By Canadian Press

New 5-year deal for PBS CEO, new YouTube pact for public TV

Jul 29, 2019 | 9:06 PM

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. — Longtime PBS chief executive Paula Kerger will head the public TV service for another five years.

Kerger, who joined PBS as CEO and president in 2006, said she wants to ensure she’s done everything she can to give public television as sound a foundation as possible.

That includes protecting federal funding for public TV stations, Kerger told a Television Association Critics meeting Monday.

Even though such funding represents only 15 per cent of the public broadcasting budget, it’s especially critical to the survival of stations in rural and underserved communities, Kerger said.

She’s also working to increase PBS’ expansion into the digital world, which includes a newly announced deal with YouTube TV for public television’s first localized streaming service. It’s set to launch later this year, she said.

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