KCET Announces New Program Schedule
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Los Angeles - December 9, 2010 - With a 46-year history of
serving Southern and Central California, award-winning public television
station KCET officially becomes the largest independent television station in
the country on January 1, 2011 with a mission to rethink public media.
"As the communications universe embraces new forms of media
and content, our goal is to be one of its new voices," says Mary Mazur, KCET
executive vice president and chief content officer. "We intend to collaborate
with the talented and diverse creative voices here in Southern California, in
addition to acquiring programming in the genres our viewers have come to enjoy
over the years."
Continues
Mazur, "Since we are part of the community, we know the issues facing our
region, and we will help inform and motivate our viewers to cope with those
challenges with the information they need through hard-hitting reporting.
"KCET's
new schedule also reflects our commitment to provide a mix of programming
designed to enlighten and entertain."
KCET will premiere a new on-air look as well as a new
schedule on January 1. The
schedule has been organized into themed viewing blocks to make it easier for
the audience to find their favorite genres and shows.
PRIMETIME
ON KCET
Sunday is Hollywood Movie Night. We begin
the evening with First Works, which
features an insider's look at how legendary directors approach their craft.
Then we move onto Roger Ebert Presents At
the Movies, a guide to which films get the "thumbs up." We anchor the
evening with KCET Presents, a collection of some of Hollywood's best motion
pictures without commercial interruption, including popular blockbusters and
time-honored classics such as The Color
Purple, Dances with Wolves and It's a
Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World.
Monday is Action and Travel Adventure Night. First
the action-packed drama series MI5 takes
viewers into the world of British secret service agents. Next, world-traveling
hosts who "live like the locals do" explore unforgettable destinations in Globe Trekker. Then Rick Steves' Europe explores countries overseas, followed by Burt Wolf: Travels & Traditions, which introduces local customs from
all around the world.
Tuesday is Science and Innovation Night. Discover the Nature of Things with David Suzuki, which features segments on rare
wildlife, plus cutting-edge science and technology. Immediately following, KCET
presents an evening of documentaries that explore a range of thought-provoking
topics and current events.
Wednesday is Drama Night. At 8:00 p.m., Robert
Vaughn stars in Hustle, about a
grifter who works with a team of con artists with a conscience in England. Then
Helen Mirren stars in Prime Suspect
as the tenacious, difficult and brilliant Jane Tennison, a no-nonsense British
detective for Scotland Yard. Next, The
Write Environment features local filmmaker Jeffrey Berman as host of
one-on-one interviews with prolific screenwriters.
Thursday is an eclectic night featuring the weekly premiere
of SoCal Connected. The
evening begins with Doc Martin, the
British comedic drama that makes the rounds with Dr. Martin Ellingham, a
celebrated surgeon with a blood phobia and tactless manner. Each week SoCal Connected presents hard-hitting
reports on everything from the economy to the environment. Then KCET soars with
The Aviators, which looks at the
latest advances in aircraft and aviation technology.
Friday is all the news you need. The
McLaughlin Group begins the evening with a lively discussion from across
the political spectrum. Immediately following, KCET presents an encore of SoCal Connected. The evening continues at 9:00 p.m. with BBC World News, which provides news
coverage with a truly global perspective and insight into world events
impacting on America and major US stories impacting on the world. Then Inside E Street, with Sheilah Kast, looks
at the latest developments affecting economic security, health care and
retirement. At 10:00 p.m. Inside
Washington, with host Gordon Peterson,
brings together the best and brightest journalists to analyze the week's most
notable news events. Next NHK
Newsline provides updates on news from Japan and other Asian
countries. The evening concludes with Scully/The
World Show, featuring one-on-one interviews with the world's most prominent
and famous personalities - from Nobel laureates and heads of state to authors,
royalty, financiers and athletes.
Saturday is British night. The evening begins with the popular Brit-coms Keeping Up Appearances and As Time Goes By, which are currently airing on KCET. The evening also includes encores of Doc Martin and MI5.
DAYTIME
Mornings on KCET will continue to feature children's
programming, which includes two productions from The Jim Henson Company: Construction Site, airing in both
English and Spanish, and The Wubbulous
World of Dr. Seuss. Also, the Peabody Award winning series for parents and
caregivers A Place of Our Own and Los Niños en Su Casa will remain part of
the station's morning programming.
Then KCET turns its attention to the adults in the
household with an entertaining, informative daytime block focused on cuisine
and travel, reflecting the diversity of Southern California from south of the
border to the Pacific Rim. Viewers will engage with culinary superstars Lydia
Bastianich, Jacques Pepin and Rick Bayless, who spice up palates and kitchens
alike. And they will travel in
style with Smart Travels - Pacific Rim
with Rudy Maxa V, Journeys in Japan,
Travelscope and 13 Wonders of Spain.
THE NEWS
ON KCET
In an interconnected world, KCET understands that diverse
perspectives are critical to understanding events in Southern California as
well as around the world and that global actions have local repercussions. KCET
takes a global view for its nightly newscast, premiering NHK Newsline at 6:00 p.m., followed by the leader in international
news programming, BBC World News at
6:30 p.m.
KCET celebrates the diversity of Southern California with Visiting With Huell Howser. Exclusively
on KCET, the series takes viewers to the Southland's many neighborhoods
introducing the people who live there.
Featuring hard-hitting reports and investigations on what
matters most to Southern California, KCET's Emmy and Peabody award-winning SoCal Connected fields the best news team in the region to cover
stories of significance.
MULTIPLE
PLATFORMS, MULTIPLE VIEWS
The new world of KCET also lives online with originally
produced news, features and blogs, including the award winning Departures - which takes viewers into a
world of Southern California they never thought they'd see.
About KCET
On-air, online and in the community, KCET plays
a vital role in the cultural and educational enrichment of Southern and Central
California. With a viewership of 3.6 million viewers in the average
month, KCET becomes the largest independent public television station in the
country effective January 1, 2011. KCET currently produces the Emmy® and
Peabody Award-winning SoCal Connected,
a hard-hitting prime-time weekly television news program that examines the
issues and people of Southern California. Throughout its more than 40-year
history, KCET has won hundreds of major awards for its local and regional news
and public affairs programming, its national drama and documentary productions,
its quality educational family and children's programs, its outreach and
community services and its website, kcet.org. KCET is a donor-supported
community institution. More than half of the funds raised to support KCET's
operating budget come from individual support. For additional information about
KCET productions, Web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community
events, please visit kcet.org.
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