KCET's Award-Winning Weekly Series 'SOCAL CONNECTED' Looks at New Efforts to Prevent Whale and Ship Collisions Off the Southern California Coast

BURBANK, CA

- August 14,

2014 -

Whales are the biggest creatures in the world. But

dozens of Blue, Fin and Humpback whales have been killed by collisions with huge cargo ships traveling between Santa

Barbara and Long Beach. SOCAL CONNECTED, KCET's Emmy® and

Peabody® Award-winning series, examines what happens when whales and ships

collide. According to marine biologists, the whales usually die, but now new

research and measures are being adopted to prevent these gruesome collisions.

Anchor Val Zavala updates our story on whale fatalities and what's being done to save these giants in danger.

The story airs on Wednesday, August 20, 2014 at 8 p.m.

This week's SOCAL CONNECTED also features:

Micro-loans Come to Los Angeles - The idea started in developing countries; individuals

make small loans to an entrepreneur who wants to start a business. A non-profit

group saw how well the model worked in needy countries and decided to try it

here. Reporter Jennifer London looks at how spending a little bit of money in

the right place can make a big difference for enterprising people.

Bottle Tree Ranch - Along a stretch of Route 66 is an unforgettable

place created by 67-year-old eccentric, Elmer Long. He has hung thousands of

glass bottles on metal "trees", creating a whimsical grove of light, color and

sound that is open to the public to enjoy and explore. Reporter Nic Cha Kim

visits Long's "Bottle Tree Ranch" to discover the person behind this unique

oasis in the desert. This story is based on a piece from KCET's Artbound.

The Final Run -

For three generations, the Colby Poster Printing Company spread the word about

concerts, rodeos and local festivals one telephone pole at a time. Now this

family-run business has made its final poster and shut down the presses. In

this story, originally produced for MOCAtv, C.R. Stecyk III pays one last visit

to the place that's provided a touch of Day-Glo on the Los Angeles landscape.

Broadcast Premiere Date:  Wednesday,

August 20 at 8 p.m.

Repeated: Friday,

August 22 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, August 24 at 6:30 p.m.

SOCAL CONNECTED is anchored by 16-time

Emmy®-Award winner, Val Zavala. Contributors include science journalist

Cara Santa Maria, reporters Derrick Shore and Jennifer Sabih, documentary filmmaker

Nic Cha Kim and writer Nick Hardcastle.

The television broadcast executive producer for

SOCAL

CONNECTED

is Val Zavala; digital executive producer is Zach Behrens;

and Linda Burns is senior producer.

ABOUT SOCAL CONNECTED

SOCAL CONNECTED, winner of a Peabody® and two

duPont Awards, 23 Emmy® Awards, 24 Golden Mikes, 48 LA Press Club Awards, two

Gracie Awards, and four regional and one national Edward R. Murrow Awards,

including Best News Documentary and Los Angeles Magazine's "Best

New Local TV Program" of 2009, airs exclusively on KCET. For more

information, to view episodes online or to leave comments, please visit www.socalconnected.org. 

SOCAL

CONNECTED

is made possible through the generous support of The Ahmanson

Foundation, Chapman University and the MaddocksBrown Foundation.

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. KCET offers a wide range of award-winning local programming as well

as the finest public television programs from around the world. Throughout its

50-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. For additional information about

KCET productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community

events, please visit kcet.org. KCET is a service of KCETLink.

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