About GBH

True journalism is driven by the hunt for the truth.

That should be the standard in the media, yet too often, news coverage is driven by clicks, trends and commercial interests. At GBH, our independent status lets us set aside those distractions and focus on our commitment to the truth and our audiences.

Committing to our audiences means more than just reporting the full story; it means making that story available to everyone. Our sharp reporting on FRONTLINE sheds light on the world’s most pressing issues, and GBH News uses its hyperlocal focus to bring Massachusetts residents the untold stories in their communities. Whether it’s local or global news, GBH’s journalists incorporate multiple voices and carefully examine the angles that others may overlook.

Democracy requires an educated citizenry.

Not all children have access to a good education. But everyone has access to public media, and GBH’s children’s resources can help bridge gaps that create unequal opportunity. Our TV shows and digital programs celebrate the wonder of childhood while cultivating the knowledge and skills children need to become informed citizens.

GBH offers the richest collection of educational media available in the US to teachers and students around the world, entirely for free. By tapping into PBS Learning Media, teachers can travel with their students into black holes, conduct science experiments using real data, and learn about cultures from Korea to Kenya. Outside the classroom, children can engage with a rich array of resources designed to expose them to the wonders of numbers and letters, encourage curiosity about the natural world, and help them practice the social and emotional skills they’ll need to navigate the world successfully.

We know that science is captivating—and we want everyone to know.

To many audiences, the sciences feel inaccessible, yet the natural world and technology offer some of our most compelling stories. That’s why we’ve made science storytelling a focus at GBH, and we’re using new platforms to tell those stories in groundbreaking ways.

Since its inception, NOVA has operated under the belief that science stories need to be told with the characters and drama that bring them to life. That focus on engaging storytelling continues to inspire the documentaries that have helped millions fall in love with science.

At GBH, we believe that understanding science allows everyone to appreciate our changing world. With knowledge on our side, we all gain the power to shape our world and our future with the care they deserve.

Understanding history is essential to understanding ourselves.

We are all rooted in time and shaped by the past. And to understand history, we have to tell all of its stories—the uncomfortable accounts and the triumphant tales. Because GBH is free from commercial constraints, we are able to convey the richness of history without pressure to simplify, whitewash, or omit parts of the story.

Through its carefully researched films, American Experience uncovers the experiences of all Americans. But the story isn’t finished when the film ends. Digital resources allow our audiences to explore primary sources that were once only available to academics. Our expansive web presence allows viewers to explore a topic in all kinds of ways: watching short-form video, studying historical images, and reading accessible essays written by experts in their fields. When these resources are available to all, we uncover a collective history that brings us closer to the truth.

There’s a reason our very first broadcast was a Boston Symphony Orchestra concert. We brought listeners into the concert hall because we knew that providing access to the arts gives people the chance to expand their perspectives, helping us all appreciate new ideas and beauty.

For decades, GBH has worked to bring classical and jazz music to all, so that everyone can experience the genres that inspire the music that we listen to today. Since that first broadcast, we’ve continued to amplify the arts and expand our offerings across platforms. Masterpiece offers viewers the chance to visit new places and time periods with some of the world’s best performers. Open Studio and Front Row Boston bring viewers to galleries and concerts with both emerging and established talent.

GBH has long played a critical role in preserving history for audiences and for the public. Our Media Library and Archives ensures the long-term preservation and access to GBH’s vast archive of programming and original materials, including raw archival interviews, programs, and transcripts, which are all available through our Open Vault. GBH is also home to the Boston TV News Digital Archive, which makes available local news stories produced in and around Boston from 1960 to 2000.

In 2013, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting awarded GBH and the Library of Congress stewardship of an unprecedented and historic collection of American public radio and television content—dating back through the 1950s—to be permanently preserved and made available to the public through this collaboration as the American Archive of Public Broadcasting. By preserving these moments in our past, we honor the shared history that brings us all together.

A trusted leader in the children’s media space for over 50 years, GBH Kids produces groundbreaking content that represents multiple perspectives, makes kids feel empowered and seen, while also encouraging them to be lifelong learners. With multiple Emmy®, George Foster Peabody, Television Critics Association, Kidscreen and Parent’s Choice Awards wins, our work inspires our youngest audiences – and their caregivers – to be the best they can be.