I. PBS National Program Funding Standards and Practices
A. Policy Base
B. Policy Objectives
C. Policy Application
D. Policy Procedures
E. Regulatory Requirements
F. Who May be Identified as an Underwriter?
G. Special Restrictions
III. General Principles for Determining the Acceptability of National Program Funding
This section addresses the process for determining the acceptability of proposed program funding arrangements. If the funding arrangement is determined to be acceptable, a separate evaluation of the proposed funding credit will then take place (see Sections III and IV).
Three "tests" are applied to every proposed funding arrangement in order to determine its acceptability:
- Editorial Control Test: Has the underwriter exercised editorial control? Could it?
- Perception Test: Might the public perceive that the underwriter has exercised editorial control?
- Commercialism Test: Might the public conclude the program is on PBS principally because it promotes the underwriter’s products, services or other business interests?
The following describes these tests and their application in more detail.
A. Editorial Control Test
B. Perception Test
C. Commercialism Test
IV. Guidelines for On-Air Underwriting Credits
Once an underwriting arrangement has been approved, the next step is to review and approve the proposed on-air credit that will identify the underwriter(s). This section sets forth the rules applying to credit content, duration and placement.
- RULE 1: Overall Appearance and Effect of Credits
- RULE 2: Children's Programs
- RULE 3: How-To Programs
- RULE 4: Treatment of PBS and CPB Funding
- RULE 5: Text of Credits for Production or Acquisition Funding
- RULE 6: Disclaimer for Controversial Issue Programs
- RULE 7: Frequency of Credits
- RULE 8: Placement of Underwriting Credits
- RULE 9: Order of Underwriting Credits
- RULE 10: Duration of Underwriting Credits
- RULE 11: Number of Permissible Underwriters
- RULE 12: In-Kind Goods and Services
- RULE 13: Credits for Program Distributors
V. Guidelines for PBS Internet Sponsorship
- Principles
- PBS Review and Advance Approval
- Full Disclosure
- Privacy/Personal Data Collection
Amended October 27, 2015