Paula Kerger’s Neighborhood

Guided by a savvy CEO, PBS is becoming a multimedia giant.

She wouldn’t admit it back then, but Paula Kerger watched Sesame Street with her little brother when it first aired, and even at 11 years old, she liked it. Now the president and CEO of PBS, Kerger says that’s the beauty of PBS: For four decades, family members have enjoyed the shows together.

Kerger knows success takes patience, planning and partnership. The band of PBS teams, and Kerger herself, are taking PBS to the next level. With the emergence of new technology and increased competition, the network so many individuals grew up watching had some catching up to do. That’s been Kerger’s goal since 2006, when she left her position as executive vice president and CEO of New York City’s Educational Broadcast Corporation to take the helm at the national PBS network.

Welcoming the Challenge
Kerger’s primary goal is to bring PBS into the 21st century. If PBS doesn’t evolve into a multimedia entity, Big Bird might get lost in the vast array of entertainment
options now available.

In determining how PBS needed to evolve to be the educational and cultural network of the future, Kerger looked to her family for inspiration. “I come from a family of teachers, and so I am focused on ensuring that PBS does all it can to put resources in the hands of those most responsible for our future,” she says. “Teachers can bring the excitement and
power of learning to life.”

Kerger also hopes to provide educators with online tools that would help them effectively communicate with students.

She expanded PBS’s offerings to include PBS TeacherLine, a continuing education resource for teachers. She also rolled out a site that provides information about using digital media as a classroom tool, called PBS Teachers Connect.

New and flashback programs on PBS stations, such as Sidthe Science Kid, developed by the Muppets-creating Henson family, and the rebirth of The Electric Company, further Kerger’s efforts to continue providing programming that unites families.

Big Changes—Big Rewards
Kerger’s communication skills and Web site innovations have paid off. Only two and a half years later, PBS has orchestrated partnerships with iTunes, Netflix, Amazon’s UnBox, Joost, Hulu, YouTube and others so viewers can download missed PBS episodes or specials. PBS’s YouTube channel now features more than 1,000 videos and has reached 7 million views. By using this technology, PBS is also able to quickly gauge viewer interest and use feedback to develop new programs. And, ever interested in audience opinion, Kerger uses the Internet to allow viewers to voice their thoughts on online forums.

At her core, Kerger is a fundraiser—an optimist with a mission to provide quality resources and programming to children and adults. To do so, she keeps an eye on technology as she guides PBS into a new era.

5 Tips for Personal and Professional Growth
from Paula Kerger
1. Friends and family are vitally important to maintaining balance. They tell you what you need to hear, not always what you want to hear.
2. Always remain a mentee. You are never “too senior” to learn from others.
3. Businesses are successful when there is a common mission based on a belief in a cause
or product.
4. You aren’t helping those around you if you don’t take care of yourself. At a certain point, your
long hours or skipped vacations will lead to reduced productivity.
5. Set an example by not expecting your employees to work harder than you do.

Additional Reading

• Make an Impression
• Women of Influence
• Spring into Action, and Save Some Green!