About WETA Passport

WETA Passport is a popular member benefit for donors who contribute $5 or more each month, or make a one-time gift of $60 or more. With WETA Passport, you can stream tens of thousands of hours of your favorite PBS and local shows. Catch up on a single episode or binge-watch entire seasons anytime, anywhere — online and through your preferred streaming devices.

Moreover, with WETA Passport, you can binge-watch entire seasons of selected popular MASTERPIECE dramas and other shows even before the episodes air on TV.

The Best Library of Your Public Television Favorites

Through WETA Passport you can access tens of thousands of hours of programming representing many genres from drama and mystery to science and history to arts and “how to” shows and so much more. A sampling of the available programs includes full seasons of:

• MASTERPIECE shows such as Victoria, Downton Abbey, Poldark, Grantchester, Endeavor, Sherlock, Wolf Hall, Indian Summers and The Durrells in Corfu, to name a few
• More dramas such as Jamestown, The Tunnel and Mercy Street
• The Great British Baking Show and other “how to” programs
• NOVA, Nature and more science and nature
• American Experience, Ken Burns documentaries and other history programs
• Antiques Roadshow and Finding Your Roots
• Great Performances, Austin City Limits, American Masters
• PBS NewsHour, Frontline and Washington Week
• And so much more.

The WETA Passport library grows every week as more series and episodes are added.

Watch Anytime, On Any Screen

You can watch WETA Passport streaming on your television through your Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, AndroidTV, Amazon Fire Stick and Amazon Fire TV devices. Stream online with your computer and on your tablet and smartphone. For mobile device streaming, look for the PBS video apps for both iOS and android systems. We are constantly adding more devices.

You can switch between devices in the middle of a show. Start streaming a program on one screen, and pick it up mid-stream on another device.

Look for This Icon

As a benefit of membership, WETA members get extended access to shows marked with the distinctive WETA Passport compass .

You can find all WETA Passport and other PBS videos here.

Note: Make sure you see the WETA logo in the top left corner of this page. If not, please chose WETA as your local station.

Frequently Asked Questions

I already activated. How can I sign in?

You may sign in here.

How do I activate my WETA Passport benefits?

Once you have received your activation code, you can activate your WETA Passport account from your desktop computer or laptop using the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. Simply follow these step-by-step instructions.

After you have activated your WETA Passport account, you can link then it to the PBS Video app on your Apple TV, Roku or Amazon Fire.

I did not receive my Activation Code:  I made a contribution of $60 for a one-time gift or $5 or more per month ongoing pledge but did not receive the code:

The activation email may have gone to your spam folder, please check.  The activation code email can take up to two hours (possibly longer) to arrive in your inbox.  If you never received it, please contact WETA Audience Services at membership@weta.org or 703-998-2724, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday).  If you are certain that your contribution was successful, you may also call the PBS Help Desk up from 10 a.m.-11 p.m. Monday through Friday at 703-270-0069.

I am a WETA member without a WETA Passport code (my giving level is $60 or more annually or $5 or more per month):

Please email us at membership@weta.org or call 703-998-2724 to have an activation code sent to you. We must have a valid email address for you.

I am a WETA donor who qualifies for WETA Passport, but I am not sure if I have an account or login, how can I check? (I donate $60 or more per year or $5 or more per month). 

Please go to the Member lookup site.

I believe I should qualify for WETA Passport, but I am not in the Member Lookup?

This likely means one of two possibilities:

• We do not have an email address for you. The WETA Passport ID is your valid email address.  Please contact us at membership@weta.org or 703-998-2724 (9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday-Friday) to give us your email address and we will help you get activated. Or,
• You already activated your WETA Passport benefits under a different email address from the email you are attempting to use right now (this happens a lot). You may have used an old or different email address, or, perhaps a different member of the household activated the account with a different email address. Try logging in again with a different email address. If that does not work contact us at membership@weta.org or 703-998-2724.

I am a current WETA member giving less than $60 per year. Can I make an additional contribution to raise my giving level to $60 to receive the WETA Passport benefit?

Yes, please call Audience Services at 703-998-2724 (hours are from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday).

I am still having trouble activating WETA Passport and need technical support:

Technical problems? Please file a help ticket online or call 703-270-0069: (Note, PBS provides the infrastructure and technical support for WETA Passport).

Other questions.

I signed up for WETA Passport and activated, but every time I click on a video I get a response that I have to be a WETA Passport member in order to view this video or that I have already activated.

When activating WETA Passport, you were prompted to sign in using either a Google account, a Facebook account, or a PBS account. That log in information is now linked to your WETA Passport account and you must always use that exact same log in information when signing in to WETA Passport. If you do not remember which option you chose, you can try each of them without doing harm to your accounts. If you need to, you can reset those passwords.

Because your WETA Passport account and your PBS account are separate, it is possible to have another PBS account that is not connected to your login for WETA Passport. Therefore, you must ensure that you are using the account you signed in with when you activated WETA Passport.

The PBS Helpline for WETA Passport can help if you continue to have problems. You may call 703-270-0069 Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. – 11 p.m., or send an email to help@pbs.org.

Further Activating Instructions & Helpful Videos:

• How to activate WETA Passport on Apple TV
• How to activate the PBS app on Apple TV without Passport
• How to activate WETA Passport on Roku
• How to activate the PBS app on Roku without Passport
• How to activate WETA Passport with Amazon Fire

Can I watch WETA Passport on my Smart TV?

WETA Passport and PBS Video are supported on smart TVs that use Android including Sharp Aquos, Sony Bravia, Mi Box, Nvidia Shield and Razor Forge TV. All compatible Android Smart TVs will have a Google Play Store app on their TV where you can download the PBS Video app for Android. WETA Passport and PBS Video are also available on Roku TVs and those with a pre-installed Roku app (TCL, Insiginia, Hitachi, Sharp, RCA, Hisense). WETA Passport and PBS Video are not available on other smart TVs as of this writing, but we expect more platforms to be available soon.

Watching WETA Passport Videos/Video Issues

Is WETA Passport available outside the U.S.?

Streaming video from WETA — including video that this available to WETA donors — is only available within the United States.

How do I search for a particular video?

Go here. 

A show I want to watch is not available on WETA Passport, why?

The viewing platform was developed by PBS for local stations such as WETA. While most programs that come to us through PBS are available, WETA also airs programs that come from different sources. The content and rights to the program are owned by that entity and are commonly extended to broadcast only, not streaming. 

My video is starting and stopping.

Do not run any other programs in the background and make sure your Flash player is both up to date and not blocked by your browser.

I need technical assistance for other problems.

You can call the PBS Help Desk from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m., Monday through Friday at 703-270-0069, or send an email to the PBS Help Desk at help@pbs.org.

Other WETA Passport Information

Why is WETA making this service available? 

As more and more people are watching television content on demand on computers and steaming devices, WETA Passport gives WETA donors a way to enjoy extended access to PBS and WETA content whenever and wherever you want.

What shows are available with WETA Passport?

Due to streaming rights and legal issues, WETA is unable to distribute a list of WETA Passport shows.

What’s the easiest way to get help on any WETA Passport topic?

For activation, login, and member lookup assistance: contact WETA Audience Services, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; membership@weta.org

For technical assistance and other help: contact the PBS Help Desk, 10 a.m. – 11 p.m., Monday through Friday; help@pbs.org.

I'm not seeing my favorite PBS show in WETA Passport. Why not?

Many WETA and PBS favorites are already in the library, others are not. The library of content is growing every week as more titles and episodes are added. 

PBS Kids shows are available online through www.pbskids.org.

Who is eligible for WETA Passport?

WETA Passport is a member benefit available to WETA donors with a yearly contribution of at least $60 or an ongoing monthly contribution of $5 or more. It cannot be purchased separately.

Is there still free streaming on WETA.org and PBS.org?

PBS and WETA content continue to be available for free on the WETA.org website, and other digital platforms. WETA Passport provides extended access to the rich library of content for WETA members to enjoy.

Certain content, including kids, news and public affairs programs such as Cyberchase, Bob the Builder, Thomas & Friends as well as FRONTLINE, PBS NewsHour, Independent Lens and POV, will remain accessible to everyone.

What desktop browser do I need?

WETA Passport supports the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, and Safari.

How does WETA Passport align with the mission of public television?

WETA content is shared widely with the public on-air, online and on mobile devices after a program airs — that has not changed. WETA Passport goes one step further by offering extended access to additional content for members.

I cannot afford to donate at this time. Is there a way for me to view this content?

All broadcast content remains available to all viewers on air per our broadcast schedule and will remain online and on streaming devices for at least two weeks after the initial broadcast and, in some cases, longer. We believe the new arrangement allows for ample viewing of excellent content, albeit for a more limited time for some programs.