A “PBS Sacramento” charge on your bank or card statement is almost always a recurring monthly donation to KVIE, the PBS member station serving the Sacramento region.1KVIE. Membership KVIE processes these as automatic ongoing debits rather than subscription fees, which is why they can keep appearing month after month even when no one in the household remembers signing up for anything recent. The charge usually traces back to a pledge made during a televised fundraiser or an online donation where the “sustaining membership” option was selected.
The descriptor on your statement may read “PBS Sacramento,” “KVIE,” or a variation. If the donation was set up through the PBS app on an Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, the merchant will instead show as “PBS Foundation,” which makes the charge harder to connect to the local station.2PBS. How Do I Update My Payment Information
One point worth clearing up: PBS Passport, the on-demand streaming benefit, is not a separate subscription. It’s a thank-you perk for donors who give at least $5 per month or $60 per year, so the charge on your statement is the donation itself.3KVIE. Donate PBS also doesn’t run free trials that quietly convert into paid memberships.4PBS. I Would Like to Cancel My Free Trial Membership
How to Cancel the Charge
Memberships are managed by each local station, not by PBS nationally, so PBS’s national support staff cannot access your account or stop the billing.5PBS. How Do I Update My Membership Information You need to reach KVIE directly.
KVIE Member Services:
- Phone: (916) 641-3500 or toll-free 1-800-347-5843
- Email: member@kvie.org
- Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 AM to 5 PM
If you call after hours and leave a message, include your full name and street address so staff can pull up your account.6KVIE. Ways to Give FAQ
There is one catch. If you received a thank-you gift from KVIE within the past year (a DVD set, tote bag, or similar item), KVIE’s policy does not allow a straight cancellation. You would instead convert the recurring pledge to a one-time donation and pay the remaining balance, which keeps the membership active for a full year. If you received no thank-you gift, you can cancel at any time.6KVIE. Ways to Give FAQ
If the donation was set up through the PBS app on Amazon Fire TV, you cancel through Amazon, not through KVIE. Log in to Amazon Payments, open Merchant Agreements, find the agreement for “PBS Foundation,” and cancel it there.7PBS. How Do I Cancel My Recurring Donation
If the Charge Isn’t a KVIE Donation
Several PBS-branded streaming channels are sold as paid add-ons through Amazon Prime Video and Apple TV, and these are separate from any local station membership. The options include PBS KIDS at $4.99 per month, PBS MASTERPIECE at $5.99, PBS Documentaries at $3.99, and PBS Living at $2.99. None of them include PBS Passport. To cancel, open your Amazon account’s Memberships and Subscriptions section and choose Prime Video Channels, or manage the subscription inside the Apple TV app.8PBS. Watching PBS Videos on Other Streaming Services
If You Never Authorized the Charge
If no one in your household signed up and you have no history with KVIE, you can dispute the charge with your card issuer under the Fair Credit Billing Act. Federal law caps your liability for unauthorized credit card charges at $50.9Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Send a written dispute to the billing-inquiries address for your card issuer within 60 days of the statement date on which the charge first appeared. Include your name, account number, and a description of the charge. The issuer must acknowledge your dispute within 30 days and resolve it within 90 days.10Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How Do I Dispute a Charge on My Credit Card Bill You are not required to pay the disputed amount or any related finance charges while the investigation is open.9Federal Trade Commission. Using Credit Cards and Disputing Charges
Refunds and Tax Deduction
KVIE’s published materials do not spell out a general refund policy, but they direct donors to Member Services at (916) 641-3500 to change or end a recurring donation agreement.3KVIE. Donate If KVIE declines a refund on charges already processed, disputing them through your bank remains an option.
Because KVIE contributions are classified as donations rather than subscription fees, they may be tax-deductible under Internal Revenue Code ยง 170(c).11KVIE. Donate Sustaining donors receive a notice each January showing total donations for the prior year and the deductible portion, which is adjusted for the fair market value of any thank-you gifts received.6KVIE. Ways to Give FAQ