PBS: Audience Development & Segmentation

Self-paced

Enroll

Course Dates:

Ongoing

Duration:

Self-Paced

Commitment:

2h00m - 2h45m

Audience:

Public Media Staff

Course Type:

Open Entry/Open Exit

Credential:

Certificate upon Completion

Course Overview

Public media audiences are not a single, monolithic group. They are many, with different motivations, behaviors, and reasons for connecting with your station.

In this course, you will learn how to define meaningful audience segments using data you already have, turn those segments into practical personas, and activate them through content, marketing, fundraising, and engagement strategies. By the end, you will have a focused, actionable segmentation plan you can bring back to your station and put to work. This course is divided into 4 topics, each taking approximately 30 to 40 minutes to complete.

What You'll Gain

Identify the audience segments within your station using data you already have, from your CRM, email platform, web analytics, and broadcast tools.
Build data-informed audience personas and connect them to specific fundraising, marketing, or content goals.

Target Audience: Public Media Staff | All Levels

Course is offered by Public Broadcasting Service

Meet Your Instructors

Leandra Parks

Digital Marketing Manager, VPM

Leandra Parks is the Digital Marketing Manager at VPM, Virginia's home for public media, where she leads digital marketing, audience development, and data analytics to drive growth across TV, radio, and digital platforms. Her work connects communities across Central Virginia and the Shenandoah Valley with trusted news, education, arts, and culture content.

Natalie Benoy

Data Scientist/Analyst, PBS Utah

Natalie Benoy is a Data Scientist/Analyst at PBS Utah and a member of the Passport Station User Group (SUG) and Digital Media Advisory Council (DMAC). She holds a B.S. from Pitt and an M.B.A. from the University of Utah, and brings six years of prior experience in marketing and digital media before joining the Data Team.

Elyse Breeze

Digital Strategy Director, WNED

Elyse Breeze is the Director of Digital Strategy at Buffalo Toronto Public Media, where she leads digital marketing and campaign execution across the dual licensee's brands and platforms. With nearly seven years at BTPM, she oversees promotional and fundraising initiatives spanning email, social media, paid search, programmatic audio, OTT, and streaming. In 2025, she was named one of The Current's Rising Stars.

Colin Scianamblo

Chief Content Officer, CET

Colin Scianamblo is an award-winning writer, producer, and director with over 10 years of public media experience at CET and ThinkTV. He creates education, arts, and community affairs content across digital and broadcast platforms, serving communities in the Cincinnati region.

Full course description