YouTube alliance reinforces PBS' mission to connect to the 21st century audience
ARLINGTON, VA. January 16, 2008 - PBS today announced it will be adding more video content - including selected online-only features, program excerpts and extended previews from its award-winning series and specials - to its official YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/pbs). With more than 3,000 subscribers and nearly 700 videos already posted to the channel, PBS' decision to provide more video options follows greater demand for such content.
"Our channel on YouTube has enabled us to have a meaningful dialogue with viewers," said John Boland, PBS' chief content officer. "It's critical that we engage as many people as possible with our programming. Posting PBS content on YouTube has helped us drive viewers back to watch the entire programs on our local stations' broadcast, and has helped increase usage of these programs' companion websites on pbs.org."
"PBS creates grassroots content that the YouTube community embraces," said Jordan Hoffner, head of premium content partnerships for YouTube. "PBS broadcasts thousands of hours of programming each year, and we are pleased that they are using their YouTube channel to make some of this content available for people to watch anytime and anywhere. YouTube is a platform for promotional as well as educational videos, and we are honored to partner with PBS as they bring their unique video programming to our 21st century community."
More than 30 minutes of BILL MOYERS JOURNAL footage from the host's recent interviews with presidential hopefuls Ron Paul and Dennis Kucinich has already garnered over 11,000 views since its appearance on the PBS YouTube channel two weeks ago. PBS plans to continue uploading longer segments of shows like Tavis Smiley, NATURE and FRONTLINE/WORLD as well as documentaries from INDEPENDENT LENS and P.O.V, to name a few. Bringing enhanced PBS programming to a global YouTube audience furthers the broadcaster's mission of spreading awareness, unlocking mysteries, and exposing truths.
About PBS
PBS is a media enterprise that serves 355 public noncommercial television stations and reaches nearly 73 million people each week through on-air and online content. Bringing diverse viewpoints to television and the Internet, PBS provides high-quality documentary and dramatic entertainment, and consistently dominates the most prestigious award competitions. PBS is a leading provider of digital learning content for pre-K-12 educators and offers a broad array of other educational services. PBS' premier kids' TV programming and Web site, PBS KIDS Online (www.pbskids.org), continue to be parents' and teachers' most trusted learning environments for children. More information about PBS is available at (www.pbs.org) one of the leading dot-org Web sites on the Internet.
-PBS-
Contact
Kevin Dando
(703)739-5073
kdando@pbs.org
www.pbs.org/pressroom