PARTNER OF THE MONTH
PBS Reno is proud to serve the communities of northern and central Nevada and northeastern California with national PBS content, locally produced programs, thousands of free Curiosity Classroom workshops, and several community events throughout the year that Entertain Your Curiosity.
PBS Reno began broadcasting on September 29, 1983, and presented Sesame Street as its first program on the air. In its infancy, PBS Reno (then KNPB) broadcast just a few hours of television each day. Over the past 42 years, PBS Reno has grown exponentially, and today provides three 24/7/365 broadcast channels, a robust website, a YouTube channel, several social media platforms, three livestreams, and a presence on YouTubeTV, Hulu TV, Amazon, and Roku. However you like to watch television, PBS Reno meets you where you are, with fascinating documentaries, riveting dramas, interesting mysteries, exciting music, and trusted children’s programming.
Thanks to the Nell J. Redfield Foundation partnership with PBS Reno, we are closing the education resource gap in our community and playing a vital role in sparking a love of learning in young students. During the 2024-2025 school year, PBS Reno presented 6,800 free Curiosity Classroom workshops to more than 128,000 students in nine counties in northern Nevada and northeastern California. With the Nell J. Redfield Foundation’s support, 47,314 new books were handed out to students to add to their home libraries.
In September 2024, PBS Reno completed The Jerry Smith Center for Educational Collaboration at 1670 N. Virginia Street in honor of Jerry Smith, who served as President, Foundation Manager & Director of The Nell J. Redfield Foundation from 1974 until his passing in 2023. During his tenure with The Redfield Foundation, Smith was a helpful friend to many in the philanthropic community and funded nearly 300 nonprofits in northern Nevada – including PBS Reno and its educational outreach initiatives. Additionally, the Nell J. Redfield Foundation partnership helped to provide necessary financial support to produce award-earning local productions like Virtual Harmony, ARTEFFECTS, and other programs produced by PBS Reno.
As a constant community presence, PBS Reno hosts several community events throughout the year, including an annual Murder Mystery dinner and Writers Contest celebration in the spring; Be My Neighbor Day in the summer; and the Spotlight Awards & Auction in the fall. PBS Reno invites members to participate in many free events throughout the year, such as special screenings, member receptions, behind the scenes tours of the station and also invites PBS Reno KIDS Club members to free events for the entire family that in the past have included train rides at V&T Railroad in Virginia City, ice skating at Reno Ice, and visits to Dragon Lights at Rancho San Rafael Regional Park.
PBS Reno is grateful for community partnerships with organizations like the Nell J. Redfield Foundation, who put such a positive emphasis on education and the arts in our community.
