Al Jerome

Apr 25 2011

New location unknown

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—KCET, which severed its long-standing ties with PBS at the beginning of the year, announced today that it has sold its Sunset Boulevard production studios to the Church of Scientology.

The amount of the sale was not disclosed.

The station will continue to operate out of the studios at 4401 W. Sunset Blvd. for as long as a year until a new location is found.

Oct 8 2010

KCET to become an independent television station

LOS ANGELES, Calif.—KCET announced today it will sever ties with PBS and become an independent television station beginning Jan. 1.

The station cited an inability to negotiate an agreement that would decrease the amount of dues paid to PBS and provide for a wider range of programming.

Al Jerome, the station’s president and chief executive officer, said the move was made after years of discussions with PBS about “challenges that are unique to our market as well as our station.”

Across Black America

Here’s a look at African American people and issues making headlines throughout the country.

California
San Diego college students and volunteers will carry out their sixth home restoration project on Wednesday, July 10 through Sunday, July 14. as part of the “Healing our Heroes’ Homes” (H3) program created by the nonprofit Embrace. The five-day effort will take place at the home of medically retired Marine Corps Capt. Sarah Bettencourt. Bettencourt served with many different units across the country during the Global War on Terrorism and developed a rare neurological disorder in 2008. With a focus to restore the homes of disabled veteran homeowners, H3 falls in line with Embrace’s mission to mobilize college-student volunteers and community members to serve less fortunate members of civilian and veteran communities. The project for the Bettencourts’ home includes kitchen and bathroom remodeling, building ADA-compliant disability ramps, widening their driveway to ADA standards, widening doorways and landscaping.
 
District of Columbia
The 2013 Smithsonian Folklife Festival will showcase its five-year community research project on African American identity with the program “The Will to Adorn: African American Diversity, Style, and Identity.” This multicity collaboration examines the history and culture of the aesthetics of African Americans. The festival will be held June 26-30 and July 3-7, outdoors on the National Mall between Seventh and 14th streets. “Whether we realize it or not, we are all dress artists. The way we compose our look is a creative expression of our ideas about who we are and who we aspire to be,” said Diana N’Diaye, program curator. “This program explores the diversity of African American traditions of style, but also teaches young people the importance of documenting their own culture and saving that information for themselves and future generations.”