In 1952, the Federal Communications Commission set aside spectrum for noncommercial educational television licensees, noting that "the need for noncommercial educational stations has been amply demonstrated." It made channel assignments to 242 communities exclusively for noncommercial educational stations.

Public broadcasting, as we now know it, emerged with the passage of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967, which authorized the establishment of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB).

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CPB is a private, nonprofit corporation created by Congress in 1967. Its primary function is to funnel federal funds to qualified noncommercial licensees, both radio and television. The Corporation is not a government agency. It promotes public telecommunications services (television, radio, and online) for the American people. CPB invests in more than 1,000 local radio and television stations...their services, their programs, and their ideas. These CPB-funded stations reach virtually every household in the country.

CPB is the largest single source of funding for public television and radio programming.

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In FY2000, public broadcasting's revenue totaled $2.2 billion. Less than one-third of the industry's total income comes from tax-based sources such as federal, state, and local governments. The remaining two-thirds is from private sources such as businesses and memberships and foundations.

Funds from many different sources help to keep public television independent.

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There are 176 licensees operating 357 public television stations in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands, American Samoa and Guam. The licensees are held by four basic local groups:

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As of May 1, 2003 all public television stations are required to broadcast a digital signal. The current analog broadcast will remain on air until May 2006 or when 85% of consumers in the US have the capacity to receive a digital broadcast signal. Although the majority of public television stations are already broadcasting in digital, construction delays, funding shortfalls and isolated regulatory issues have delayed some stations from making the transition.

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In 2001, the federal appropriation to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP) totaled $364.7 million. Based on the 2000 Census, this comes to $1.30; public television alone is $.98.

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Public television stations are local community institutions that are operated under the direction of the licensee–i.e., state/local government, nonprofit community group, college/university. There is no network as there is in commercial television. PBS is a membership organization that oversees program acquisition, distribution and promotion. Stations also have access to other program providers for material to create their own local schedule.

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Almost 76 million households, representing 146.1 million people tune in to their local public television station. Approximately 89 million people watch public TV in an average week. The public TV audience reflects the social and economic makeup of the nation.

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