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.Looking Back On A Year Of PBS Digital Studios, July 18, 2013. They had their first viral hit with a "remix" of autotuned vocals from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood titled "Garden of Your Mind."First scripted series from PBS Digital Studios updates Frankenstein for modern age, July 25, 2014.
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.PBS Digital Studios to Premiere First Scripted Series 'Frankenstein, M.D.' on Tuesday, August 19 , July 23, 2014. Each month, the shows average more than 5 million streams.PBS Launching 4 New Digital Original Series, May 5, 2014.
Its first scripted series, Frankenstein, MD, launched on August 19, 2014, and ran until October 31, 2014.
In 2015, PBS Digital Studios partnered with the Green brothers' series Crash Course, commissioning three courses in astronomy, U.S. government, and philosophy. 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 and Physics Girl in August 2015.
In 2017, the network cancelled a slew of its shows, including popular channels like PBS Game/Show & the PBS Idea Channel.
Current series
Be Smart CrashCourse Deep Look Monstrum Only in El Paso Otherwords PBS Eons PBS Origins PBS Space Time PBS Terra Reactions Sound Field The Story in Us Two Cents
Past series
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 Citizen Better 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 Alaska 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 Sovereign Innovations 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." Sam Gutelle of Tubefilter called Idea Channel show, "Nothing short of superb."
References
External links PBS Digital Studios: YouTube Channel—the location of their original web content Current PBS Digital Studios YouTube Shows National Public Media —information from the National Public Media website PBS—videos of PBS personalities whose words have been autotuned and remixed Forbes—Looking back on one year of PBS Digital Studios