As more universities and other institutions look to transfer their public broadcasting licenses, the market for station transactions is changing. An analysis examines the rise of noncash transfers, declining station values and what may lie ahead in 2027. current.org/2026/10/anal...

Analysis finds changing market for public media station transactions

Since 2020, transactions with no cash at all have become the most common license-transfer method in public media, according to a new Public Media Company study.

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Adams was known for producing “long, thoughtful radio pieces that helped listeners understand and appreciate the world a little bit better,” said current “ATC” host Scott Detrow. current.org/2026/10/form...

Former ‘All Things Considered’ host Noah Adams dies at 84

“His is the most genuine, uncontrived voice in broadcasting,” said his colleague Susan Stamberg.

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What’s coming to public TV? Our Pipeline 2027 directory previews 109 series and specials planned for 2027 and 2028. Search the listings, explore distribution plans and find projects seeking funding or partners. current.org/2026/10/pipe...

Pipeline 2027: A look ahead at shows coming to public TV

Pipeline 2027 offers a first look at 109 series and specials that producers plan to deliver in 2027 and 2028.

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Elmo's desire to take an elephant home to Sesame Street is "a very broad story that a lot of kids can connect to, and we knew for our audience that the connection would be very important," says Sal Perez, VP and EP of Sesame Street Production for Sesame Workshop. current.org/2026/10/sesa...

‘Sesame Street,’ ‘Nature’ go wild for new ‘Great Elephant Adventure’

“When you get to work with people from new places, you find that even if you come from somewhere else, there's so much you have in common.”

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“Stepping down is my choice, on my terms and my timeline,” Kelly said. current.org/2026/10/nprs...

NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly will step down from ‘All Things Considered’

Kelly plans to step away from the news cycle “to read long books and take long walks. Then, time for the next chapter.”

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“Journalistic independence is foundational to a news organization. ... This law threatens that independence," WBHM's leader told listeners. Meanwhile, Alabama Public TV is following the state's new "Gulf of America" law, which went into effect today. current.org/2026/10/wbhm...

WBHM leader leaves due to conflicts with university licensee

William Dahlberg said the “nail in the coffin” for his decision to leave was the expectation that the station follow the state's new Gulf of America law.

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Elmo's dad looks like he spent all the child support money on Jimmy Buffett tickets

“The style of news reporting and the quality of the package is really effective,” said Andrew Guess, an associate professor of politics and public affairs at Princeton University. current.org/2026/09/stud...

Study finds NPR’s ‘Up First’ boosts news knowledge and trust

The study also found that listening to the podcast was especially effective in increasing news knowledge among participants who listened to right-leaning podcasts.

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*looking at the ratio on this post* let’s…do the numbers!

Kai Ryssdal@kairyssdal.bsky.social · last mo.

I’m sorry, but if you bring an iced coffee - or any damn beverage at all - to a job interview, you’re disqualified. It’s not hard, people.

I thought Kai Ryssdal was cool until now. You can't bring a bottle of water to a job interview at Marketplace?

Kai Ryssdal@kairyssdal.bsky.social · last mo.

I’m sorry, but if you bring an iced coffee - or any damn beverage at all - to a job interview, you’re disqualified. It’s not hard, people.

This one's from my station! Check out all the episodes here: www.pbssocal.org/shows/the-dr...

Current@current.org · last mo.

The new interview series “The Drawing Room With Mo Welch" speaks to “how we uplift creativity alongside great and funny conversations,” says @pbs.org EP and Senior Director of Multiplatform Programming Adam Dylewski. current.org/2026/09/pbs-...

The new interview series “The Drawing Room With Mo Welch" speaks to “how we uplift creativity alongside great and funny conversations,” says @pbs.org EP and Senior Director of Multiplatform Programming Adam Dylewski. current.org/2026/09/pbs-...

PBS Digital Studios, PBS SoCal team for ‘The Drawing Room’

The new series starring comedian, cartoonist and writer Mo Welch was pitched as “Hot Ones meets Bob Ross.”

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“The next steps are trying to get it in the hands of as many educators as possible,” said Deb Tschirhart, senior director of education for Public Media Connect, of the station's new curriculum based on a @ricksteves.bsky.social special. current.org/2026/09/rick...

Rick Steves curriculum brings European history, music to classrooms

"Symphony in a Suitcase" stemmed from a partnership among Steves, the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and Public Media Connect.

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"In this pivotal moment for all of us—public media and the communities we reach—we’re committed to difference-making content, technology innovation to grow our service, and shared purpose with extraordinary partners," Saldanha said. current.org/2026/09/prx-...

PRX names Jason Saldanha CEO

Saldanha is “the ideal leader for public media both today and tomorrow,” said CEO Kerri Hoffman.

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“We’re really organizing this around one central question: What does public media need to become to serve the needs of communities in our society over the next 50 years?” said Public Media Co. CEO Tim Isgitt. current.org/2026/09/publ...

Public Media Co., Poynter partner to reimagine public media

The partners plan to release recommendations early next year.

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Arkansas TV gained half as many new donors in fiscal year 2026 compared to the previous fiscal year, the foundation’s interim CEO said. (Via @arkansasadvocate.com) current.org/2026/09/arka...

Arkansas public television hopes to regain donors lost after attempt to cut PBS ties

Arkansas TV gained half as many new donors in fiscal year 2026 compared to the previous fiscal year, the foundation’s interim CEO said.

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“There’s just increasing pressure on time deadlines … on not wanting to step into something that is getting a lot of pushback from segments of your audience.” CIRES Fellow @maxboykoff.bsky.social spoke with Current about climate change reporting current.org/2026/08/how-...

How editorial partnerships bolster local climate reporting - Current

Public media journalists collaborate with each other and independent newsrooms to deliver coverage that resonates with local audiences.

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"We need to tell our story constantly," says @wnyc.org CEO Christy Tanner. "We need to be refining how we do that, too, so that people know why they were supporting us in the first place and why they should continue to do so." current.org/2026/08/how-...

How Christy Tanner is growing New York Public Radio

In an interview, Tanner discusses how the New York station has adjusted to the loss of CPB funding and her plans for what's ahead.

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The board of directors listed the meeting as postponed on its website Friday morning but did not include a reason. (Via @alabamareflector.com) current.org/2026/08/alab...

Alabama Public Television board postpones meeting for controversial survey funding

The board was slated to approve spending for a survey of Alabamians' opinions about PBS programming.

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Under the agreement, the foundation would provide programming and daily operational services to the station for five years. current.org/2026/08/univ...

University moves forward with plan for sharing management of KTEP

The University of Texas at El Paso and the El Paso Community Foundation “hope to execute an agreement reasonably soon.”

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2026 MN State Fair Crop Art entry "Witness" based on pStar Tribune photograph by Leila Navi with MPR reporter Sam Stroiza.

If your station is curious about how you can take the nontraditional voices of youth and put them in public radio drive time, we at KQED have got you. Here's how we took an audacious idea and made it reality. current.org/2026/07/how-kqe...

“We wanted to do something that was a little quieter than the punch-you-in-your-face celebrations of America250,” says StoryCorps Founder and President Dave Isay. current.org/2026/07/stor...

StoryCorps, NPR pair strangers to build time capsule for America’s 250th

The partners describe Connect250 as a “large-scale experiment in human connection.”

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“It’s the rainy-day fund,” said Alabama Public Television CFO Melissa Austin. “We didn’t use the rainy-day fund nine months ago when we unfortunately had to lay off 11 people because of the defunding.” (Via @alabamareflector.com) current.org/2026/07/alab...

Alabama Public Television board votes to pay for public survey using emergency fund

The method of funding drew criticism from members of the authority and APT staff.

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The public notice said the university anticipates that the transfer will occur before the end of the year but that it could be completed next year. current.org/2026/07/wash...

Washington State University plans to sell broadcast license for KWSU-TV

The university announced last year that it was cutting jobs at Northwest Public Broadcasting and shutting down the TV station.

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A limited liability corporation operated by Rocky Mountain Public Media will acquire the six full-power FM licenses of Community Radio for Northern Colorado. current.org/2026/07/rock...

Rocky Mountain Public Media to purchase Colorado stations

RMPM will acquire six full-power FM licenses owned by Community Radio for Northern Colorado.

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“This is our best source of televised OBJECTIVE news — I’m sorry that you deem it harmful because it tells the often disastrous truth that is the Trump administration,” one viewer wrote about “PBS News Hour.” (Via @arkansasadvocate.com) current.org/2026/07/emai...

Emails show viewer backlash over PBS program’s removal from Arkansas TV

Many viewers said they will not keep donating to the network or restore donations they already canceled.

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Peter Dominowski, executive director of the University Station Alliance, called the law “a clear victory for the First Amendment and Freedom of the Press for university-licensed stations in the state of Illinois.” current.org/2026/07/new-...

New Illinois law creates firewall between public media, state university licensees

The law is “first-of-its-kind legislation to safeguard the editorial independence of public media.”

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“The launch of the Black Public Radio Network represents a transformative moment for public media and for the communities our stations serve,” said Ernest Walker, GM of KTSU in Houston. current.org/2026/06/blac...

Black Public Radio Network launches to grow revenue, increase sustainability

Among the network's goals is building national underwriting and sponsorship opportunities.

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