KPBS-TV Celebrates 40 Years
Channel 15 Began Broadcasting as KEBS in 1967
Fourteen years after the idea was conceived, San Diego's first educational television station was born. It debuted on Channel 15 on June 25, 1967, and was called KEBS for "educational broadcasting." Transmitted from San Diego State College (now San Diego State University), the station was the first of its kind in California.
Ken Jones, a San Diego College professor, was the innovator behind KEBS. He wanted to provide programs of interest to San Diego audiences while giving his students valuable on-air experience.
Before turning his dream into reality, Jones had to change California's Educational Code, which said that no colleges or universities could be involved with television broadcasting. Help from high-profile individuals, including San Diego College's president Malcolm Love, got Jones the approval he needed. A $30,000 grant from newspaper editor Ernest Mandeville allowed KEBS to buy state-of-the-art film equipment. KEBS had the green light.
"[Educational broadcasting] would have come to San Diego," Jones said in a 1992 interview. "It just happened that I was here at the right time. And if you'll permit me to brag a bit, I had a vision and the desire to do it, and by God, we did it."
The television station has seen a lot of change during its 40 years. The name became KPBS in 1970 following the creation of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting; a monthly program guide was established; the station converted to color; KPBS moved into a new on-campus TV-radio facility in 1995; a satellite dish was installed; KPBS became the first television station in the world to broadcast a digital signal; and V-me, the nation's first Spanish language public broadcasting channel, began airing.
Doug Myrland, the station's fourth general manager, reflects on the legacy of KPBS. "I really admire the founders of this place," he says. "There were some true public broadcast pioneers before me. They were very forward thinking and very committed to making this place a significant institution."
KPBS' mission has been and continues to be to "educate, inspire, entertain, and advance civic involvement, celebration of culture and the power of diverse perspectives" through high quality programming.
The KPBS community is invited to celebrate the station's 40th Anniversary. KPBS and the San Diego Symphony are partnering on Saturday, June 30, for KPBS Night at the Pops at the Embarcadero Marina Park South. Hosted by Gloria Penner, the evening begins with witty entertainment by language experts Richard Lederer and Martha Barnette of KPBS Radio's A Way with Words. The Symphony's performance is Star Spangled Pops and is led by conductor Matthew Garbutt.
During intermission, KPBS on-air staff will serve an anniversary cake to the first 500 guests. For this concert, the Symphony is offering a special discount on Cabaret I seats (value $36) if you call (619) 235-0804 and mention KPBS.
KPBS is a public service of San Diego State University, serving the region with TV, radio and Internet content that is educational as well as entertaining - and free of commercial interruption.
