On the Heels of a Successful FCC Spectrum Auction Outcome, KCETLink Outsources its Broadcast Origination Business to The Switch
CONTACT:
Ariel Carpenter for KCET
acarpenter@kcet.org or 747-201-5243
BURBANK, CA--October 5, 2017---Following the receipt of $63 million in auction proceeds, KCETLink Media Group, the national independent, nonprofit, digital and broadcast network that provides high-quality, culturally diverse programming, announced today it will begin outsourcing its broadcast origination business to The Switch, the leading provider of customer-controlled video switching services throughout major media markets in the United States and key international locations. The move reflects the seismic changes happening in the broadcast transmission business across the nation, and will allow KCET to invest in its core mission; creating content for all its diverse communities across Southern California. The deal, which goes into effect immediately, includes the acquisition of the master control assets, production (studio and remote) facilities and certain satellite transmission assets (not including any of the FCC licensed transmission facilities on Mt. Wilson).
As part of the agreement, The Switch will sublease 24,700 square feet of space located on the 5th floor of KCETLink’s facilities at The Pointe in Burbank, CA. Additionally, The Switch will serve as the outsourced provider of all broadcast origination, master control and technical services to KCET and Link TV. Gordon Bell, KCETLink’s Senior Vice President, Engineering, Operations and IT, has joined The Switch to manage The Switch operations at The Pointe facility and to ensure a smooth integration.
“We’re looking forward to working with experts in the field to further advance our transmission and production capabilities,” said Michael Riley, President and CEO of the KCETLink Media Group. “At our core, we are storytellers for Southern California and the nation, and this partnership with The Switch will allow us to put more resources toward creating content and new digital formats, while realizing significant cost savings in our business.”
About KCETLink
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 Apple TV, and Roku platforms.
About The Switch
Beers Enterprises, LLC d/b/a The Switch is the leading video solutions service provider in North America. The Switch currently provides advanced fiber and satellite video switching and local fiber circuit services, scalable Ethernet, and “HomeRuns™” remote production via it's The Switch FiveNines Service® across the United States and key international locations. The Switch was awarded a U.S. system patent for customer-controlled video data content delivery (U.S. patent # 9306873). The Switch was awarded the 2013 New Bay Media Product Innovation Award for Switch-IT and the 2012 Broadcast Engineering Excellence Award for Network Automation. The Switch was created in 1991 to provide cost-effective, customer controlled television signal routing services to the broadcast industry. The Switch has been embraced by the marketplace since its inception and has grown to its current market leadership position.
