KQED

Public Broadcastingkqed.org

Company typePrivate
Founded1954
HeadquartersSan Francisco, United States
Headcount251–500
GTM typeB2C
OfferingDigital Commerce or Content

KQED firmographics

Firmographics

Name: KQED
Legal name: KQED Inc.
Website: https://kqed.org
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1954
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 251–500 employees
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

KQED industry classification

Industry

Product category: Public Broadcasting
NAICS: Radio Broadcasting Stations (51611), Television Broadcasting Stations (516120), Radio and Television Broadcasting Stations (5161)
SIC: Radio Broadcasting Stations (4832), Television Broadcasting Stations (4833), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
akta.pro primary industry: National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style) (MPABADAB)
akta.pro secondary industries: Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style) (MPABABAB), Public/Noncommercial Radio Broadcasting (NPR, Community, Campus) (MPAIAEAB), News/Talk Radio Networks (MPABABAD)

Keywords

Public radio broadcasting
Public television
News and journalism
Podcast production
Community media

Where KQED is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: San Francisco
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

KQED business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Digital Commerce or Content
Cost components: Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

Membership and Donations: KQED operates as a community-supported public media organization, relying heavily on membership contributions and donations from listeners and viewers. The website prominently features 'Donate' calls-to-action and membership programs.
Corporate Sponsorship: KQED generates revenue through corporate sponsorship and underwriting, with a dedicated 'Corporate Sponsorship' page on their website supporting programming.
Events and Live Programming: KQED hosts live events and offers member benefits through KQED Live, generating revenue through event participation and membership perks.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

KQED product offering

Product offering

Core offering

KQED operates as the NPR and PBS member station for Northern California, producing and distributing public media content across multiple platforms. Its core offerings include local news and investigative journalism, live radio broadcasting on 88.5 FM, television programming on KQED 9, an extensive portfolio of original podcasts (The Bay, Political Breakdown, Bay Curious, Forum), original video series (Deep Look, Check, Please! Bay Area), and live community events. The organization is community-supported through memberships, donations, corporate underwriting, and foundation grants.

Product overview

KQED is a public media organization serving Northern California with a multi-platform portfolio consisting of KQED News (comprehensive regional journalism), KQED Radio broadcasting on 88.5 FM, and KQED TV featuring PBS and locally produced programming. The digital ecosystem includes an extensive podcast network (The Bay, Political Breakdown, Bay Curious, Forum), video series (Deep Look), local TV shows (Check, Please! Bay Area), and interactive features (KQED Crossword, Radio News Quiz). The organization operates KQED Live Events for in-person engagement and KQED Passport as a membership benefit for extended video access. Content coverage spans politics, science, arts, food, education, housing, criminal justice, and immigration, with dedicated Elections 2026 coverage for the Bay Area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

KQED-FM: Public radio station broadcasting on 88.5 FM, providing news, culture, and entertainment programming to San Francisco Bay Area listeners
KQED 9
The Bay
KQED Forum
Political Breakdown
Bay Curious
Deep Look
Check, Please! Bay Area
Mindshift

Products and services

KQED News Comprehensive regional news and investigative journalism service covering politics, science, arts, food, education, housing, criminal justice, immigration, and more for Northern California audiences across digital, radio, and television platforms.
KQED Radio (88.5 FM) Live public radio broadcasting service on 88.5 FM providing news, culture, and entertainment programming to San Francisco Bay Area listeners, featuring NPR programs like Here & Now, All Things Considered, and local content including Forum.
KQED TV (KQED 9) Public television broadcasting service on KQED 9 featuring PBS programming, national content from APT and other distributors, and KQED original local programs such as Check, Please! Bay Area and Deep Look.
The Bay Podcast Original KQED local news podcast hosted by Ericka Cruz Guevarra providing context and analysis to make sense of Bay Area news, with episodes released three times per week.
Political Breakdown Podcast Award-winning podcast covering California politics and government, co-hosted by Marisa Lagos and Scott Shafer, accompanied by a weekly newsletter delivered to subscribers.
Bay Curious Podcast Exploratory podcast answering listener questions about the Bay Area, with episodes that have earned the 2023 Excellence in Features Journalism Award and the 2023 Signal Award for Best Conversation Starter.
KQED Forum Live public affairs radio show featuring in-depth discussions on current events, community issues, and guest interviews, also available as a podcast.
Deep Look KQED original short-form video series exploring science and nature topics at the intersection of science and everyday life, distributed on television and digital platforms.
Check, Please! Bay Area KQED original local television show where reviewers share their favorite Bay Area restaurants, exploring local cuisine and dining culture.
KQED Live Events In-person events around the Bay Area featuring KQED journalists, community programming, and member-exclusive benefits through KQED Live.
Elections 2026 Coverage Comprehensive coverage of key races and ballot measures across the nine Bay Area counties for the 2026 election cycle, including voter guides and political journalism.
Youth Media KQED platform showcasing stories from young journalists and media creators, supporting youth media development and student journalism in Northern California.
KQED Podcast Network Portfolio of KQED original podcasts covering local news (The Bay), California politics (Political Breakdown), Bay Area exploration (Bay Curious), public affairs (Forum), state news (California Report Magazine), and education (Mindshift), distributed through major podcast platforms.

Companies that use KQED

Customer profile

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

KQED technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

KQED partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

WOEMA (Western States Occupational Safety and Health Association)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 May 2026WOEMA filed a petition that led to the California Occupational Safety and Health Standards Board's decision to advance rulemaking on artificial stone containing crystalline silica. KQED covered this investigation which was highlighted by Brayton Purcell LLP.
ProPublicacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKQED collaborated with ProPublica on investigative journalism, specifically on documenting teacher misconduct complaints in California. A joint investigation revealed how anyone can access hundreds of teacher misconduct complaints through public records requests.
NPR (National Public Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKQED is the NPR member station for Northern California. KQED's radio and online audiences' work is carried on NPR and other national outlets. Content is shared and distributed through the NPR network.
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKQED is the PBS member station for Northern California. KQED broadcasts PBS programming and also produces its own unique national and local programs that are distributed through the PBS network.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights3 records

KQED competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

WNYC (New York Public Radio): Major-market NPR member station operating multiple radio frequencies, podcasts (Radiolab, On the Media), and digital journalism — directly comparable to KQED in multi-platform public radio and editorial ambition.
LAist (Southern California Public Radio / KPCC): Southern California's NPR member station with comparable format mix of news, talk, podcasts, and digital journalism, serving another large California metro market alongside KQED's Northern California footprint.
GBH (WGBH Boston): Combined NPR and PBS member station operating radio, television, and digital properties (Frontline, NOVA) — a structural analog to KQED as a dual-network public broadcaster in a major metro.
WAMU 88.5 (American University Radio): Washington D.C. NPR member station with comparable news, talk, and podcast operations (1A), competing for similar audience and underwriter demographics as KQED.
Minnesota Public Radio (APM Studios / MPR News): Large regional public radio network with multiple stations, podcast studios (APM), and classical/news formats — comparable to KQED in scale of broadcast and podcast operations.
Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB): Combined NPR and PBS affiliate serving Oregon and the Pacific Northwest with a similar radio + TV + digital portfolio — directly comparable regional public broadcaster to KQED.
WETA (Washington, D.C.): PBS member station producing PBS NewsHour alongside local programming — comparable to KQED's television production capability and PBS affiliation economics.

Broad incumbents

NPR (National Public Radio): National network to which KQED is an affiliate. NPR produces and distributes much of KQED's national programming and shapes the broader public media advertising and membership environment.
PBS (Public Broadcasting Service): National television network whose programming KQED 9 carries and into which KQED contributes original content; comparable at the network-versus-station layer of public media.
ProPublica: National nonprofit investigative journalism outlet that has collaborated directly with KQED on local investigations; competes for philanthropic and audience attention in adjacent investigative segments.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

KQED financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

KQED leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

KQED subsidiaries and ownership

Company hierarchy

Subsidiaries2 records

KQED funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds3 records

Investors2 records

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

KQED M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about KQED

What does KQED do?

Is KQED a public or private company?

KQED is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was KQED founded?

KQED was founded in 1954. It employs 251 to 500 people.

Where is KQED based?

KQED is headquartered in San Francisco, United States, in the North America region.

How does KQED make money?

Three revenue lines are on record. Membership and Donations are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorship and events and Live Programming.

Who are KQED's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are WNYC (New York Public Radio), LAist (Southern California Public Radio / KPCC), GBH (WGBH Boston), WAMU 88.5 (American University Radio), Minnesota Public Radio (APM Studios / MPR News), Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) and WETA (Washington, D.C.). Broad incumbents are NPR (National Public Radio), PBS (Public Broadcasting Service) and ProPublica.

Does KQED have an API?

No public API is recorded for KQED.

What industry is KQED in?

KQED's product category is Public Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABADAB, National Public Radio Networks & Member Stations (NPR-style), with a secondary code of MPABABAB, Public/Nonprofit Radio Networks (NPR-style). Its NAICS code is 51611 and its SIC code is 4832.