Masters of Scale PBS fights for its future, with President & CEO Paula Kerger
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Jul 8, 2025 
Paula Kerger, President and CEO of PBS, advocates for the vital role of public broadcasting amid financial uncertainties. She discusses the impact of potential federal funding cuts on programming and the importance of corporate philanthropy. Kerger dives into PBS's evolving relationships with streaming platforms like Netflix, and how they are adapting traditional content like Sesame Street for a new audience. She also addresses the political scrutiny public media faces, emphasizing the need for strong values and mission focus in an ever-changing landscape.
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Critical Role of Federal Funding
- PBS depends significantly on federal funding, about 15% of its total budget, which is critical for many small communities.
- Losing this funding would severely impact local stations that rely on it for up to 40% of their budget.
PBS Faces Hostile Congressional Hearing
- Paula Kerger testified at a hostile congressional hearing labeled "Un-American Airwaves," where PBS was unfairly criticized.
- She emphasized PBS's American roots as a locally owned and community-governed network of stations.
PBS's Decentralized Structure
- PBS is not a centralized network but a service designed by local stations to share resources.
- This collaborative model enables production of diverse, iconic programming that individual stations couldn't create alone.