California’s KCET Secures $50 Million in Funding for Local Content

LOS ANGELES: The L.A.-based KCET public TV station has entered into a content deal with Dominique Bigle of Eyetronics Media Studios to produce and acquire original series that are distinctive to Southern California.

The deal provides up to $50 million in financing to cover the original productions, acquisitions and distribution during a five-year period. KCET will produce and broadcast the series, while Eyetronics packages and distributes them for the U.S. and international markets across all platforms.

The new content will celebrate Southern California’s people, places, culture and history. KCET plans to be in production with the first five series by the end of this year. It will also make use of assets in Eyetronics’ Classic Cool library, which includes more than 3,000 classic titles, rare footage, newsreels, cartoons, serials, documentaries, TV movies and series.

Bigle commented: "I am impressed with KCET’s vision for being an independent public broadcaster, as well as its widely recognized tradition as a producer of distinguished television and online content. KCET has the ability to function seamlessly as a producer, broadcaster and distributor in the nation’s second largest marketplace and will provide unique, distinctive content that I am confident will be well-received internationally, as well as in the United States. I am looking forward to tapping into our combined strengths to share the dynamism of the region to worldwide audiences."
 
"Southern California is a special market, and it is our home. Over the years, we have spoken to generations of Angelenos with our programming," said Al Jerome, KCET’s president and CEO. "We are eager to collaborate with Dominique and leverage his savvy for international distribution to deliver more exceptional shows and original documentaries with local/global appeal."
 
"While continuing to change and adapt in innovative ways, we remain committed to our core public media mission for delivering exceptional and distinctive programming that is meaningful to our viewers," Jerome added.