KCETLink Media Group and Town Hall Los Angeles Collaborate To Create New Series TOWN HALL LA Featuring Relevant Discussions With Top Industry Leaders
Press Contact:
Emily Merkley
Publicist
emerkley@kcet.org
747-201-5298
Critical and Compelling Issues Impacting Southern California Explored in New Series Taped in Front of Live Studio Audience and Available Via Facebook Live
Photo Courtesy of KCET
Burbank, Calif. – November 16, 2016 – KCETLink Media Group, a leading national independent nonprofit public broadcast and digital network, announced today a partnership with Los Angeles’ oldest and largest public speaker’s forum Town Hall Los Angeles to create a new television series for KCET and Link TV called TOWN HALL LA with a goal of giving access and timely insights into California solutions with a world view. Through exclusive, intimate discussions with KCET’s SOCAL CONNECTED anchor and executive producer Val Zavala, top industry influencers offer their perspectives and solutions to regional, national and international matters. The series premieres on Tues., Dec. 6 at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT on both KCET in Southern California and on Link TV nationwide (DirecTV 375 and Dish Network 9410). The series will also encore throughout the week including Fridays at 8:30 p.m. ET/PT.
“As Southern California continues to be a beacon for the nation in progressive thought, innovation and ideation, we couldn’t be more pleased to be able to showcase these important, transformative discussions percolating at Town Hall Los Angeles to a wider audience,” said Juan Devis, Chief Creative Officer, KCETLink Media Group.
“As Los Angeles’ largest and oldest public speaker’s forum, Town Hall Los Angeles is excited to be partnering with KCETLink to enable more people the opportunity to freely benefit from quality, nonpartisan coverage of the critical issues that impact their lives,” commented Kim McCleary, President, Town Hall Los Angeles.
TOWN HALL LA will provide viewers insight on a variety of issues that affect Southern California from people at the forefront of their respective fields. Notable speakers for the series include Vice President of Research and Advanced Engineering at the Ford Motor Company Dr. Ken Washington, Director of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art Michael Govan and CEO of Green Dot Public Schools Marco Petruzzi.
The series will be shot at KCET’s state-of-the-art facilities in front of a live studio audience who will actively participate in the discussion by asking questions to the panelists. For viewers who cannot attend in person, they can follow along on KCET.org’s Facebook Live and ask questions in the comment section, which will be read by Zavala. The Facebook Live segment takes place on Facebook.com/kcet28 on Nov. 21 at 12 p.m. PT.
The series will be telecast as follows:
Episode One: “Driverless Cars” – Premieres Tues., Dec. 6 at 8:30 p.m. PT
Vice President of Research and Advanced Engineering at the Ford Motor Company Dr. Ken Washington discusses the future of transportation and how driverless cars will impact our current transportation ecosystem. The auto manufacturer is again pushing the technological envelope by announcing plans to begin mass-producing by 2021 the next vehicle of the future: a fully autonomous, self-driving car. Washington, who leads Ford’s worldwide research organization and oversees implementation of the company’s technology strategy and plans, will share his forecast for where automotive design and technology may take us next.
Episode Two: “Rethinking Art Museums” – Premieres Tues., Dec. 13 at 8:30 p.m. PT
In the decade that Michael Govan has led the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) as the Wallis Annenberg Director and CEO, the once sleepy county museum has become a cultural center for Los Angeles. Not only has LACMA’s physical presence changed dramatically, its cultural outlook has shifted as well. Govan will share his vision and strategies for establishing LACMA as one of Los Angeles’ most coveted cultural destinations and as a truly democratic, 21st century museum.
Episode Three: “Charter Schools” – Premieres Tues., Dec. 20 at 8:30 p.m. PT
CEO of Green Dot Public Schools, Marco Petruzzi discusses how the non-profit organization is revolutionizing the school system. With a mission is to help transform public education so that all students who graduate are prepared for college, leadership and life, Petruzzi will discuss how the organization has become the leading charter school operator in Los Angeles and one of the top three largest in the nation. Green Dot is proving it can achieve better student outcomes with the same student population, lower per pupil funding than the district and a unionized workforce.
As the paramount gathering place for the past 80 years for industry leaders to share perspectives and influence change in the community, Town Hall Los Angeles is ranked among the Top 10 Leadership Forums in the nation. Town Hall Los Angeles provides a distinct and vital nonpartisan voice that helps the Southern California community become better informed on timely issues, breakthrough developments and innovative trends that impact the region’s businesses, community and people.
Additionally, KCET and Link TV’s websites, KCET.org and LinkTV.org, will feature video-streaming of all broadcast episodes, as well as web-original content such as clips and highlights with the speakers.
Join the conversation on social media using #TownHallLA
ABOUT KCETLINK MEDIA GROUP
KCETLink Media Group is a national independent, nonprofit, digital and broadcast network that provides high-quality, culturally diverse programming designed to engage the public in innovative, entertaining and transformative ways. With a commitment to independent perspectives, smart global entertainment, local communities, and opportunities for engagement and social action, KCETLink depicts people and the world through a lens unavailable elsewhere in U.S. media. A viewer-supported 501(c)(3) organization, KCETLink content is distributed nationally via satellite on Link TV DIRECTV channel 375 and DISH Network channel 9410 and on KCET in Southern and Central California via broadcast and cable, as well as through various digital delivery systems. For additional information about KCET and Link TV productions, web-exclusive content, programming schedules and community events, please visit kcet.org or linktv.org. Select programming from KCET and Link TV is also available for streaming on Hulu, Apple TV, and Roku platforms.
