Skip to main content

Public Media Merger: KCET and Link Media Combine Forces

Support Provided By
kcet-link-merge-tvtalk

When I joined KCET nearly two years ago, I was excited to join the New Media Department in the adventure of developing a new model for public media. Since then, I've witnessed the team succeed -- with Juan Devis' Artbound, Katherine Spiers' small farms project, and Brian Frank's Ballot Brief, to name a few examples -- in creating stories and content models that put us well on the path to that mission. Now today comes a major announcement in those regards: KCET is merging with the globally-minded Link Media to create KCETLink.

If you're not familiar with Link, it's a an independent non-profit media company that operates a national satellite TV network (catch it on DIRECTV and DISH Network) and online international news portal. For the formalities, you can read the press release here, but I'd like to pull the two quotes from it, which I think are key to understanding all of this.

First, from Al Jerome, KCET's President and CEO: "With our combined resources, we are taking a bold step forward to become architects of a new sustainable model for the industry to keep public media thriving as a vital resource in the digital age."

And from Paul S. Mason, the President and CEO of Link TV: "This is more than just a merger of two organizations, but an enormous opportunity to reinvent the value and purpose of 'independent media' as a vitally important source of cultural ideas, global connectivity and diverse perspectives in the U.S."

The great thing about public media to me is that it's driven by a mission to serve. I'm always proud to say I'm with an organization that tells important and needed stories, be that through archives with our L.A. as Subject partnership, financial data in our election guide, or in-depth broadcast stories from "SoCal Connected" and "Your Turn To Care." So reading that this merger will beget goals of designing a new sustainable model and further reinventing the value and purpose of independent media is more than exciting.

One place these goals will be evident is in the digital space. For example, coming soon is the LinkTV World News iPad app, which will curate world news videos from around the world (it will also be for Google TV). As the dust settles from today's merger news, keep an eye out for more new technology and programming for web and mobile from our L.A. and San Francisco offices.

From the on-air side of things, the brands will pretty much remain distinct at the outset. You'll be able to watch LinkTV programming starting January 1 on one of our three digital channels. The channel will offer a lot, including great international feature and documentary films and original Link shows like "Mosaic," "LinkAsia," and "Earth Focus." And for those who follow news about TV might remember the a New York Times article that called "Borgen," a Danish drama that airs on Link, "one of the best" shows currently on American television (and earlier this summer The Daily Beast said it was the best show you've never seen).

There's a lot of excitement over here about this merger and I hope you feel it too. If you have any more questions, please do ask in the comments section below and make sure to check out this FAQ page.

Support Provided By
Read More
A close shot of a person's hands holding strands of a dried plant. The person is wearing a ring on their left middle and ring finger, bracelets on their wrists.

PBS SoCal and KCET Nominated for 14 Golden Mike Awards

The Golden Mike Awards® will take place on March 25, 2023.
Rubén 'Funkahuatl' Guevara from ARTBOUND Season 12 Opener "Con Safos." Courtesy of Getty Images.

Artbound's 'Con Safos' Wins Two National Arts & Entertainment Journalism Awards

KCET and PBS SoCal brought home two wins at the NAEJ awards.
Narsiso Martinez uses a charcoal pencil to draw a portrait on a cardboard produce box mounted on the wall. The photo is taken from over his shoulder, focused on the artwork in process.

PBS SoCal and KCET Nominated for 10 NAEJ Awards

NAEJ recognizes work from U.S.-based entertainment reporters and editors and theater, film and television critics in all media.