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Numbers of licensees and stations assisted by CPB

The public broadcasting "system" in mid-1998 consisted of about 1,055 public radio and TV stations that received federal aid through the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. The number of separate organizations was smaller because some operate more than one station: CPB counted 562 separate grant recipients ("grantees"). The FCC licensed 536 separate organizations as broadcasters ("licensees"). Beyond this system, there were hundreds of other noncommercial educational stations (many at colleges and high schools) that were generally too small to receive CPB grants.

. Stations Grantees Licensees
Radio . . .
Nonprofit community organization 237 143 131
University 365 205 194
Local government 33 26 26
State government 64 11 8
Total 699 385 359
Television . . .
Nonprofit community organization 136 88 88
University 86 60 60
Local government 8 8 8
State government 126 21 21
Total 356 177 177
Radio and Television Total 1,055 562 536


Source of numbers: CPB, mid-1998

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Page revised Aug. 28, 1999
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