-- Another channel of quality public television for Bay Area viewers --
June 22, 2011, San Francisco --- On July 1, KQED, one of the most-watched public television stations in the nation, will introduce KQED Plus, another channel of quality public television. KQED will also introduce a new member publication, On Q, that will include television listings for both KQED 9 and KQED Plus, as well as more KQED information.
KQED Plus, the station formerly known as KTEH, will continue to air viewer favorites including mysteries, dramas, and PBS KIDS programming all day. KTEH has been serving San Jose and Silicon Valley since 1964, but with the wide distribution available through cable and the digital transition, the station has been widely available throughout the Bay Area.
KQED will maintain and enhance its commitment to serve the South Bay, where it draws its largest number of television viewers, radio listeners, and contributing members. KQED Public Television will continue to produce This Is Us, profiling people of the region, and The History Quiz, airing Tuesdays on KQED Plus. Locally produced television series like QUEST, Check, Please! Bay Area, and This Week in Northern California regularly carrySouthBay segments; KQED Public Radio and KQEDnews.org provide coverage ofSan Jose, the Peninsula, and Silicon Valley; and KQED Education supports teachers and schools inSouthBay communities. Now it will be clear to people in the community that all of these services come from a single public media organization: KQED.
“Our goal with KQED Plus is to offer television viewers more options for great programming, so at any given time KQED Plus and KQED 9 will have different types of programming,” said John Boland, KQED president and CEO. “For example, on Wednesday evenings, when KQED 9 usually presents science content, KQED Plus might offer drama, travel, or history. Some popular programs will appear on both channels but at different times, and many programs will be unique to KQED Plus. One aspect has not changed—all the programming will continue to reflect the quality and intelligence you have come to expect from KQED.”
The decision to change the name from KTEH to KQED Plus came after more than a year of research found that there was brand confusion among the public, with many not making the connection that KTEH was managed and programmed by KQED. Changing the name builds equity in a single well-known, highly-respected brand and eliminates duplication of efforts requiring valuable staff time and financial resources.