KCET

KCET is a PBS member television station located in Los Angeles, California, serving the Los Angeles metropolitan area and Southern California. KCET was founded by Hollywood entrepreneur Huw Wheldon and BBC producer Norman Lloyd, with the help of Walt Disney and Alfred Hitchcock. The station has been a member of PBS since its inception and has aired a wide range of programming, including Sesame Street, Masterpiece Theatre, and Nova (TV series) with Neil deGrasse Tyson and Brian Greene. KCET has also partnered with other PBS member stations, such as WNET and WGBH-TV, to produce and distribute content, including American Experience with David McCullough and Frontline (TV program) with Sarah Kendzior.

● History

KCET was launched on September 28, 1964, with the help of University of Southern California and California Institute of Technology. The station's early programming included National Geographic documentaries, BBC productions, and CBS news programs, featuring Walter Cronkite and Edward R. Murrow. KCET also aired Los Angeles Dodgers games, with Vin Scully as the play-by-play announcer, and Los Angeles Lakers games, with Chick Hearn as the play-by-play announcer. In the 1970s, KCET began to produce its own programming, including The Twilight Zone with Rod Serling and Star Trek: The Original Series with Gene Roddenberry and Leonard Nimoy. The station has also aired programming from other PBS member stations, such as WETA-TV and KQED, including The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer and Washington Week with Gwen Ifill.

● Programming

KCET's programming includes a wide range of PBS shows, such as Antiques Roadshow with Marsha Bemko and Noel Barrett, Nature (TV program) with Sir David Attenborough and Jane Goodall, and Great Performances with Plácido Domingo and Renée Fleming. The station also airs BBC productions, such as Doctor Who with Tom Baker and David Tennant, and Sherlock with Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman. KCET has also produced its own programming, including SoCal Connected with Val Zavala and Madeleine Brand, and Artbound with Juan Devis and Luis Fuerte. The station has partnered with other organizations, such as The Getty Center and Los Angeles County Museum of Art, to produce and distribute content, including The Getty Museum and LACMA exhibitions, featuring Vincent van Gogh and Pablo Picasso.

● Digital Television

KCET began broadcasting in digital in 2003, with the help of PBS and CPB. The station's digital signal is broadcast on UHF channel 28, and is available to viewers with digital television sets and set-top boxes. KCET's digital signal also includes multicast channels, such as KCETLink and NHK World, which offer additional programming, including Japanese language programming and International news. The station has also made its programming available online, through its website and YouTube channel, featuring PBS NewsHour and Frontline (TV program).

● Reception

KCET's signal is broadcast to the Los Angeles metropolitan area and Southern California, and is available to viewers with Over-the-air television sets and cable and satellite subscriptions. The station's signal is also available in Mexico and Canada, through cable and satellite providers, such as Dish Network and DirecTV. KCET has also partnered with other PBS member stations, such as KPBS and KVCR-DT, to provide emergency alert services and severe weather coverage, featuring National Weather Service and Federal Emergency Management Agency.

● Community Involvement

KCET is involved in various community outreach and engagement initiatives, including PBS Kids and Reading Rainbow with LeVar Burton. The station has also partnered with other organizations, such as Boys & Girls Clubs of America and United Way, to provide Education and Job training programs, featuring Bill Gates and Oprah Winfrey. KCET has also hosted various community events, including Film festivals and Concerts, featuring Hollywood Bowl and Los Angeles Philharmonic with Gustavo Dudamel. The station has also provided Disaster relief services, including Earthquake and Wildfire coverage, featuring American Red Cross and Salvation Army.

● Awards

KCET has won numerous awards for its programming, including Emmy Awards and Peabody Awards, featuring Academy of Television Arts & Sciences and University of Georgia. The station has also been recognized for its community outreach and engagement initiatives, including National Association of Broadcasters and Corporation for Public Broadcasting awards, featuring Gordon Smith and Patricia Harrison. KCET has also been awarded Grants and Funding from various organizations, including National Endowment for the Arts and National Endowment for the Humanities, featuring Rocco Landesman and Jim Leach. The station has also been recognized for its Digital media initiatives, including Webby Awards and Online News Association awards, featuring International Academy of Digital Arts and Sciences and Online News Association. Category:Television stations in California