Below please find several documents to prepare programs that have been accepted for broadcast by the PBS National Program Service and Plus Service. These guidelines do not necessarily cover all of the requirements related to PBS Fundraising Programming.
Policies and guidelines are subject to change.
PBS Editorial and Production Guidelines
Funding standards, practices, and guidelines for PBS broadcast programs.
The Red Book
Packaging, deliverable, promotion, technical, and legal guidelines for PBS broadcast programs.
Producers who have submitted programs to PBS but have not yet received final approval should not initiate the packaging and delivery process.
For more information about the Red Book, contact PBS Content Services at 703-739-5010.
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Deliverables (176.8 KB)
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Format (32.4 KB)
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Format Templates (105.7 KB)
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Underwriting (128.1 KB)
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Promotion (242.6 KB)
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Interactive (39.1 KB)
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Education (56.3 KB)
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On-Air Offers (120.4 KB)
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Production Credits (109.1 KB)
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Producer & Presenter Credits (118.8 KB)
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Rights (94.2 KB)
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Parental Ratings (84.5 KB)
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Toolkits (64.5 KB)
PBS Guide for Flag Notification
Guidelines for notifying PBS of objectionable content prior to delivery of a program.
Technical Operating Specifications (TOS)
All programs must meet the technical requirements set forth in PBS's Technical Operating Specifications (TOS) Manual (updated January 2013).
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TOS Submission (255.2 KB)
and
File Submission (340.9 KB)
are intended for producers, editors and engineers who are submitting programs for PBS broadcast.
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Satellite Transmission (270.6 KB)
and
Distribution (158.5 KB)
documents may also be referenced as applicable.
Manual for the development of websites for PBS.org
Photo Guidelines for producers
