EAST LANSING, MI; April 8, 2022– PBS was recently named the most trusted media organization for the 19th year in a row, according to a nationwide survey. PBS continues to outscore government institutions and media sources— such as broadcast, cable, streaming and social media— in both value and trust, respectively.
According to survey results, 80% of respondents believe that the taxpayer dollars provided to PBS are a good investment. Furthermore, 86% agree that PBS member stations, like WKAR, provide excellent value to the communities they serve.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, PBS and WKAR offered important and timely services to local communities, teachers, parents, and students. In response, 87 % of those surveyed named PBS KIDS the most educational media brand, and 84% of parents agreed that PBS KIDS helps prepare children for success in school. PBS also remains the most trusted source for news and public affairs programming, outranking ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC and NBC.
Not only do viewers trust PBS, but they also see themselves reflected in PBS’s content offerings. Seventy-five percent of those surveyed agree that PBS content features a diverse range of people and 74% agree that PBS content appeals to people from diverse backgrounds.
“The trust that PBS and our member stations hold with the American public is an important measure of our success,” PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger. “As we prepare for the future, public television will continue to serve as a source of education, entertainment and inspiration for the American public.”
View PBS’s 2022 Trust Flyer.
For more station news from WKAR, visit wkar.org/station-news/.
About WKAR Public Media
WKAR Public Media is the Michigan capital region source for award-winning original television and radio, and the best from PBS and NPR. WKAR is part of Michigan State University College of Communication Arts & Sciences and includes WKAR TV, WKAR Radio, wkar.org, WKAR Radio Reading Service, WKAR Family, and WKAR Ready to Learn.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV – including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.