According to CPB, the Broadcasting Act of 1967 defined public service media as "programs and services that inform, enlighten and enrich the public." Congress created the privately run not-for-profit Corporation for Public Broadcasting in 1967 to regulate the "development of, and ensure universal access to, non-commercial high-quality programming and telecommunications services."
CPB "has particular responsibility to encourage the development of programming that involves creative risks and that addresses the needs of unserved and underserved audiences, particularly children and minorities."
CPB refers to itself as the "guardian" of public service media and states on its website that it works in conjunction with "non-commercial educational telecommunications licensees across America" to provide high quality public telecommunications. These licensees include National Public Radio and Public Radio International.
Public radio is community-oriented, providing educational programming for listeners. Many stations also provide off-air educational services and programs to help the community.
It is listener-supported as these stations rely on donations to keep running.
These stations encourage the free exchange of ideas and opinions. Many ask listeners regularly to call in and discuss a current issue relating to news, politics or local events.
As these are nonprofit radio stations, they can offer programming and entertainment without commercial breaks or interruptions. Most stations may incorporate short blips from local businesses or donors but they are much shorter than the breaks taken by commercial radio stations.
Their broadcasted news tends to be a mix of national and local. It provides many communities the chance to promote events without paying large fees for airtime as with commercial stations.
Many public radio stations air syndicated or affiliated programs from larger producers like PRI and NPR, which allows listeners across the country to listen to quality and informative broadcast.
Stations that broadcast music many times choose to highlight local artists, which can help new musicians gain a fan base.
National Public Radio (NPR) is known for its "non-commercial news, talk and radio" that more than 900 stations across the United States broadcast some or all of in their programming. All together, it typically provides more than 100 hours of programming per week available for transmission by any of its affiliated stations.
Public Radio International (formerly American Public Radio) similarly distributes 400 hours of programming available to 837 stations in the United States. It reaches nearly 31 million listeners across the United States weekly.
Public radio stations often have pledge drives where they ask their listeners to donate to keep their programming afloat. These stations are also eligible for state and federal grants to help fund broadcasts.
Many stations incorporate advertising by plugging local businesses during short breaks from regular programming. This helps smaller businesses reach local listeners and helps the station pay for its upkeep.