As we close fiscal year 2025, I am proud to report that PBS Western Reserve has deepened its bond with the people and places of Northeast Ohio and Western Pennsylvania. Guided by our strategic priority of local impact, we invested in storytelling, civic dialogue, education and innovation — while strengthening the organization’s foundation during a critical time when our public media system is under threat. 

Our producers, journalists and cameras traveled throughout the region telling the stories of our communities. Local Focus illuminated community history, art and aspirations, producing dozens of stories and videos. Viewers embraced the premiere of By Nature’s Design, which drew hundreds of website and YouTube streams and filled two local venues for screening events. As the exclusive media partner for Akron’s Bicentennial, we chronicled the Forgotten History Forum Series and produced classroom resources that connect Akron’s past to lessons in civic engagement. The year’s slate also featured The Remember Balloons; Gathered in Darkness; More Childhood, Please; and more episodes of the multimedia project Everyday Writing with Coach Write, each bridging generations and sparking conversation.  

Our Educational Services team focused on out-of-school programs at libraries and community centers, providing in-person lessons and engaging activities for children of all ages that reinforced their learning in school. The team led professional development workshops on topics like AI that empowered more than 100 educators across the region.  

Our commitment to service made us a trusted convener. Monthly broadcasts of Akron Roundtable, produced alongside the University of Akron’s ZTV and Ideastream Public Media, brought big ideas into homes across the region. We televised Akron Mayor Shammas Malik’s State of the City address, hosted a special screening and panel discussion of Ken Burns’ Leonardo da Vinci and hosted a tea party at the station to celebrate the new season of All Creatures Great and Small. These touchpoints, amplified by double-digit social media growth, steadily earned media coverage and a revitalized volunteer program, strengthened our position as a community resource. 

Generosity from individuals, corporations, foundations and other local partners powered every milestone. Overall, the number of members grew by 18% this year — and the number of Producer’s Circle donors contributing $1,200 or more per year doubled. We achieved steady growth in our sustaining monthly donor base. This incredible growth in community support meant a record year of fundraising for the station, where we exceeded revenue goals by 8%. We also saw double-digit growth in our audience on all platforms: broadcast, livestream, Passport and social media. It’s clear that our community values the work we do. 

Inside the station, we broadened internships to include production roles, implemented Asana for project management, and tied staff evaluations to professional growth and our shared vision, mission and values. 

Looking ahead, we are wrapping The World According to Polka for a September broadcast, crafting additional episodes of By Nature’s Design for August and December premieres and mapping new Local Focus stories that celebrate the resilience and imagination of our region. Thank you for believing in public media that belongs to — and is shaped by — you. 

With gratitude, 

Natalie Pillsbury 
President & CEO, PBS Western Reserve