NPR, PBS Partnering To Expand Election Coverage, Kerger Says

PBS is “focused on how we can encourage civic discourse and help Americans engage in thoughtful conversations about the future of our country” in the runup to elections, said PBS CEO Paula Kerger Monday in a presentation to the TV Critics Association in Los Angeles. “Working together with our member stations, we’re going to provide a forum for political conversations that spans local grassroots perspectives and national level context.” Kerger said the 2016 coverage will include a mix of new and returning series and specials highlighting all the major political events “and go beyond the headlines to provide in-depth analysis of important issues and trends.” The election coverage will also include multiple platforms and a working partnership with NPR, Kerger said, announcing “a new strategic partnership with NPR to leverage the work of journalists in more than 200 public radio newsrooms and PBS stations across the country.” The partnership will mean sharing content across platforms and create a “digital election hub with local and regional coverage of national issues.” Kerger was asked about the possibility of some PBS stations selling out in the spectrum auction, but said “because we’ve entered the quiet period ... we’re not allowed, no one is allowed to talk about any individual situation. To be clear, a station needs to have broadcast spectrum and be broadcasting over the air to continue as a PBS station, so there is not a scenario where a station would just be a cable-only entity.”