KCET
KCET (operating as PBS SoCal) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public broadcasting station headquartered in Los Angeles that distributes PBS programming and locally produced Southern California content via six broadcast channels, the PBS App, and the PBS Passport donation-authenticated streaming benefit, funded by individual donations, corporate underwriting, institutional grants, and planned giving.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1964
- HeadquartersLos Angeles, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What KCET does
KCET, now operating under the brand PBS SoCal, is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public broadcasting station headquartered in Los Angeles that serves as Southern California's local member of the national PBS network. The station was founded in 1964 and rebranded to PBS SoCal in 2010 when it entered into a partnership with PBS; it operates under California jurisdiction and holds IRS Tax ID 95-2211661. It distributes PBS national programming and locally produced Southern California content (notably Artbound, Earth Focus, Lost LA, and Local Heroes) across six broadcast channels — PBS SoCal, PBS SoCal Plus, PBS SoCal Encore, PBS SoCal Kids, PBS SoCal WORLD, and PBS SoCal Create — complemented by free streaming on the PBS App and live streams on the PBS SoCal website.
PBS SoCal also distributes the NHK WORLD-JAPAN feed and operates a portfolio of community initiatives including the Family Math early-childhood education program (with a dedicated mobile application, workshops, and bilingual English/Spanish toolkits), a Cinema Series, studio tours, and a Community Advisory Board. Subscription-style membership is delivered via PBS Passport, a donation-authenticated streaming benefit unlocking extended on-demand content; the wider revenue architecture rests on four streams: individual donations and memberships, corporate underwriting and sponsorship, institutional giving (foundations and government grants), and estate planning / planned giving. The organization employs between 251 and 500 people and serves general Southern California audiences, families with young children, arts and culture viewers, and news and public affairs audiences.
KCET firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- KCET
- Legal name
- PBS SoCal
- Website
- https://kcet.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1964
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- KCET (operating as PBS SoCal) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit public broadcasting station headquartered in Los Angeles that distributes PBS programming and locally produced Southern California content via six broadcast channels, the PBS App, and the PBS Passport donation-authenticated streaming benefit, funded by individual donations, corporate underwriting, institutional grants, and planned giving.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
KCET industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Public Broadcasting
- NAICS
- Television Broadcasting Stations (516120)
- SIC
- Television Broadcasting Stations (4833)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM) (MPABACAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning) (MPABADAH), Public/Nonprofit Children’s Educational Broadcasters (MPABAKAF)
Keywords
Where KCET is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Los Angeles
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
KCET business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Individual Donations and Membership: PBS SoCal operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization relying on viewer donations. The station solicits contributions through the Donate Now portal, with PBS Passport offered as a member benefit in exchange for donations. Tax ID: 95-2211661
- Corporate Support: Corporate sponsorship and partnership opportunities for businesses seeking to support public media and reach Southern California audiences
- Institutional Giving: Grants and institutional funding from foundations and government entities supporting public media programming and community initiatives
- Estate Planning: Planned giving and estate planning donations as part of long-term sustainability efforts
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Annual | PBS Passport Membership - Donor benefit for streaming access |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
KCET product offering
Product offeringCore offering
KCET, operating as PBS SoCal, is the PBS member station for Southern California, broadcasting free educational, cultural, and local-interest programming via six over-the-air channels and streaming through the PBS App and website. It also runs locally produced documentary series (Artbound, Earth Focus, Lost LA, SoCal Matters, Local Heroes), the PBS KIDS educational block, the Family Math early-childhood initiative with a companion mobile app, and the PBS Passport donor streaming benefit.
Product overview
PBS SoCal operates as a unified public broadcasting platform offering streaming video content, live TV streams, and educational programs. The core offering includes the PBS SoCal station with multiple channel feeds (PBS SoCal, PBS SoCal Plus, PBS SoCal Encore, PBS SoCal Kids, PBS SoCal WORLD, PBS SoCal Create), supported by the PBS App for streaming delivery, PBS Passport as a member subscription benefit for extended content access, PBS KIDS for children's programming, and Family Math as an early childhood education initiative with an associated mobile app.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- PBS SoCal Plus: Additional broadcast channel offering expanded programming
- PBS SoCal Encore
- PBS SoCal Kids
- PBS SoCal WORLD
- PBS SoCal Create
- Family Math
- Artbound
- Earth Focus
- Lost LA
Products and services
- PBS SoCal Primary public broadcasting station for Southern California; serves as the local home for PBS programming, offering streaming content, live TV streams, and locally produced community programming across six broadcast subchannels (PBS SoCal, PBS SoCal Plus, PBS SoCal Encore, PBS SoCal Kids, PBS SoCal WORLD, PBS SoCal Create).
- PBS App Free streaming application that allows users to watch PBS SoCal and PBS programs on TVs and devices; available for download on multiple platforms.
- PBS Passport Donor-funded streaming member benefit that unlocks extended on-demand access to full seasons of PBS programming for contributors to PBS SoCal.
- PBS KIDS Educational programming and games for children featuring shows like Curious George and Wild Kratts, available via PBS KIDS apps and streaming channels.
- Family Math Early childhood mathematics education initiative for Southern California families, including workshops, printable activities, and video content.
- Family Math App Mobile application designed for early childhood math learning, extending the Family Math initiative to phones and tablets.
Companies that use KCET
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
KCET technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
KCET partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- PBS (National Public Media)corePBS SoCal is a local member station of the PBS network, receiving national programming content and operating under the PBS brand. The station maintains independent operations while benefiting from access to the national PBS content library and shared broadcasting infrastructure.
- PBS KIDScorePBS SoCal distributes PBS KIDS educational programming for children, including full episodes and educational games from shows like Curious George and Wild Kratts. The partnership provides early childhood educational content to Southern California families.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights5 records
KCET competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- KQED: San Francisco-based PBS member station serving Northern California with broadcast channels, local original programming (e.g., Check, Please!, Bay Area Bountiful), streaming via the PBS App, and donor-supported revenue model — the closest geographic and operational comparable to PBS SoCal.
- WTTW: Chicago PBS member station operating multiple channels (WTTW, WTTW Prime, WFMT, etc.) with local programming, educational outreach, and donor/underwriting revenue model — directly comparable multi-channel public broadcaster in another major U.S. metro.
- WNET: New York PBS member station (parent of THIRTEEN, WLIW21) operating multiple channels across the New York metro; directly comparable as a multi-channel PBS member station producing national and local original programming under a nonprofit donor model.
- WGBH: Boston-based flagship PBS member station operating multiple broadcast channels and producing national content for the PBS system (e.g., Frontline, American Experience); comparable in scale, multi-channel footprint, and donor-supported nonprofit model.
- WETA: Washington, D.C. PBS member station producing PBS NewsHour and other national programming; comparable as a major-market, multi-channel, donor-supported public broadcaster with national content production ambitions.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
KCET social profiles
Digital presenceKCET financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
KCET leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
KCET funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
KCET M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about KCET
What does KCET do?
KCET, operating as PBS SoCal, is the PBS member station for Southern California, broadcasting free educational, cultural, and local-interest programming via six over-the-air channels and streaming through the PBS App and website. It also runs locally produced documentary series (Artbound, Earth Focus, Lost LA, SoCal Matters, Local Heroes), the PBS KIDS educational block, the Family Math early-childhood initiative with a companion mobile app, and the PBS Passport donor streaming benefit.
Is KCET a public or private company?
KCET is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was KCET founded?
KCET was founded in 1964. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is KCET based?
KCET is headquartered in Los Angeles, United States, in the North America region.
How does KCET make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Individual Donations and Membership is the primary driver. The others are corporate Support, institutional Giving and estate Planning.
Who are KCET's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are KQED, WTTW, WNET, WGBH and WETA.
Does KCET have an API?
No public API is recorded for KCET.
What industry is KCET in?
KCET's product category is Public Broadcasting. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPABACAG, Public/Community Local Stations (PBS Member Stations, Community Radio, LPFM), with a secondary code of MPABADAH, Educational/Instructional Public Media Services (Schools, Distance Learning). Its NAICS code is 516120 and its SIC code is 4833.