Eric and Wendy Schmidt Make Largest Annual Gift in KQED’s History

The $1.5 million gift supports KQED Public Radio, The California Report and general operations.

KQED, the public media organization that serves Northern California, announced today a generous gift of $1,500,000 made by Eric and Wendy Schmidt — the largest annual operating gift in KQED’s history. Eric Schmidt is the executive chairman of Google and Wendy Schmidt is the president of the Schmidt Family Foundation and is a celebrated philanthropist, who has supported a wide-range of environmental causes and educational initiatives. Their donation will help support KQED Public Radio, KQED’s award–winning statewide news service The California Report and KQED’s other media and educational services.

“Eric and I are longtime KQED supporters and devoted listeners,” said Wendy Schmidt. “At a time when informative national and local reporting is even more critical for Bay Area residents, we are excited to support the work done by KQED and its staff, and help ensure that it can continue its mission to inform, educate and entertain listeners.”

“On behalf of the millions of Bay Area residents who depend on KQED services every week, we thank Wendy and Eric Schmidt for their generosity and leadership,” said KQED President John Boland. “Silicon Valley is home to KQED’s largest audience and this historic gift from two of the valley’s most prominent leaders is an inspiration to everyone.”

As other regional news organizations have shrunk, KQED has been able to expand its efforts to cover the issues and events that are important to the Bay Area, thanks to members and supporters like the Schmidt family. As the most trusted source of news in the Bay Area, KQED is a multiplatform operation with offices and bureaus in San Francisco, San Jose, Sacramento, Fresno and Los Angeles. KQED News services include KQED NEWSROOM, current affairs specials produced in collaboration with The Center for Investigative Reporting, The California Report, Forum, 18 news broadcasts on KQED Public Radio daily and online news anytime at KQEDnews.org.

ABOUT ERIC AND WENDY SCHMIDT
Since 2006, Eric and Wendy Schmidt have supported a broad range of environmental, educational and science-oriented programs through The Schmidt Family Foundation’s 11^th Hour Project, the Schmidt Ocean Institute and personal gifts. Recent gifts include funds for The Hills on Governors Island, The Exploratorium, The Wendy and Eric Schmidt Transformative Technology Fund at Princeton University and The Eric and Wendy Schmidt Data Science for Social Good Fellowship at The University of Chicago.

ABOUT KQED:
KQED serves the people of Northern California with a public-supported alternative to commercial media. Home to the most listened-to public radio station in the nation, one of the highest-rated public television services and an award-winning education program, and as a leader and innovator in interactive technology, KQED takes people of all ages on journeys of exploration — exposing them to new people, places and ideas.