In January 1955, educator William Friday helped launch our first channel, WUNC-TV. He believed public television could enrich all North Carolinians’ lives. 70 years later, PBS North Carolina serves the whole state, from rural communities without access to high-speed Internet to college campuses teaching our next generation to families who know our educational resources can set their little ones on a path to success. We’re proud of the services we provide and the public and private partnerships that make them possible.
People treasure our programming and educational resources, but they may not be aware that first responders across North Carolina rely on our tower infrastructure for emergency communications. When Helene tore through western North Carolina, our engineers worked with Emergency Management officials to ensure our 12 broadcast towers remained operational. In Linville alone, one of the areas most devastated by the storm, our Field Operations team hauled over 3,500 gallons of diesel to a generator at our WUNE tower to keep it running for 11 days. If this generator had gone down, emergency communications in five counties would have been lost.
When you support PBS North Carolina, you not only enrich communities but help make them safer and stronger.
Thank you!
With deep gratitude,
David Crabtree
PBS North Carolina's CEO & General Manager
With our statewide reach and deep connections to local communities, we’re uniquely positioned to create and share stories that spotlight North Carolina’s people, places and history.
This PBS NC documentary explores a little-known race massacre and insurrection in Wilmington —the only successful coup d’état in the U.S. Broadcast nationwide as part of American Experience, the film was nominated for a prestigious Peabody Award.
A celebration of our state’s thriving music scene, this series weaves a visually stunning live studio performance by an NC artist or band with an intimate conversation about their creative journey.
PBS North Carolina provides many educational opportunities to help children thrive, from award-winning PBS KIDS programs and learning resources to teacher workshops and family-friendly community events.
This initiative connects families to much-needed early learning resources with the help of local education champions. In fiscal year 2025, Rootle Ambassadors achieved a major milestone by reaching all 100 counties.
We continue to find innovative ways to connect with audiences, whether it’s through new projects like Homegrown History, a multiyear public history initiative that explores our state’s rich past, or through inspiring storytelling from our robust slate of original series.
PBS North Carolina serves all people of North Carolina by telling authentic, meaningful stories; maintaining critical emergency communications infrastructure; and being a trusted educational and cultural resource for our communities.
Learn more about PBS North Carolina's work and impact in the community in our full FY25 Impact Report.
As a member of PBS North Carolina, you'll support meaningful local stories, empowering educational resources and engaging community experiences across our state for years to come.
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