Public Media Learns
Public Media Learns (PML) is the latest tool essential for everyone in public media, no matter their area of discipline. PML offers a collaborative space for employees of our member stations to experience community, share ideas, and expand the skills needed to further the mission of public media: education.
Public Media Learns is the home of professional development courses from throughout the system, community spaces for our Peer Learning Communities, and the NETA webinar archives.
Do you have a course idea you'd like to share with members of public media? Use this form to propose your ideas.
Public Media 101
This PML course is for anyone who wants to learn the basics of public media. Whether you work at a station, are a board member, volunteer, or student intern, Public Media 101 provides an overview of public media’s origins, the many organizations that make up the public media ecosystem, and the rules and regulations that guide our work. In addition, the course breaks down the various types of stations, roles and departments within stations, and professional growth opportunities.
Anytime you feel like you’re swimming in alphabet soup, our Public Media 101 glossary provides an easy way to identify and define public media’s many acronyms and terms.
If you would like to register multiple members of your station and receive an invoice, please contact James Abraham or Maria Rodillo to start the process.
This course is self-paced. $100 for NETA Members; $550 for non-members.
Newest Courses
Looking to strengthen your station’s digital content and audience strategy?
Creating Audience-First Digital Content is a self-paced course designed for PBS station professionals looking to connect with digital-first audiences on YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and beyond. You’ll learn how to adopt an audience-first mindset, craft compelling titles and thumbnails, and shape content that keeps viewers engaged from the first second to the last.
Drawing from real examples across the PBS system—including WHYY, Twin Cities PBS, and PBS North Carolina—you’ll explore storytelling tactics, vertical video strategies, and comment moderation techniques that build long-term viewer relationships. You’ll also learn how to use performance data, like CTR and retention, to refine your approach and grow your reach.
Whether you’re a producer, digital strategist, or social media lead, this course gives you the tools, templates, and confidence to lead effective, platform-specific content strategies rooted in public media values.
Access this course and more through the PBS Course Catalog.
Are you ready to take your station’s data management to the next level?
In this comprehensive self-paced course, you’ll explore the foundational principles and practices of data governance, designed specifically for public media. You’ll learn how to assess your current data landscape, define governance roles and responsibilities, and build a station-specific roadmap for implementing sustainable data policies. From improving data quality to protecting sensitive donor information and ensuring regulatory compliance, this course provides actionable strategies for stations of all sizes.
You’ll also access templates and real-world examples from across the public media system—equipping you to develop a governance framework that supports transparency, collaboration, and long-term success.
This course will help you gain the skills and insights needed to build a sustainable data governance program at your station that supports trust, efficiency, and compliance.
What You’ll Gain:
- A clear understanding of governance roles, policies, and processes
- Tools to assess and improve data quality, security, and accessibility
- Templates and strategies to create a data governance roadmap tailored to your station
Whether you're just getting started or looking to formalize existing efforts, this course is designed for professionals at all levels. Access this course and more through the PBS Course Catalog.