Modernizing Public Media for the Streaming Age at PBS

February 2025

Featuring Ira Rubenstein, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer, PBS

In this Executive Insights conversation, Ira Rubenstein, Chief Digital and Marketing Officer at PBS, discusses the transformation of public media for the streaming age. Drawing from his 20+ years of experience championing digital innovation in Hollywood, Rubenstein details PBS's evolution into a sophisticated digital platform delivering 400 million streams monthly. He highlights PBS's unique challenges as a membership organization of 300+ local stations, its commitment to accessibility, and innovative approaches to digital fundraising. The discussion emphasizes PBS's role as a national treasure adapting to rapid technological change while maintaining its core mission of providing free, educational content to all Americans.

Ira Rubenstein, Chief Digital & Marketing Officer, PBS:

"I think people recognize that they know we're not tracking data, we're not serving ads, of course we're non-commercial, and we are a very safe place for kids. When they look under the hood of what we're doing digitally, we always blow people away."

Listen to the podcast version

Listen to the interview on your favorite podcast platform: