Changing channels: Exploring alternative sources of revenues for knowledge network in an uncertain future

Public broadcasting is struggling to survive in an environment of government deregulation, audience fragmentation, technological change and diminishing sources of public funding. The goal of this project is to investigate the identity of public broadcasting and how various public broadcasters are adapting to these political, economic and technological challenges and then to apply acquired insights to Knowledge Network, British Columbia's public educational broadcaster. An external analysis of Knowledge Network exposes the particular side of these general systemic challenges. This process of internal review implies an evaluation of the value of Knowledge Network's regional programming to determine whether this value warrants continued public funding. In the absence of any other regional service like Knowledge Network, this paper recommends that government should increase hding for Knowledge Network, as it is a valuable public service and avoid downsizing the organization. Furthermore, it is concluded that Knowledge Network pursue schedule underwriting and narrowcasting as alternative revenue sources to enhance its offering to British Columbians.