 |
|
| PRESS KIT: KQED Public Television |
KQED first went on the air in 1954 and quickly became an integral part of the Bay Area's media and cultural landscape. KQED Public Television produces and acquires programs that inspire, inform and entertain the people of Northern California, broadcasting the best of what is available from PBS and other distributors around the world. The station also produces its own unique programs and collaborates with filmmakers and documentary producers. KQED is consistently one of the most-watched public television stations in the nation in prime-time, reaching more than five million viewers each month. The station's viewing area goes as far north as Mendocino, as far south as Monterey, and as far east as the Lake Tahoe area and parts of Nevada.
KQED Public Television now offers multiple digital channels, each with distinct quality programming. The five channels (available via Comcast Cable and over-the-air), KQED HD (high-definition television), KQED Encore, KQED World, KQED Life and KQED Kids, add dramatically enhanced program choices to what Northern California viewers already enjoy on KQED 9.
KQED Public Television places special emphasis on providing more locally-produced content to our community. In 2006 KQED launched the 'Local Strip,' five programs that address a range of Bay Area interests, one each weeknight at 7:30 p.m.:
- The Josh Kornbluth Show, Mondays, 7:30 p.m. -- A talk show hosted by the popular monologist and comic features lively conversations with the best and brightest, and Josh's entertaining explorations of the Bay Area. Premiered Sept 12th, 2005.
- Quest, Tuesdays, 7:30 p.m. -- A cross platform science-nature-environment
initiative featuring a weekly TV program, weekly radio program, web site, and
science education. Pilots completed, fundraising underway. Premieres Summer/Fall
2006.
- Spark, Wednesdays, 7:30 p.m. -- KQED's Emmy-winning arts series is in its fourth season highlighting the full range of artists and arts organizations in the Bay Area and providing invaluable arts education tools for teachers. 4th Season, March 2006.
- Check Please! Bay Area, Thursdays, 7:30 p.m. -- A unique restaurant review show that each week features three "regular people" presenting and cross-reviewing their favorite Bay Area restaurants. The concept was developed in Chicago where the series is the top-rated program on the local public television station. Premieres Nov 3rd, 2005.
- This Week in Northern California, Fridays, 7:30 p.m. -- Consistently KQED's highest rated local television program, a weekly reporter's roundtable discussing the week's news and current issues. 17th Season, Oct. 2005.
In addition to our 'Local Strip,' KQED continues to strengthen our independent film offerings with two series, both of which draw on the work of independent filmmakers:
- Truly California, Sundays, 6 p.m. -- California documentary filmmakers compete for slots on this monthly series. The films will cover a broad spectrum of topics from a diverse collection of voices. They will be compelling California stories. Films selected are brought into KQED for completion services and broadcast as part of the series. 2nd Season, April 2006.
- Imagemakers, Sundays, 11 p.m. -- An often edgy and always entertaining combination of very creative short films by up-and-coming filmmakers. KQED compiles and curates the series drawing from film festivals and film schools across the county. 3rd Season, April 2006.
KQED Public Television continues to produce major national specials for PBS, such as:
- Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures, Premiering in April 2006 -- A generation ago, Jacques-Yves Cousteau revealed the oceans' mysteries to millions of landlocked PBS television viewers, and inspired a groundswell of public awareness of the unique problems faced by the world's marine environments. Now, 30 years later, Jacques' son Jean-Michel Cousteau and his team of 'oceanauts' have set sail to explore dangerous and spectacular locales across the globe in Jean-Michel Cousteau: Ocean Adventures, a six-part HDTV series premiering on PBS in April with the film Voyage to Kure, narrated by Pierce Brosnan.
Michael Isip is the executive director, television production and programming. Scott Dwyer is the program director.
|
|
|
