US public broadcaster PBS is launching a new YouTube channel in partnership with documentary co-producer ITVS and the PBS series INDEPENDENT LENS.
The channel, PBS Documentaries, will debut an expansive, diverse collection of documentaries across all forms of nonfiction storytelling. PBS said the launch is part of a broader effort to serve public audiences through increased accessibility, while building a centralised, scalable hub that strengthens the public media system.
A core mission of the PBS Documentaries partnership is to amplify storytelling from PBS stations, production partners, and independent filmmakers, spotlighting local communities with national resonance. The channel is planning to release over 100 videos yearly with content from the likes of INDEPENDENT LENS, POV, BBC Studios, REEL SOUTH, and VOCES, as well as digital-first content from PBS Digital Studios. PBS said the new channel will also create expanded opportunities for storytellers.
The channel launched with the YouTube premiere of the INDEPENDENT LENS documentary The Inquisitor, which highlights the legacy of groundbreaking Texas congresswoman Barbara Jordan, unraveling how her public influence shaped US politics, while exploring the complexities of her hidden personal identity. Also dropped already is Why Some Amish Victims Stay Silent (see image)
April releases include Our New World, The Tallest Dwarf and Backside: The Unseen Hands of Horse Racing. In May, the channel will drop Life on Earth: Attenborough’s Greatest Adventure, a BBC Studios Natural History Unit production for BBC and PBS,
“PBS and our member stations are America’s home for documentary storytelling. This channel gives us the opportunity to meet new audiences where they already are and bring them into a deeper relationship with the extraordinary work our stations and partners produce,” said PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger.
“PBS remains one of the most trusted institutions in America, and documentaries are a cornerstone of its commitment to civic engagement,” said ITVS President and CEO Carrie Lozano. “Through this partnership, we’re thrilled to expand our shared public-service mission into digital spaces to reach new audiences.”
PBS and PBS Digital Studios already distribute a wide variety of digital programming via YouTube. Its themed channels include PBS Food, PBS Terra (science and nature), PBS Origins (history), and PBS Storied (arts and humanities). The new PBS Documentaries channel will replace PBS Voices. All told, The PBS Digital Studios network has around 35 million subscribers on YouTube, and has launched over 120 original series ranging from Be Smart to Weathered.
