what is pbs

PBS stands for Public Broadcasting Service, which is an American public broadcaster and non-commercial, free-to-air television network based in Arlington, Virginia. PBS is a publicly funded nonprofit organization and the most prominent provider of educational programs to public television stations in the United States, distributing shows such as Frontline, Nova, PBS NewsHour, Arthur, Sesame Street, and This Old House. PBS has over 350 member television stations, many owned by educational institutions, nonprofit groups, or entities owned by or related to state government. PBS was established on November 3, 1969, by Hartford N. Gunn Jr., John Macy, James Day, and Kenneth A. Christiansen. PBSs goal is to make educational and informative programming available to the public, and it does not accept advertising and is paid for through special congressional funding to assure the independence of the content, as well as station pledge drives. PBS offers programming that expands the minds of children, documentaries that open up new worlds, non-commercialized news programs that keep citizens informed on world events and cultures, and programs that expose America to the worlds of music, theater, dance, and art. PBS is committed to bringing the power of media into the classroom, helping educators to engage students in new and different ways.