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PBS to Provide Dynamic Local Audience Data to Member Stations

4 minute read | May 2024

Nielsen Local Dashboards fully funded by major CPB grant 

ARLINGTON, VA; May 13, 2024 —PBS has received a significant grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) to provide PBS Member Stations with Nielsen Local Dashboards, providing in-depth audience data. The dashboards will display local market linear television audience data to give stations an enhanced understanding of the viewers they reach throughout the day. 

Member stations will have access to an interactive dashboard that includes critical audience metrics across all DMAs with PBS Member Stations. The dashboards will help stations understand their diverse & comprehensive audiences within their local communities.

“Quality data helps us reach viewers where they are to build new connections to the content they know and love,” said Amy Sample, PBS Vice President of Business Intelligence. “Our ongoing collaboration with Nielsen, thanks in part to CPB, now gives member stations a powerful new tool to understand their audience and local community impact. It will help build engagement with longtime fans while creating new ones.” 

“Public television stations’ strength is their connection to their communities, and these dashboards will provide valuable, detailed data to help the stations understand their audiences even better,” said Patricia Harrison, President and CEO of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. “CPB is pleased to fund this investment in local public media stations.” 

“As long-standing partners with PBS Member Stations in nearly every local market, we are excited to expand our relationship with PBS Corporate to deliver critical audience insights via a new intuitive and innovative dashboard” said Paul LeFort, Managing Director, Nielsen Local TV. “Nielsen’s unique capability to report PBS audiences across all platforms, including Cable Satellite, Over-the-Air, Digital & virtual MVPDs enables PBS Member Stations to demonstrate their engaged audiences to sponsors, underwriters, and community organizations more effectively than ever before. We are grateful to have the support of critical local media partners like PBS.”

Nielsen Local Dashboards will be available to PBS Member Stations starting in late May, and similar data will be made available to CPB. PBS will have an exhibit at the PBS Annual Meeting today through May 15 in Las Vegas and hold multiple webinars this summer.

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 36 million adults on linear primetime television, more than 15 million users on PBS-owned streaming platforms, and 56 million people view PBS content on social media, 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 LearningMedia for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. As the number one educational media brand, PBS KIDS helps children 2-8 build critical skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality content on TV — including a PBS KIDS channel — and streaming free onpbskids.org and the PBS KIDS Video app, games on the PBS KIDS Games app, and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, Facebook, Instagram, 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 X (formerly Twitter).

About CPB

The Corporation for Public Broadcasting, a private, nonprofit corporation authorized by Congress in 1967, is the steward of the federal government’s investment in public broadcasting. It helps support the operations of more than 1,500 locally managed and operated public television and radio stations nationwide. CPB is also the largest single source of funding for research, technology and program development for public radio, television, and related online services. For more information, visit cpb.org, follow us on Facebook and LinkedIn and subscribe for email updates.

About Nielsen

Nielsen shapes the world’s media and content as a global leader in audience measurement, data and analytics. Through our understanding of people and their behaviors across all channels and platforms, we empower our clients with independent and actionable intelligence so they can connect and engage with their audiences—now and into the future. Nielsen operates around the world in more than 55 countries. Learn more at www.nielsen.com and connect with us on social media (Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram).

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