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Published Apr 15, 2019

Recode Decode: PBS CEO Paula Kerger

PBS CEO Paula Kerger delves into the challenges of reduced federal funding for public media, highlighting the crucial role of community support, while shedding light on PBS's innovative ventures into digital and immersive media to enrich storytelling and engagement.
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  • Streaming Platforms

    PBS is strategically leveraging streaming platforms to expand its digital presence while maintaining its core mission of public accessibility. explains that PBS has developed channels on Amazon, including drama, kids, and lifestyle channels, to offer free content to members of local stations 1. This approach ensures that even those without broadband access can benefit from PBS's educational content, as broadcast remains a crucial distribution method 2.

    The broadcast audience is big and is an important piece of how we're distributing.

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    Additionally, PBS is enhancing its digital offerings by localizing content through platforms like Roku and Apple TV, allowing users to select their local stations and access a personalized viewing experience 3.

       

    Digital Creation

    PBS is embracing digital content creation by adapting to new formats and platforms, such as YouTube, to reach younger audiences. highlights that PBS is teaching its stations to produce content specifically for digital platforms, recognizing YouTube as a significant medium rather than just a stepping stone to television 4. This shift allows PBS to create engaging content at a lower cost, while still maintaining its educational mission.

    It's a really interesting balance of understanding our north star of the kind of content that we produce.

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    Furthermore, PBS is exploring partnerships with other media organizations to enhance its content offerings, ensuring that it remains relevant and innovative in the digital age 5.

       

    Immersive Media

    PBS is experimenting with immersive media, such as virtual reality (VR), to enhance educational storytelling and foster empathy. shares that PBS has partnered with Nova to create VR experiences, like those depicting the disappearance of glaciers, which offer a deeply immersive and empathetic understanding of complex issues 6. This innovative approach aligns with PBS's mission to educate and engage audiences in meaningful ways.

    It's the most empathetic of media, so it's perfect for us because it's purely an immersive experience.

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    By utilizing VR, PBS aims to provide audiences with a unique perspective on global challenges, enhancing the impact of its educational content.

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