Create (TV network)

Create (TV network) is an American public television channel and digital multicast network focused on lifestyle, how-to, and instructional programming. The service aggregates series from public media distributors and independent producers and is carried by numerous PBS member stations and multicast affiliates. Create emphasizes practical arts including cooking, travel, gardening, crafts, and home improvement, presenting long-running series and new commissions alongside classic instructional programs.

History

Create launched in 2004 as a collaborative project between American Public Television, WGBH-TV, WNET, and other public broadcasting organizations to centralize lifestyle programming drawn from distributors such as Public Broadcasting Service, NPR-affiliated producers, and independent filmmakers. Early carriage negotiations involved station groups including Tishman Speyer-owned affiliates and major public television stations like WNET, WGBH, KQED, and WETA. The network expanded carriage through partnerships with multicast pioneers such as Antenna TV-era affiliates and national distributors including American Public Television and NETA. Over subsequent years Create incorporated series licensed from producers and distributors such as PBS Distribution, BBC Studios, WGBH Boston, and independent creators tied to festivals like the South by Southwest-adjacent documentary scene. Technological shifts to digital multicasting and the adoption of ATSC 1.0 standards aided Create's growth on subchannels, while industry changes led to carriage adjustments among station groups including Nexstar Media Group and public station consortia.

Programming

Create's schedule centers on instructional series across culinary arts, home improvement, gardening, crafts, and travel, featuring programs from producers such as KQED, WTTW, WNED, and KCET. The lineup has included chefs and hosts with ties to institutions or works like America's Test Kitchen, Julia Child, Martha Stewart, James Beard Foundation, and presenters connected to series with distribution by PBS Distribution and American Public Television. Craft and DIY offerings draw on makers associated with Make: magazine-adjacent makerspaces, creators who have appeared at Maker Faire events, and textile artists linked to museums such as the Cooper Hewitt. Gardening shows reference experts and venues including Brooklyn Botanic Garden and botanical figures who have contributed to publications like Horticulture (magazine). Travel and cultural segments often feature partnerships with regional producers connected to entities such as National Trust for Historic Preservation, Smithsonian Institution, and festival organizers like South by Southwest (SXSW). The network also programs series that originated on stations like WGBH and WNET and showcases archival instructional content from producers tied to institutions including the Library of Congress and public radio/documentary collaborations with NPR contributors.

Distribution and Availability

Create is distributed primarily through over-the-air multicast subchannels operated by PBS member stations and independent public television stations, with carriage deals negotiated with station groups such as MPT, NETA, and regional consortia including Twin Cities PBS. The network is available on digital platforms operated by public media entities and through streaming partners that aggregate public television content alongside services from distributors like PBS Distribution and American Public Television. Availability varies by market and has been affected by retransmission agreements involving broadcasters such as Sinclair Broadcast Group and large cable operators including Comcast and satellite providers like DirecTV. Create's carriage strategy incorporates both full-time and part-time subchannel placements, and some stations run Create-branded programming blocks on main channels during pledge drives coordinated with organizations such as PBS fundraising campaigns and local station development offices.

Branding and Marketing

Create's branding emphasizes instructional authority, using visual identity elements developed in collaboration with design firms and public media marketing departments associated with stations like WGBH and WNET. Promotional efforts leverage cross-promotion with flagship public television series and tie-ins to cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and culinary organizations like the James Beard Foundation for themed seasons and pledge incentives. Marketing campaigns have utilized partnerships with festivals and events including Maker Faire, South by Southwest (SXSW), and regional food festivals, as well as collaborations with print and digital outlets like Saveur, Bon Appétit, and Crafts Magazine-type publications. On-air fundraising and underwriting acknowledgments follow public broadcasting standards and often highlight corporate underwriters and philanthropic supporters connected to foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation and Ford Foundation.

Funding and Governance

Create operates under the umbrella of American Public Television, with governance involving member stations and contributing distributors; board-level oversight includes representatives from major public broadcasting entities like WGBH, WNET, and regional stations. Funding sources include carriage fees paid by stations, underwriting from corporations and foundations, viewer contributions solicited during pledge drives coordinated with PBS member stations, and licensing revenues from distributors including PBS Distribution and American Public Television. Fiscal decisions intersect with grant-making institutions such as the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and philanthropic organizations like the Knight Foundation. Operational policies adhere to public broadcasting standards overseen by station boards and regional consortia including groups comparable to Public Radio International-affiliated governance structures.

Category:Public television networks in the United States