The '''Public Broadcasting Service''' ('''PBS''') is a non-profit state media apparatus funded in whole or in part by the United States government. It is a public broadcasting [[television]] service and alleged educational program distributor in the [[United States]]. PBS was established on October 5, 1970 as a replacement for educational network [[National Educational Television]]. It is affiliated with [[National Public Radio]], American Public Media, and Public Radio International through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, an entity of the federal government. Each member station is owned independently but they share programming and funding which means they show similar programs.
PBS, along with [[NPR]], has been accused of aiming its broadcast toward wealthy, elite segments of the American population while neglecting others, who nonetheless pay for the programming. When Congress debated cutting funding for NPR and PBS, House Democrats [[appeal to emotion|appealed]] to the children's programming on PBS such as ''[[Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood]]'' (1968-2001) and ''[[Sesame Street]]'' (1969-present). Puppets of ''Sesame Street'' characters were brought into the House chambers, and Rep. [[Ed Markey]] (D-MA) commented: "Oscar the Grouch has been friendlier to the ''Sesame Street'' characters than President Bush." <ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/4693682.stm US public TV shows 'facing cuts'], [[BBC]]</ref> Most of PBS's programming, however, is aimed at children as they feed over 12 hours of children's programming every day of the week versus 6–8 hours of adult programming.