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PBS Digital Studios

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PBS Digital Studios
Formation2012; 12 years ago (2012)
Location
OwnerPBS Distribution
Key people
Noel C. Bloom
Parent organization
WETA-TV
AffiliationsPBS
Websitewww.pbs.org/digital-studios

PBS Digital Studios is a non-profit organization through which PBS distributes original educational web video content. Based in Arlington, Virginia, it comprises both original series and partnerships with existing YouTube channels. Most of the series are about science, popular culture, art, food, news, and music.

History

PBS Digital Studios was founded by Jason Seiken in June 2012.[1] They had their first viral hit with a "remix" of autotuned vocals from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood titled "Garden of Your Mind."[2]

The PBS Digital Studios network has received more than 500 million views and has over 7 million subscribers. Popular series found on their channels include Crash Course, Blank on Blank, It’s Okay To Be Smart, and the multiple Webby Award–winning PBS Idea Channel.[3] Each month, the shows average more than 5 million streams.[4]

Its first scripted series, Frankenstein, MD, launched on August 19, 2014, and ran until October 31, 2014.[5][6]

In 2015, PBS Digital Studios partnered with the Green brothers' series Crash Course, commissioning three courses in astronomy, U.S. government, and philosophy.[7] Crash Course Astronomy launched January 15, 2015, Crash Course U.S. Government & Politics launched January 23, 2015, and Crash Course Philosophy launched February 8, 2016.

In addition to commissioning series, PBS Digital Studios have partnered with existing YouTube channels. They partnered with BrainCraft in June, 2014[8] and Physics Girl in August, 2015.[9]

In 2017, the network cancelled a slew of its shows, including popular channels like PBS Game/Show & the PBS Idea Channel.[10]

Current series

  • Be Smart
  • Citizen Better
  • CrashCourse
  • Deep Look
  • Indie Alaska
  • Monstrum
  • Only in El Paso
  • Otherwords
  • PBS Eons
  • PBS Origins
  • PBS Space Time
  • PBS Terra
  • Reactions
  • Sound Field
  • Sovereign Innovations
  • Two Cents

Past series

As of December 2020, PBS Digital Studios lists the following as "past" series:

  • 24 Frames
  • Above The Noise
  • America From Scratch
  • American Veteran: Keep It Close
  • A Moment of Science
  • A People’s History of Asian America
  • Are You MN Enough?
  • The Art Assignment
  • BBQwithFranklin
  • Beat Making Lab
  • Blank on Blank
  • Bon Appétempt
  • BrainCraft
  • Brave Spaces
  • Central Standard
  • Dead and Buried
  • Everything But the News
  • Fate & Fabled
  • First Person
  • FullTimeKid
  • Future of Work
  • Good Gumbo
  • The Good Stuff
  • Gross Science
  • Global Weirding with Katharine Hayhoe
  • Hip-Hop and the Metaverse
  • Hot Mess
  • I Contain Multitudes
  • If Cities Could Dance
  • The Intergalactic Nemesis
  • Indie Lens Storycast
  • InventorSeries
  • It's Lit!
  • Latinos Are Essential
  • Makin' Friends with Ryan Miller
  • Mike Likes Science
  • Modern Comedian
  • NOURISH
  • opbmusicStagepass
  • Origin Of Everything
  • Outside the Lyrics
  • Parentalogic
  • PBS Diorama
  • PBS Game/Show
  • PBS Idea Channel
  • PBS Infinite Series
  • PBSoffbook
  • PBS ReInventors
  • PBS Short Docs
  • PBS Vitals
  • Pancake Mountain
  • Physics Girl
  • Prideland
  • Ritual
  • Say It Loud
  • Self-Evident
  • Serving Up Science
  • Shanks FX
  • STELLAR
  • Subcultured
  • Tacos of Texas
  • The ChatterBox
  • Unusual Creatures
  • You're Doing it Wrong

Reception

Evan Desimone of NewMediaRockstars wrote, "Brilliant...takes you somewhere you didn’t expect."[11] Sam Gutelle of Tubefilter called Idea Channel show, "Nothing short of superb."[12]

References

  1. ^ Looking Back On A Year Of PBS Digital Studios, July 18, 2013.
  2. ^ First scripted series from PBS Digital Studios updates Frankenstein for modern age, July 25, 2014.
  3. ^ PBS Digital Studios to Premiere First Scripted Series 'Frankenstein, M.D.' on Tuesday, August 19 Archived 2014-08-26 at the Wayback Machine, July 23, 2014.
  4. ^ PBS Launching 4 New Digital Original Series, May 5, 2014.
  5. ^ Votta, Rae (July 23, 2014). "Newcomer Anna Lore cast as title role in new Pemberley Digital series 'Frankenstein, M.D.'". The Daily Dot. Retrieved September 24, 2018.
  6. ^ Frankenstein, MD (TV Series 2014– ), retrieved September 24, 2018
  7. ^ Staff, Wrap PRO (November 6, 2014). "Vlogbrothers to Bring 'Crash Course' to PBS Digital Studios and Classrooms Nationwide".
  8. ^ "Big news! BrainCraft joins PBS Digital Studios". braincraft.tv. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  9. ^ "Dianna Cowern's 'Physics Girl' Joins PBS Digital Studios". Tubefilter. August 21, 2015. Retrieved November 18, 2015.
  10. ^ Idea Channel is Ending. PBS Idea Channel. June 30, 2017 – via YouTube.
  11. ^ DeSimone, Evan (September 26, 2014). "We're Obsessed With The PBS Idea Channel! | New Media Rockstars". New Media Rockstars. Retrieved May 25, 2022.
  12. ^ Gutelle, Sam (January 2, 2013). "PBS Idea Channel Explains Why Our New Year's Resolutions Fail". Tubefilter. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
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