Public Media Network
Public Media Network is a nonprofit community media organization in Kalamazoo, Michigan that operates five cable channels and a streaming app, producing 1,000+ hours of local programming annually for residents, nonprofits, and five partner municipal governments.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1980
- HeadquartersKalamazoo, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Public Media Network does
Public Media Network (PMN) is a nonprofit community media organization headquartered in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Founded in 1983 as the Community Access Center and rebranded as Public Media Network in 2008, PMN operates five cable channels (Channels 189, 190, 191, 192, and 193) on WOW Cable and Comcast and produces more than 1,000 hours of original content annually, including coverage of more than 300 government meetings. The organization functions as the primary public-access media outlet for residents, local nonprofits, and municipal governments across a consortium of five partner municipalities.
PMN's service mix combines a public broadcaster role (government meeting coverage, civic programming) with a community media resource role (equipment access, studio facilities, and media training for local creators and organizations). In 2019, PMN extended its distribution footprint beyond cable through the launch of the PMN+ multi-platform streaming application, enabling mobile and over-the-top viewing. In subsequent years, the organization added a community journalism initiative, joined the OF/BY/FOR ALL Change Network, and introduced documentary storytelling programming.
PMN's nonprofit revenue model blends cable franchise fees from its five partner municipalities with individual and corporate donations, program-level sponsorships, fee-for-service media production and training, and competitive grant funding. As a municipal consortium, its governance and a foundational share of its revenue are tied to local-government participation, while its program scope addresses individual residents and the broader Kalamazoo-area nonprofit ecosystem.
Public Media Network firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Public Media Network
- Legal name
- Public Media Network
- Website
- https://publicmedianet.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1980
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Public Media Network is a nonprofit community media organization in Kalamazoo, Michigan that operates five cable channels and a streaming app, producing 1,000+ hours of local programming annually for residents, nonprofits, and five partner municipal governments.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Public Media Network industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Access Community Media
- NAICS
- Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (51621)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832)
- akta.pro primary industry
- State/Regional Public Broadcasting Networks & Consortia (MPABADAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts) (MPABADAG), Community/Low-Power Nonprofit Radio (LPFM/Community Radio) (MPABADAE)
Keywords
Where Public Media Network is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kalamazoo
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Public Media Network business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Franchise and Cable Access Fees: Percentage of franchise and cable access fees collected by municipal consortium members from cable companies in exchange for use of public right-of-way
- Individual Donations and Philanthropic Grants: Donations from individuals and grants from foundations including Harold and Grace Upjohn Foundation supporting narrative change work and general operations
- Sponsorships: Support from organizations sponsoring content with specific guidelines for recognition
- Fees for Services and Training: Revenue from production services for organizations, paid production partnerships, and training programs including youth camps
- Content Creator Membership: Membership program for content creators to submit content for distribution on PMN platforms
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | One time | Summer Visual Effects Camp (3rd-5th grade) |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Summer Visual Effects Camp (5th-8th grade) |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Monster Visual FX Camp |
| Unit Pricing | One time | Youth StoryLab Summer Program |
| Other | Multi-year contract | Content Studio Production Services |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels7 records
Public Media Network product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Public Media Network operates five local cable channels (PMN 1–5) and complementary on-demand/streaming platforms providing community-produced programming, local news, government meeting coverage, and arts/culture/education content to the Greater Kalamazoo area. It sells paid production services through Content Studio and mediaImpact to nonprofits, local governments, and community organizations, and runs media training programs including youth camps and the Media Arts Lab.
Product overview
Public Media Network is a community-powered media organization offering a multi-channel television and digital media platform serving Greater Kalamazoo. The core offering consists of five local cable channels (PMN 1-5) covering community programs, news, government meetings, and arts/culture, distributed via live TV, on-demand streaming, and the PMN+ App on Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, and mobile devices. Supporting services include Content Studio (paid production for organizations), mediaImpact (branded storytelling partnerships), and Gavel to Gavel government coverage. The organization provides media training through Media Arts Lab, Youth Media programs, and Youth StoryLab. Community members can join as content creator members to produce and distribute programming. Key content series include All Stories Matter, Connecting Communities, Kalamazoo & You, and the PMN Connector impact storytelling platform.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- PMN Cable Channels (PMN 1–5) Five distinct cable channels distributed across Greater Kalamazoo covering community programming, local news, government meetings, and arts/culture/education content. Commercial-free and open to community-submitted content, distributed to City of Kalamazoo, City of Parchment, Comstock Township, Kalamazoo Township, Oshtemo Township, and Western Michigan University campus.
- PMN+ App Mobile and streaming application available on Roku, FireTV, and Apple TV providing on-demand access to community programs, news, and government meeting coverage in high definition, extending reach beyond the traditional cable broadcast area.
- PMN OnDemand On-demand streaming service providing access to community shows, local productions, and archived government meeting recordings for catch-up viewing.
- Live Streaming of Cable Channels Internet-based live streaming of all five PMN cable channels, allowing real-time viewing via the website and PMN+ app beyond the cable footprint.
- Content Studio Paid video and television production services for nonprofits, local governments, and community organizations, leveraging PMN's studio facilities and production staff to deliver custom local TV programs and videos.
- mediaImpact Narrative-driven content partnership service focused on impact, trust, and long-term engagement for branded storytelling and content production.
- Gavel to Gavel Government Coverage Complete local government meeting coverage service covering the City of Kalamazoo, County of Kalamazoo, townships (Comstock, Kalamazoo, Oshtemo), school boards, and the Road Commission — 300+ live meetings annually.
- Community Access Center Membership (Content Creator Membership) Membership program allowing community members to become content creators and submit programming for distribution across PMN's five cable channels and on-demand/streaming platforms, with access to production resources and airtime.
- Media Arts Lab Training program offering instruction in media production skills including video, audio, and digital media creation for community members and aspiring creators.
- Community Journalism Community journalism initiative launched in 2020 to fill local journalism gaps in Greater Kalamazoo, producing and distributing local news stories and reporting.
- Documentary Storytelling Programs Programs helping people develop and produce non-fiction documentary stories of impact about personal experiences, community issues, and topics that matter to local residents.
- Summer Break Visual Effects Camp Summer camp teaching movie-making techniques including green screens, stop-motion animation, claymation, and mini movie set creation for students in grades 3rd–8th. Registration $150 standard / $200 with extended hours.
- Monster Visual FX Camp Summer camp for grades 3rd–8th where campers build cardboard cities and create stop-motion videos using toys and simple filmmaking techniques. Registration $150 standard with extended hours available for additional fee.
- Summer Youth StoryLab Three-week intensive summer program where participants in grades 5th–9th develop and produce their own 6–8 minute short film on topics they care about, run in partnership with the Douglass Community Association. Capacity limited to 10 participants.
Quantifiable outcome
- Covers 300+ live government meetings annually including city, township, and county boards
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Public Media Network
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
Public Media Network technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Public Media Network partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered strategic, program and core.
- OF/BY/FOR ALL Change NetworkstrategicPMN joined this network in 2020 to focus on becoming more inclusive and moving beyond traditional first-come-first-served approaches to public access.
- Fontana Chamber ArtsprogramPartnership for BRAVO! Competition coverage - PMN produces the competition winners showcase and recital performances.
- City of KalamazoocoreFounding municipal partner in the consortium that established community access television. City Commission appoints board members and PMN provides comprehensive government meeting coverage.
- City of ParchmentcoreMunicipal consortium member receiving community access services and government coverage.
- Comstock Charter TownshipcoreMunicipal consortium member since 1986, receiving planning commission and board meeting coverage.
- Kalamazoo Charter TownshipcoreMunicipal consortium member receiving township board meeting coverage.
- Oshtemo Charter TownshipcoreMunicipal consortium member since 1981, receiving planning commission and board meeting coverage.
- Western Michigan UniversitycorePMN channels distributed on WMU campus, expanding reach to university community and students.
- Kalamazoo Public SchoolscorePMN manages WKDS Radio 89.9 FM on behalf of the school district since 2001.
- Douglass Community AssociationprogramYouth StoryLab program location partner providing venue for the summer youth media program.
- YWCA KalamazooprogramReferenced in Kalamazoo Community Impact Analysis conducted by YWCA that informed PMN's nonprofit programming support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Public Media Network competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN): New York City-based nonprofit community access media organization operating multiple public cable channels and streaming platforms with content creator membership — the closest functional analog to PMN at significantly larger scale.
- Cambridge Community Television (CCTV): Nonprofit public access media center serving Cambridge, MA with PEG cable channels, media training, and community storytelling — directly comparable operating model and community-led GTM motion to PMN.
- Open Signal (Portland Community Media): Portland, Oregon nonprofit community media center operating cable channels, radio station, podcast studios, and youth programs with content creator membership — strongly comparable participatory media model to PMN.
- Brooklyn Community Access Television (BRIC/BCAT): Brooklyn-based public access cable and streaming operation providing community members with production resources, training, and channel distribution — a near-perfect mirror of PMN's operating model.
Broad incumbents
- GBH (WGBH): Boston-based major public broadcasting organization producing national PBS and NPR programming. Operates in the same public-media category as PMN but at vastly larger scale and scope.
Others
- Alliance for Community Media: National industry association representing public, educational, and government (PEG) access channels including PMN itself. Provides grant support, training, and policy advocacy for community media centers.
Regional players
- Detroit Public Television (DPTV): Michigan PBS-affiliated public television broadcaster serving Southeast Michigan including Greater Kalamazoo. Adjacent in mission and geography but operates a much larger statewide broadcast and digital distribution model.
- WKAR (Michigan State University Public Media): Michigan State University-licensed public television and radio network serving mid-Michigan with statewide digital distribution. Comparable public-media category but anchored to a university license rather than a municipal consortium.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Public Media Network social profiles
Digital presencePublic Media Network financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Public Media Network leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
Public Media Network funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Public Media Network 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 Public Media Network
What does Public Media Network do?
Public Media Network operates five local cable channels (PMN 1–5) and complementary on-demand/streaming platforms providing community-produced programming, local news, government meeting coverage, and arts/culture/education content to the Greater Kalamazoo area. It sells paid production services through Content Studio and mediaImpact to nonprofits, local governments, and community organizations, and runs media training programs including youth camps and the Media Arts Lab.
Is Public Media Network a public or private company?
Public Media Network is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Public Media Network founded?
Public Media Network was founded in 1980. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Public Media Network based?
Public Media Network is headquartered in Kalamazoo, United States, in the North America region.
How does Public Media Network make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Franchise and Cable Access Fees are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations and Philanthropic Grants, sponsorships, fees for Services and Training and content Creator Membership.
Who are Public Media Network's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Manhattan Neighborhood Network (MNN), Cambridge Community Television (CCTV), Open Signal (Portland Community Media) and Brooklyn Community Access Television (BRIC/BCAT). GBH (WGBH) is listed as a broad incumbent. Alliance for Community Media is listed as an others. Regional players are Detroit Public Television (DPTV) and WKAR (Michigan State University Public Media).
Does Public Media Network have an API?
No public API is recorded for Public Media Network.
What industry is Public Media Network in?
Public Media Network's product category is Public Access Community Media. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAC, State/Regional Public Broadcasting Networks & Consortia, with a secondary code of MPABADAG, Public Media Digital Platforms & Streaming (Apps, On-demand, Podcasts). Its NAICS code is 5161 and its SIC code is 4833.