Public affairs (broadcasting)

For other uses of "public affairs", see public affairs (disambiguation).

Public affairs, a broadcasting industry term, refers to television programs which focuses on matters of politics and public policy. Among commercial broadcasters, such programs are often only to satisfy Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulatory expectations and are not scheduled in prime time. Public affairs television programs are broadcast at times when few listeners or viewers are tuned in (or even awake) in the U.S.. A particularly favored time for this type of broadcasting is the graveyard slot, 5 a.m. or 6 a.m. Sunday morning

Public affairs coverage and are carried as digital subchannel of existing state network Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) member public television stations.

Government-access television (GATV) is cable channel capacity for local government bodies and other legislative entities to access the cable television systems to televise public affairs meetings.

At some (particularly national) broadcasters, "Public Affairs" may be a special unit, separate from the news department, dedicated to producing long-form public-affairs programming, as at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation prior to 1992.

See also

• Public service announcement (PSA)