'BBC World News America' Launches on KCET

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Program Announcement

by Cathy Williams

on March 25, 2011 4:15 PM

BBC WORLD NEWS AMERICA' LAUNCHES ON KCET

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Los Angeles - March 25, 2011 - BBC World News America, the BBC's award-winning nightly newscast for American audiences, will begin airing on Monday, March 28, at 5:00 p.m. on KCET.

Anchored by Matt Frei and Katty Kay the program has extensive coverage of international events as well as a unique take on domestic affairs here in America. It joins the existing broadcasts of BBC World News currently airing weekdays on KCET at 6:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. BBC World News America moves to its new home on public television from the cable channel BBC America.

Rome Hartman, Executive Producer of BBC World News America, said: "The recent wave of major international news stories demonstrates the value of the BBC's unrivalled newsgathering operation. Never has there been a greater need for a newscast that strives to make sense of our increasingly complex world. Our program reflects the best values of BBC journalism - objective, balanced and engaging reporting - and we're proud to deliver it to public television audiences."

"If you look at our program on any given night, you get a really rich sense of the rest of the planet," said Matt Frei, BBC World News America anchor.

"KCET's ongoing commitment to providing viewers with quality international news programming is made stronger by the addition of BBC World News America, which provides an unparalled look at the world from an international point of view," said Bret Marcus, KCET Senior Vice President and Chief Content Officer.

While the program is anchored and produced from Washington, Frei and Kay frequently travel outside Washington for special coverage of major breaking news and events here and abroad. The program also features in-depth pieces as well as interviews and roundtables with leading newsmakers, experts and journalists.

Notes to editors:

BBC World News America will be offered as a 30-minute commercial-free newscast on public television stations, under the existing distribution agreement with KCET in Los Angeles, under which BBC newscasts reach 97% of U.S. households.
PBS stations have been carrying newscasts from BBC World News since 1998.

About BBC World News and BBC World News America on public television

BBC World News is presented nationally on public television by KCET Los Angeles. The newscast draws from the BBC's unrivalled global newsgathering resource of 2,000 journalists and 70 international bureaus, providing news coverage with a truly global perspective; insight into world events impacting on America and major US stories impacting on the world. BBC World News presented by KCET currently maintains a U.S. household coverage of 97% and airs in 197 markets nationwide on public television stations. The newscast is cleared in all top 30 markets, 49 of the top 50 markets and 97 of the top 100 markets. The newscast is carried on the primary public television station in 184 of the 197 markets. For more about BBC World News, please visit www.bbcworldnews.com.

BBC World News America, produced from the BBC studio in Washington, D.C. and premiering on public television on March 28, 2011, joins the line-up of BBC World News being offered on public television in markets all across the country. BBC World News America has won numerous awards, including a duPont-Columbia, an Emmy® and three Peabodys, one of which commended the newscast for overall excellence with the judges describing the program as "A nightly newscast like none the United States has ever had; it places our actions and concerns in a global context." BBC News presenters Matt Frei and Katty Kay anchor the program.

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 is the largest independent public television station in the country. KCET is the second most-watched public television station in the U.S. and has the largest geographic reach of any public television station in California. KCET currently produces the Emmy®, duPont-Columbia 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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