Los Angeles PBS affiliate KCET exits network fold to go independent

 
KCET, the Los Angeles PBS member station, has decided to break away from the public broadcasting network and become an independent station.

Starting in January, station officials intend to replace such iconic PBS fare as "Charlie Rose," "NewsHour," "Sesame Street" and "Masterpiece" with news and documentaries from Japan, Canada and elsewhere, along with old feature films. (KCET will continue to carry PBS programming through the end of December.)

The drastic move comes after a months-long battle over the dues KCET must pay the national organization. Last year, the dues totaled nearly $7 million, or almost one-fifth of the station's $37-million net operating revenue. Station officials say that amount is far too high. PBS, fearing that a reduction in the sum could lead to demands for similar discounts from other member stations, refused to budge.

"After four decades as the West Coast flagship PBS station, this is not a decision we made lightly," said Al Jerome, KCET's president and chief executive, in a news release. "We have been in discussions with PBS for over three years about the need to address challenges that are unique to our market as well as our station."

"As an independent public television station, KCET will be committed to investing in Southern California by developing, acquiring, producing and distributing content across all media platforms," he added. "We will continue to offer the KCET audience programming from leading national and international sources. Some of these series are currently on our air."

Yet a divorce could prove painful for both parties. Independent broadcasting outlets found themselves in perilous times even before the recent recession hit. Without recognizable series to promote, KCET will likely find it difficult to gain traction with viewers. Moreover, the station will find it tough to produce or buy shows that generate strong ratings as program costs keep escalating.

A pullout isn't good news for PBS, either, as it signals "to other PBS members that affiliation isn't that important anymore," according to Jeffrey McCall, a media expert at DePauw University.

It also increases doubts about the long-term future of public broadcasting. "PBS certainly does not play the essential role it once did in the nation's media landscape," McCall said. "For years, PBS provided things that couldn't be had from the traditional networks," including public affairs and educational programs.

"Now, with cable outlets, not to mention the Internet, the public doesn't rely on PBS for such fare."

-- Scott Collins (Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT)

Photo: Al Jerome, president and chief executive of KCET

Photo credit: Gary Friedman/Los Angeles Times 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Mudkiller]

Greed claims another victim.

[Tom Foolery]

"Woweee, hey Louie, get a shot of this TV station going down the tubes! Golly, have you ever seen a worse decision? Ah-may-zing!"

[mort nichols]

its only a matter of time for al jerome loses his job -- and he will never get another one. He enters the hallway of the great losers. It sucks to be him. What a miserable future he looks forward too.

[Carmine628]

When will Al and the Board at KCET release compensation info on the 10 highest paid,including benefits?
Will the next board mtg, Wednesday Oct 13th, be open to the public?
Why did Al J, Debbie H, Brett M, Mare M and others not focus on building a solid endowment during the good times, instead of doing battle a' la KCET orange and KCET desert cities?
This guy and the lame board are oblivious to the hidden costs of operating a station and have all too often relied on their constant beg-a-thons.
Unfortunately, this is the crowning achievement of Al Jerome's career, destroying a PBS affiliate because of a $3 million item, the difference between the dues assessed by PBS and what his station would pay as a secondary station.
For a station with a $40-$50m budget, shaving $3m in expenses should not have been that much of a struggle. But if the CFO was busy playing COO at desert cities and orange KCET, well now we see what has occured.
Well done, Al, now please retire "for health reasons"

[Walt Kowalski]

Not sure if this is relevant.... if you have not been watching the internet is just about ready to Kill what we know as TV.

You know you don't need to pay $100 / month for Cable, HD, or even use KCET to watch programs like Frontline anymore? All you need is an fast internet connection and Boxee / GoogleTV / Roku / Apple.

Nova, Frontline, and all that programming is either available or about to be available directly. Send that donation money directly to PBS and get rid of the middle man.

I think Al Jerome may be making a good move here creating KCET's own content - I must second - hopefully centered around Huell Howser.

[Jeff]

I was switching between stories on The Onion and other sites when this came along, so you could imagine my confusion.

[PBSfriend]

Ouch. There is no chance for survival as an independent station. Case in point: KRON TV in the SF Bay Area was the longtime NBC affiliate and decided to become independent due to demands from NBC. KRON figured its reputation would allow it to continue to function at a high level. It is now mostly paid programs and its reporters in the field usually have to film themselves when reporting on stories. Bye bye KCET, you just made another local PBS affiliate very very happy.

[MLA17]

I am completely heartbroken. I was a child of the wonderful PBS children's programming, in the 80's. Now with a child of my own, I've enjoyed the current crop of wonderful children's programming, especially Dinosaur Train. I watch KCET everyday and now I don't know what I will do. It is a sad situation that it has come to this. :(

[KJ]

Why doesn't PBS become a cable channel, paid for as part of the monthly service subscription? I've never understood why this organization has held to the old model of an independent station network. They could license themselves to the satellite and cable companies, ala Disney, and have more money than they know what to do with? Then they wouldn't need KCET, and other's like them, to simply be an outlet to rebroadcast what comes from the mothership.

Anyone?

[Radiant]

Say it ain't so!

[GO]

This is shocking and horrible news. KCET is one of the only stations I watch continuously and have supported them monetarily every year--but that will stop come Dec. 1. Masterpiece Mystery, Frontline, Nova, Charlie Rose--these are all my favorite shows. I just hope there is a last minute reconciliation with PBS and they reconsider, but it look s doubtful...

[nightqueen]

I'm so, so disappointed.

[dwayne o]

This is a good thing and the station gave ample warning that it was a possible outcome. In fact, I was really impressed by how forthcoming they were.

I hope that they don't hold on too dearly to some of the weaker programming. This is an opportunity, not a funeral. KCET can evolve into something new.

[Greg]

In the end, this is no great loss. The LA area has a number of PBS stations that carry various portions of the lineup (KOCE, KLCS, KVCR) and odds are some, if not all of the key programs being given up by KCET will reappear elsewhere. Also, as has been pointed out, certain shows (i.e. Charlie Rose) are available online as well as other sources.

An embarrassment for both KCET and PBS that because of their mutual inefficiencies (i.e. paying too many people too much) they can't adapt to the new reality of today's media environment but the results will become apparent soon enough. Not the first PBS station to drop its affiliation and sadly, probably not the last.

How they plan to replace the likes of Frontline, Nova, Masterpiece Theatre, Charlie Rose and Sesame Street with programs from Japan, Canada, etc. will be interesting to watch...or not. My KCET viewing (and support) ends on 1/1/11.

[Betty]

Losers! They haven't half tried for years. I could think of 15 innovative things they could have done - right off the top of my head. Here they are with the greatest pool of talent in the world and they didn't tap the resources. How can they get people excited about giving money when all they play is the McGuire Sisters - the same ridiculous show week after week? They seemed to be determined to run the station into the ground. I used to contribute generously but they lost me because they had not one creative idea in the whole organization. The current management consists of a bunch of losers and now Los Angeles is sadly the biggest loser of all. It's an embarrassment. For shame!

[Ann Mock]

Not to worry KCET fans. Koce will take over the market and most likely do a better job. PBS will not be lost to Southern CA. Thank God there are still those willing to hang in there and keep PBS alive.

[Marcee]

Insane decision. KCET clearly needs new, exciting management who can think outside the box with more novel pledge drives than talking heads and an offer of a shopping bag. Some of KCET's local programming is truly lacking in depth or originality - Huell Howser (nice guy) but please! In addition,KCET could have made a much more transparent discussion of their challenges so viewers were kept informed about what the station was considering and viewers were potentially facing. This will be a decision they regret. The loss of The PBS News Hour, Charlie Rose --- some of the best quality television is huge for Los Angeles. I am immediately sending money to KOCE. I never heard anything about a potential break with PBS due to the 7 million. They could have trusted their die-hard supporters better.

[MPomme]

Does this mean Los Angeles residents will be able to receive DirecTV channel 379, the national satellite feed of PBS? I hope so. Right now it's blacked out, I assume because KCET is considered the PBS affiliate in this market.

I'm glad that I didn't renew my KCET membership. As far as I'm concerned, they don't exist anymore. I was a member solely because I enjoyed PBS programming such as the American Experience, Ken Burns' series, Frontline, and Nova.

[markiejoe]

"Sesame Street"! Who's going to broadcast "Sesame Street" to kids in L.A.???

[LA Times Reader]

Shows from Japan, Canada, and old movies? Sounds like they're going cheap.

But if this means fewer pledge drives, and fewer broadcasts of garbage like "Moments of the 50s", self-help gurus, or the 100th broadcast of James Taylor and Carole King, more power to them. Just make sure Huell isn't lost.

KLCS is better anyway. Better programs, among them Austin City Limits.