Adam Sherwin
The Independent
October 10, 2011
For more than 40 years the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) – America’s equivalent of the BBC – has provided the nation’s viewers with a “gold standard” of public service television.
Now the BBC faces a challenge from its US cousin as it launches PBS UK, an “upmarket” channel devoted to US history, science and arts, on BSkyB and Virgin Media.
Supported by Federal government funding and private donations, the not-for-profit PBS network is watched by more than 124 million US viewers. Inspired by the BBC, PBS was created in 1970 to ensure diversity in an environment dominated by commercial television networks.
As well as bringing Sesame Street to the screen, PBS produces the acclaimed nightly current affairs show NewsHour and Frontline, an award-winning documentary series that has conducted controversial investigations into American foreign policy. Often accused of “liberal bias” by Republicans, PBS is fighting calls to cut the $430m budget it shares with the US’s National Public Radio service.
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