170 Million Americans

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170 million Americans connect through 368 public television stations, 934 public radio stations, hundreds of online services, and in-person events and activities. Learn more >

Why Public Broadcasting?

America’s unique public broadcasting system is a collaboration of 1,300 local non-commercial radio and television stations that meet the standards of and are supported by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. They work with each other and with hundreds of national and local producers and community partners to ensure that Americans have universal access to high-quality non-commercial programming with a particular focus on the needs of underserved audiences, including children, minorities, and low-income Americans.

Public broadcasting is local: Stations are locally licensed and governed, locally programmed, and locally staffed. In many rural areas, public broadcasting is the only source of free local, national and international news, public affairs, and cultural programming. 

Public broadcasting is a great investment: Unlike public broadcasting systems throughout the world, America’s public broadcasters do not rely upon the government as their primary source of funding. On average, federal funding amounts to less than 14% of a station’s budget, with the remaining 86% coming from local sources.(1) However, this federal support is critical seed money for local stations which leverage each federal dollar to raise over six more dollars from local sources in order to provide the American public with the highest quality programming and services. 

Public broadcasting reflects the values of viewers and listeners, not advertisers: America has tremendous diversity of broadcasting outlets, but only public broadcasting is commercial free. This is one reason why public broadcasting is so highly trusted by the American people. 

170 Million Americans for Public Broadcasting is a collaboration of public radio and television stations, national organizations, producers and our viewers and listeners throughout the country in favor of a strong public media in the United States. This project receives no government funding and participating stations use no public funds to promote this effort.

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