product overview
Arizona PBS is a multi-channel public media organization operating as a platform-plus-channels architecture. The core offering consists of five broadcast television channels (Arizona PBS HD on 8.1, Arizona PBS Life on 8.2, Arizona PBS World on 8.3, Arizona PBS KIDS on 8.4, and Classical Arizona PBS/KBAQ on 8.5) distributed via antenna, cable, satellite, and streaming platforms. The Arizona PBS Passport membership streaming service provides extended on-demand access to over 6,000 hours of PBS content via PBS.org and the PBS app. Local original programming includes news programs (Arizona Horizon, Horizonte), documentary/food series (Check Please! Arizona, Trail Mix'd, What Happened in AZ?, Energy Switch, Jobs Explained), audio/podcasts (Arizona Encore, Take Note, Keeping It Civil), and education services (AZPBS LearningMedia, Family Math workshops). The platform is completed by live streaming capabilities, PBS Video App, and PBS KIDS Video App integrations across connected devices.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Arizona PBS HD (Channel 8.1)
- Arizona PBS Life (Channel 8.2)
Quantifiable outcome
- Reaches 1.8 million viewers each week (Nielsen Scarborough 2022)
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Arizona PBS
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Arizona PBS technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration15 records
Feature3 records
Arizona PBS partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.
- Arizona Humane Society (AHS)coreArizona PBS partners with Arizona Humane Society in a joint vehicle donation program. AHS manages the entire vehicle donation process including scheduling pickups, coordinating repairs, processing title transfers, and overseeing vehicle sales on behalf of Arizona PBS. This partnership maximizes proceeds to support the station's mission while optimizing tax deductions for donors.
- Arizona State University (ASU)flagshipArizona PBS is a community service of Arizona State University and an affiliate of ASU Media Enterprise. ASU provides institutional support, academic resources, talent pipeline, and operational infrastructure. The station serves as a training ground for ASU journalism and media students.
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)flagshipArizona PBS is an affiliate of the national PBS network, receiving access to national programming library including Masterpiece, NOVA, Frontline, and other award-winning PBS content. The partnership includes shared streaming technology, Passport platform, and national marketing initiatives.
- PBS Stations (10 stations for Jobs Explained)minorArizona PBS participates in the national Jobs Explained initiative alongside 10 other PBS stations, producing social media video content about in-demand careers for young people. Stations create locally-relevant content distributed across the national initiative.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Arizona PBS competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KQED (San Francisco): Major PBS/NPR member station serving Northern California with multi-channel broadcast, Passport streaming, deep local news and documentary production, and a strong community-membership funding model mirroring Arizona PBS's structure.
- WGBH (Boston): Large PBS member station and prolific national program producer (Frontline, NOVA, American Experience). Operates same multi-channel/membership revenue model as Arizona PBS and is a direct co-producer of much of the content Arizona PBS distributes.
- Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB): Statewide PBS member network operating broadcast channels plus digital streaming, member funding, and local journalism. Directly comparable in geographic scope (state-level reach), structure, and revenue model to Arizona PBS.
- WNET (New York Public Media): Flagship PBS member station in New York; comparable multi-channel public broadcaster with similar member-supported model, Passport streaming integration, local news/journalism productions, and national-level program origination. Closest analogue in scale and editorial ambition.
- KCET (Los Angeles): Southern California PBS station operating a multi-channel platform with member support, Passport integration, and significant original local programming. Peer in model and audience engagement approach.
- WTTW (Chicago): PBS member station serving the Chicago market with multiple channels, member-funded operations, Passport integration, and substantial local programming. Comparable mid-major market PBS station scale and structure.
- WETA (Greater Washington): DC-area PBS station with broadcast channels, member support, and Passport integration; comparable scale and a national-program co-production role (e.g., PBS NewsHour), analogous to Arizona PBS's relationship to ASU-produced content.
Broad incumbents
- PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): National parent network of which Arizona PBS is an affiliate; broader incumbent providing the shared programming library, Passport streaming platform, and national marketing infrastructure that all member stations leverage.
- NPR (National Public Radio): National nonprofit media organization operating the public-radio ecosystem; Arizona PBS Classical simulcasts KBAQ, which is the NPR-style analog on the radio side. Broad incumbent in adjacent public-media space.
Others
- Capitol Broadcasting / WRAL: Operator of a local commercial TV station group with strong local news and digital distribution; representative of the commercial local-broadcast peer set that competes for Arizona advertising dollars and audience attention.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Arizona PBS social profiles
Digital presenceArizona PBS compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Arizona PBS financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Arizona PBS leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Arizona PBS funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Arizona PBS 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 Arizona PBS
What does Arizona PBS do?
Arizona PBS operates five broadcast television channels (8.1 HD, 8.2 Life, 8.3 World, 8.4 KIDS, 8.5 Classical) distributing PBS national programming and locally produced content free over-the-air. The station complements its broadcast service with the Arizona PBS Passport member streaming platform offering extended on-demand access to over 6,000 hours of content, public affairs programming, original local shows, educational resources for schools, and audio production services through Central Sound.
Is Arizona PBS a public or private company?
Arizona PBS is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Arizona PBS founded?
Arizona PBS was founded in 1960. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Arizona PBS based?
Arizona PBS is headquartered in Phoenix, United States, in the North America region.
How does Arizona PBS make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Community Member Support is the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship and Underwriting, arizona PBS Passport Premium Membership, vehicle Donation Program and major Gifts and Planned Giving.
Who are Arizona PBS's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KQED (San Francisco), WGBH (Boston), Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB), WNET (New York Public Media), KCET (Los Angeles), WTTW (Chicago) and WETA (Greater Washington). Broad incumbents are PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and NPR (National Public Radio). Capitol Broadcasting / WRAL is listed as an others.
Does Arizona PBS have an API?
No public API is recorded for Arizona PBS.
What industry is Arizona PBS in?
Arizona PBS's product category is Public Television Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAA, National Public Television Networks & Member Stations (PBS-style), with a secondary code of MPABAIAA, 24/7 National & International News Channels. Its NAICS code is 516120 and its SIC code is 4833.