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Producing for Austin PBS

Thanks for bringing your ideas to Austin PBS. Austin PBS strives to present locally-produced television programming that reflects the Central Texas community. The station both broadcasts original content and helps facilitate national release of completed films and TV shows. Austin PBS’s Green Light Committee evaluates projects for development. The committee, made up of Austin PBS employees from all station departments, reviews projects to ensure they meet Austin PBS standards. Proposals may be submitted to Austin PBS at any time throughout the year. The Green Light Committee can only consider your proposal if you have signed and submitted the release form. Austin PBS typically does not have funding set aside for production cost, but can supply in-kind services and fundraising support for approved projects.

Local Broadcast

Completed films and shows (25 minutes or longer) can be considered for local broadcast on Austin PBS. Submit a DVD of your completed film to:

David Lauderman
Director, Programming
P.O. BOX 143626
Austin, TX 78714-143626

State and National Distribution

Films and shows, at any stage of development, can also be considered for state and/or national distribution. Works for consideration in this category must go through a multi-step process that begins with submitting a project overview and clips of the completed work and a release form to:

Scott Hoffman
P.O. Box 143626
Austin, TX 78714-143626

ITVS

Austin PBS has helped facilitate several projects through the ITVS’ LINCS grant programs. For more details about these funding initiatives visit the ITVS Web site.

PBS Kids

For more details about producing children’s programming for PBS, download the PBS Kids Producer Guidelines pdf.

Review Process

Each project is judged on many criteria, including but not limited to the quality of the proposal or completed work, the credentials of the production team, the needs of the schedule, and whether it meets Austin PBS’s core operating principle to focus on programming that discovers, reflects, and brings to life the essence of Austin. If the project is accepted by the Green Light Committee, deadlines will be determined and a strategy for facilitating broadcast/distribution of the program will be set. Producers will be notified shortly thereafter. Producers must submit the following with their program:

Application [pdf]
Release [doc]

Frequently Asked Questions

Will Austin PBS fund my project?

Most likely not. As much we would like to have monies set aside just for outside producers, at this time, we do not. Most producers submitting projects have funders attached or ones in mind to ask for support.

Should I only submit a completed program or does it have to be in the early stages of production?

We accept projects in all stages of development/production.

Will my program have National distribution?

This is determined on a case by case situation. First and foremost Austin PBS serves the Central Texas area. That is our focus. We do have ways of making shows available to other markets outside of Texas, but whether or not a station airs your program is entirely up to each individual station.

Can I have my program aired during primetime?

The time that you program airs is determined by many things. It depends on availability in primetime. It also depends on subject matter of the project (aka it has to air after 10 p.m.). Ultimately though, it is up to the discretion of programmers where to place a program.

Contact

Scott Hoffman
Austin PBS
P.O. Box 143626
Austin, TX 78714-143626
main: (737) 707-3370
email: shoffman@klru.org