KCETLink Partners with NHK WORLD TV to Launch 24-Hour Channel in Southern California

Burbank, Calif - July 09, 2013 - KCETLink (www.kcet.org),

the national independent public transmedia organization, today announced a new

partnership with NHK WORLD TV (www.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld), which will

bring Japanese and Asian news and lifestyle programming around the clock to

more than 5.6 million Southern California homes. The stand-alone 24-hour,

English-language television news channel produced by NHK, Japan's sole public,

independent broadcaster, will launch on Monday, August 5, 2013, via digital

broadcast through a dedicated over-the-air channel (Channel 28.4) in Los

Angeles, Orange and Ventura Counties. KCETLink will continue to provide NHK

content on its main channel, which includes "NEWSLINE" three times a day at 6

a.m., 6:30 and 11:30 p.m. and other NHK WORLD programs.

"KCETLink is pleased to partner with NHK WORLD TV to deliver high-quality

international programming to Southern California -- one of the most culturally-

and ethnically-diverse regions in the world," said Mary Mazur, chief operating

officer, KCETLink. "With our strong commitment to news and cultural storytelling,

KCETLink is providing Southern Californians with more opportunities than ever

to gain a broader perspective on Japanese and Asian news and lifestyles."

NHK WORLD TV provides a 24-hour programming cycle, including the network's

news show, "NEWSLINE," as well as a variety of lifestyle and cultural shows,

such as "TOKYO EYE," "Journeys in Japan," "imagine-nation" and "Dining with the

chef." The channel also offers an assortment of documentaries and specials.

"Our mission is to bring dynamic developments in Asia to top markets around

the world. We have enjoyed working with KCET and providing various programs for

its channel since 2010, so creating this new partnership made perfect sense.

And since we have also partnered successfully with Link Media in the past, the

KCETLink merger was a great fit for us," said Akinori Hashimoto, head of NHK

WORLD Department. "Furthermore, Southern California boasts such large Japanese,

Japanese-American and Asian communities, we wanted to make our content

available here as soon as possible."

NHK WORLD TV will also broadcast digitally to subscribers of Brighthouse

(Channel 32), Charter (Channel 311), Comcast (Channel 192), Cox (Channel 812),

Time Warner (Channel 239) and Verizon FiOS (Channel 463).

About KCETLink

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. 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 48-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.

public broadcaster, operating the country's largest national and international

television network. In Japan, NHK offers four TV channels (two terrestrial; two

satellite, both digital services), and three radio services. NHK also operates

two international television channels NHK WORLD TV (English, HD, 24/7) and NHK

WORLD PREMIUM (Japanese, 24/7) and offers international radio services in 18

languages. NHK WORLD TV can be viewed in 250 million households spread over 140

countries and regions.

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