Public Broadcasting Service

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is a private, non-profit television network owned by over 300 public television stations in the United States. PBS headquarters are in Alexandria, Virginia. PBS was founded in 1969, at which time it took over many of the functions and stations of its predecessor, National Educational Television (NET).

It is funded by a combination of corporate sponsors, private donations from individuals and non-profit corporations such as the Annenberg Foundation[?], and Federal money through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

PBS produces a number of highly regarded children's shows such as Sesame Street and Mister Rogers' Neighborhood as well as art programming such as Great Performances[?] and Masterpiece Theatre and scientific programming such as Nova[?] and Scientific American Frontiers[?]. It also broadcasts Teletubbies in the United States. PBS stations are also known for rebroadcasting British television dramas and comedies, and much of the exposure of audiences in the United States to British television (particularly comedies) comes through PBS to the point where it has been joked that PBS means "Primarily British Series".

PBS has been the subject of some political controversy. Some conservatives dislike its perceived liberal bias and its government funding and have periodically, but unsuccessfully attempted to cut funding to the CPB. PBS has also been criticized by liberals in that much of its funding comes from corporate sponsorships and some liberals are uncomfortable with shows on PBS such as Wall $treet Week which they see as promoting a corporate outlook without any corresponding series featuring opposing views like labor unions.

External Link

• http://www.pbs.org/ (PBS website)