Jewish Broadcasting Service expands availability in region

JBS series “In the Spotlight” with host Abigail Pogrebin

By Lee J. Green

Jewish Broadcasting Service Acting CEO Darah Golub remembers back in 2005, when her father, Rabbi Mark S. Golub, said American television needed a Jewish channel.

Today, JBS is a non-profit Jewish television network, supported by donations from viewers and foundations, and is available in more than 70 million households worldwide and in the U.S. on Spectrum, Direct TV, Comcast, Hotwire, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV and many other TV providers. Viewers include already committed Jews, those on the periphery and people new to the Jewish community.

Spectrum, by Sept. 1, will bring JBS to their lineups in Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Tennessee, NW Florida and North and South Carolina in their southern service areas.

JBS programming covers the panorama of Jewish life. Features include daily news direct from Israel and the JBS News Desk, roundtables and interviews about the current political climate with leading figures (“Eye on Israel”), High Holy Days and weekly Shabbat services, programming for children, the award-winning Israeli drama series “Srugim,” and Jewish and Israeli films. Also featured are Hebrew lessons and Talmud study and profiles on Jewish film directors, authors and musicians. As Golub says, “there is something for everyone, including sports.”

Golub said as they grow the network they hope to highlight regional stories, including those from the Southern Jewish Life magazine coverage area.

JBS Chief Marketing Officer David Brugnone, who has been with the network since the beginning, said they continue to look at opportunities for growing content and getting into more households through the emerging streaming platforms.

“Many of our viewers really like traditional TV. And we are definitely embracing the new streaming media and looking at more programming that is of interest to our younger Jewish viewers… as well as how they consume media,” said Brugnone.

Adds Golub, “it’s a balance. We want to honor and continue that tradition while at the same time focusing on the future.”