The mission of PBS Hawaii is to inform, inspire, and entertain by sharing high quality programming and services that add value to our diverse island community.

PBS Hawaii traces its beginnings to 1965 when the Hawai‘i State Legislature established the Hawaii ETV Network as a source of instructional programming. In 1972, the station was renamed the Hawaii Public Broadcasting Authority by the Legislature. On July 1, 2000, Hawaii Public Television’s broadcast license transferred from the State of Hawai‘i’s Hawaii Public Broadcasting Authority to the private Hawaii Public Television Foundation, a non-profit organization created in 1997 to transition the station from a state entity to a private organization. Currently PBS Hawaii broadcasts seven days a week, with more than 200,000 households tuning in each week.

As a longstanding member of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), PBS Hawaii has a rich history of presenting groundbreaking series like Sesame Street, Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, Masterpiece Theatre, Nova, and Great Performances. A variety of important locally and/or PBS Hawaii-produced productions have been televised alongside these exceptional programs, many of which have received regional and national awards. No other organization in Hawai‘i provides this caliber of instructional and cultural programming. PBS Hawaii’s shows inspire, enlighten, and educate. Befittingly, PBS Hawaii is available to a remarkable 98% of Hawai‘i’s population at no cost to viewers.