-- Another channel of quality public television for Bay Area viewers --

June 22, 2011, San Francisco --- On July 1, KQED, one of the most-watched public television stations in the nation, will introduce KQED Plus, another channel of quality public television. KQED will also introduce a new member publication, On Q, that will include television listings for both KQED 9 and KQED Plus, as well as more KQED information.

KQED Plus, the station formerly known as KTEH, will continue to air viewer favorites including mysteries, dramas, and PBS KIDS programming all day. KTEH has been serving San Jose and Silicon Valley since 1964, but with the wide distribution available through cable and the digital transition, the station has been widely available throughout the Bay Area.

KQED will maintain and enhance its commitment to serve the South Bay, where it draws its largest number of television viewers, radio listeners, and contributing members. KQED Public Television will continue to produce This Is Us, profiling people of the region, and The History Quiz, airing Tuesdays on KQED Plus. Locally produced television series like QUEST, Check, Please! Bay Area, and This Week in Northern California regularly carrySouthBay segments; KQED Public Radio and KQEDnews.org provide coverage ofSan Jose, the Peninsula, and Silicon Valley; and KQED Education supports teachers and schools inSouthBay communities. Now it will be clear to people in the community that all of these services come from a single public media organization: KQED.

“Our goal with KQED Plus is to offer television viewers more options for great programming, so at any given time KQED Plus and KQED 9 will have different types of programming,” said John Boland, KQED president and CEO. “For example, on Wednesday evenings, when KQED 9 usually presents science content, KQED Plus might offer drama, travel, or history. Some popular programs will appear on both channels but at different times, and many programs will be unique to KQED Plus. One aspect has not changed—all the programming will continue to reflect the quality and intelligence you have come to expect from KQED.”

The decision to change the name from KTEH to KQED Plus came after more than a year of research found that there was brand confusion among the public, with many not making the connection that KTEH was managed and programmed by KQED. Changing the name builds equity in a single well-known, highly-respected brand and eliminates duplication of efforts requiring valuable staff time and financial resources.

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The introduction of KQED Plus completes the 2006 merger of KTEH and KQED. The goal of the merger was Better Programs, Better Business, Better Future. KQED secured KTEH financially, greatly expanded the station’s broadcast reach, and differentiated the programming to offer even more variety and less program overlap. KQED preserved and enhanced what was already popular on KTEH, such as the Brilliantly British programs, the best of PBS KIDS, and other audience favorites. With the merger and the digital transition, both channels were available to most Bay Area television viewers.

July also marks the launch of a new publication, On Q, which provides schedule information for KQED 9 and KQED Plus. On Q also has extended listings for KQED World and KQED Life and more information about programming on KQED Public Radio. On Q is accessible at kqed.org/onQ. This online version includes extra features such as a monthly program calendar, exclusive Web extras, and more. Detailed program information is also available at kqed.org/tv.

About KQED

KQED (kqed.org) has served Northern California for more than 50 years and is affiliated with NPR and PBS. KQED owns and operates public television stations KQED 9 (San Francisco/Bay Area), KTEH 54 (San Jose/Bay Area), and KQET 25 (Watsonville/Monterey); KQED Public Radio (88.5FM San Francisco and 89.3FM Sacramento); the interactive platforms kqed.org, kteh.org, and KQEDnews.org; and KQED Education. KQED Public Television, one of the nation's most-watched public television stations, is the producer of local and national series such as QUEST; Check, Please! Bay Area; This Week in Northern California; Truly CA; and Essential Pépin. KQED's digital television channels include 9HD, Life, World, Kids, and V-me, and are available 24/7 on Comcast. KQED Public Radio, home of Forum with Michael Krasny and The California Report, is one of the most-listened-to public radio stations in the nation with an award-winning news and public affairs program service delivering more than eighteen local newscasts daily. KQED Interactive provides KQED’s cross-platform news service, KQEDnews.org, as well as offers several popular local blogs, video and audio podcasts, and a live radio stream at kqed.org. KQED Education brings the impact of KQED to thousands of teachers, students, parents, and the general public through workshops, community screenings, and multimedia resources.

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Media Contact: Meredith Gandy

415.553.2116 / mgandy@kqed.org

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