PBS Digital Studios

PBS Digital Studios is a YouTube channel and network through which PBS distributes original educational web video content. It comprises both original series and partnerships with existing YouTube channels. Most of the series are about science, pop culture, art, food, news, and music, though the channel originally launched with a series of video remixes based on PBS icons such as Mr. Rogers.

History

PBS Digital Studios founded by Jason Seiken in June 2012. They had their first viral hit with a "remix" of autotuned vocals from Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood titled "Garden of Your Mind."

The PBS Digital Studios network has received more than 500 million views and has over 7 million subscribers. Popular series found on their channels include Crash Course, Blank on Blank, It’s Okay To Be Smart, and the multiple Webby Award-winning PBS Idea Channel. Each month, the shows average more than 5 million streams.

Its first scripted series, Frankenstein, MD, launched on August 19, 2014 and ran until October 31, 2014.

PBS

The Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) is an American public broadcaster and television program distributor. Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, PBS is an independently operated non-profit organization and is the most prominent provider of television programs to public television stations in the United States, distributing series such as Keeping Up Appearances, BBC World News, NOVA scienceNOW, NOVA, Sesame Street, Doctor Who, PBS NewsHour, Walking with Dinosaurs, Masterpiece, Nature, American Masters, Frontline, and Antiques Roadshow.

Since the mid-2000s Roper polls commissioned by PBS have consistently placed the service as the most-trusted national institution in the United States. However, PBS is not responsible for all programming carried on public television stations, a large proportion of which (including most specials aired during multi-annually pledge drives) come from third-party sources, including member stations (such as WGBH, WETA-TV, WNET, WTTW National Productions), American Public Television and independent producers. This distinction is a frequent source of viewer confusion.

Digital

Digital usually refers to something using digits, particularly binary digits.

Technology, the Internet, and computing

People

The Art Assignment

The Art Assignment is a PBS Digital Studios webseries focused on contemporary art that debuted in February 2014. The Art Assignment is hosted by Sarah Urist Green. Green was a curator of contemporary art for the Indianapolis Museum of Art from 2007-2013.

Green’s goal for this webseries is to demystify the art making process and educate people on contemporary art and how it can be “accessible and social, rather than distant or intimidating.” Green travels the United States to meet and talk with various artists about their art, the artists then give an "assignment" to the audience. The series teaches it's audience about contemporary art while providing historical context for the art. The audience is asked to participate by completing the "assignments" and continuing the conversation about art in the comments and on social media.

Green's husband John Green is executive producer of the series. In John Green's VlogBrothers video series, Sarah has traditionally been referred to as "The Yeti" for rarely appearing in his videos.

The Art

The Art (sometimes stylised as THEART) are an Australian Alternative Rock band based in Sydney. They began performing under the name The Follow in 2004. Tasmanian band leader Azaria Byrne was known as an unsuccessful contestant on the reality television series Popstars.

Early highlights for the band's career have been supporting successful bands such as the Pixies, Marilyn Manson, Nine Inch Nails, Sonic Youth and Thirty Seconds to Mars as late as 2010, however this was marred by the crowd booing and calls to "get off the stage".

As band leader Azaria Byrne enters middle age success has so far eluded him despite media attention resulting from his being cuckolded by the even older fading celebrity Bill Corgan.

The other band members have all been described as "dull" but this could also be a result of the attention seeking behavior of their singer.

Members

References