At PBS North Carolina, we nurture a culture of belonging where everyone feels seen, heard, safe and valued.
PBS North Carolina is committed to using its power as a public media force to promote equity and mitigate bias on a systemic level. We do this by designing and creating content that is reflective of and accessible to the diverse communities we serve and by developing Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) initiatives and resources with and for our employees.
Internally, PBS North Carolina will develop and implement institutional changes that prioritize racial equity and inclusion for all. We will probe our unconscious biases, raise awareness of systemic bias and craft policies that will lead to lasting behavioral changes. To build a stronger PBS North Carolina, we must ensure that all employees can fully contribute their unique skills and perspectives in a safe and supportive environment.
To help achieve these goals, we engaged with nationally renowned Diversity, Equity and Inclusion consultants Inspirus Consulting in a multiyear partnership. They worked with PBS North Carolina employees and leadership to assess current realities, develop a long-term vision for an inclusive organization and craft strategic plan objectives in four phases over the course of 18 months.
We stand against racism, hatred and violence. As the state’s public media network, we have a responsibility to represent diverse voices and communities across our platforms. We’re deeply committed to building an equitable, inclusive future through the power of storytelling.
PBS North Carolina values the insight that comes from working with local educational institutions and media organizations. In 2021 PBS North Carolina served with five other media organizations in Elon University’s NC Media Equity Project, a pilot program aimed to bolster efforts to better represent, include and serve North Carolina residents who are Black, Native American, Latinx or LGBTQ and other groups who have lacked representation or agency in media.
PBS North Carolina incorporates the American Advertising Federation’s Mosaic Principles in its multicultural and DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging) initiatives.
PBS’s audience mirrors the diversity of the United States with respect to race, ethnicity, income and geography—and it is core to our mission that PBS content reflects this diversity. In addition, PBS is committed to fostering a safe, inclusive and high-performing culture so that every staff member can bring their best work forward.
In June 2020, the UNC Board of Governors established a task force to examine the legacy of race and racism in North Carolina’s public higher education system, how that history shapes and impacts the experiences of our students, faculty, staff and communities and arrive at an actionable path forward that will build a culture of inclusion across our institutions.