WASHINGTON—American’s Public Television Stations and Public Broadcasting Service announced on Sunday, Feb. 21, the renewal of the 2005 Public Television Digital Cable Carriage Agreement with the National Cable & Telecommunications Association. With this renewal, local public TV stations’ multicast digital programming will be carried on cable systems that serve the majority of the nation’s cable subscribers.

“We are extremely pleased that this critical agreement has been renewed,” said Paula Kerger, PBS president and CEO. “Cable carriage is an indispensable part of reaching the American public, and this partnership ensures that the programming viewers rely on from their local public television stations—including news, public affairs, performing arts, educational children’s media, local productions, emergency messaging and more—is accessible to audiences across the nation.”

The agreement allows cable operators to offer up to four free noncommercial multicast channels for each must-carry station in a market.