PBS has approved Public Broadcasting Atlanta’s request to become a full member station.
As a Program Differentiation Plan (PDP) station, the station now programs 25 percent of the PBS schedule. That will increase starting in September.
The station will also rebrand from PBA 30 to ATL PBA, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, which broke the story Thursday.
Public Broadcasting Atlanta will counterprogram primary station Georgia Public Broadcasting and will inform GPB of its schedule, President Wonya Lucas told the newspaper.
PBA has also hired a producer to create more local programs, Lucas said.
PBA Board Chair Chuck Taylor said becoming a full-service station also will provide viewers with access to additional member benefits including the streaming service Passport.
In a statement to the newspaper, GPB President Teya Ryan said that the statewide network “will always remain the primary provider of PBS programming for Atlanta and all of Georgia.”