Before the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) as we know it today, its predecessor was the National Educational Television (NET) network. PBS was established to succeed NET, marking a new chapter in American public broadcasting.
The Evolution of Public Broadcasting
The landscape of public television in the United States underwent a significant transformation in the late 1960s, driven by a desire to create a more robust and unified system for educational and cultural programming. This led to the foundational shift from earlier models to the establishment of PBS.
From NET to a New Era
The journey to PBS began with legislative action aimed at strengthening non-commercial broadcasting:
- The Public Broadcasting Act of 1967: This pivotal act was passed to promote and support the growth of public broadcasting. It recognized the importance of a well-funded, independent system for educational and informational content.
- Creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB): Following the Act, the CPB was established as a government-funded entity. Its primary role was to facilitate the development of public broadcasting.
- Founding of PBS: In 1969, the CPB founded the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). This new entity was specifically designed to take over the functions of the existing National Educational Television (NET) network. NET had been a pioneering force in educational broadcasting, but PBS was envisioned as a more cohesive and nationally coordinated broadcast network.
- PBS Debut: The Public Broadcasting Service officially launched and began its broadcast operations in 1970, stepping into the role previously held by NET and expanding its scope and reach across the nation.
This transition from NET to PBS represented a strategic move to centralize and enhance the distribution of public television content, providing a more organized and accessible platform for educational, cultural, and informational programming to American households.
