Cascade PBS spins out platform to simplify local station streaming apps

Local Public offers a structural alternative to the 'one-size-fits-all' national PBS app, allowing individual stations to reclaim direct audience relationships and data ownership. By providing a professional-grade tech stack at a tiered price point, it enables smaller public media entities to compete in the CTV space despite shrinking local newsroom budgets. The spin-out indicates a shift toward a collaborative 'startup' model within public media, where technology is shared to preserve local branding and fundraising autonomy. Watch for the platform to hit its target of 30 stations by late 2026, which would signal a critical mass for this decentralized distribution model.

The launch of Local Public comes at a precarious moment for public media funding. Direct reporting from Current in July 2026 indicates that Local Public–powered apps have already demonstrated a 53% increase in contributions and a 30% rise in new supporters for early adopters like Cascade PBS. This financial lift is vital given that some member stations, including PBS North Carolina, were forced to raise Passport membership minimums to $96 per year in 2025 due to shifts in federal funding and rising infrastructure costs.

Industry-wide, the move toward localized streaming correlates with a reported 30% of total viewing time now being dedicated to local content, according to Xperi research from December 2025. This surge in local interest coincides with significant declines in traditional linear viewership; PBS monthly linear reach fell below 50 million for the first time in recent years, while digital users remained steady at roughly 18 million. By 2026, the public media demographic continues to skew older, with over 67% of Passport members aged 65 or older per Current’s 2023 analysis. Local Public’s focus on 10 different platforms, from Roku to Samsung smart TVs, represents an essential technical hedge to ensure accessibility for this core donor base as they transition from cable to connected-TV environments.