KCET (channel 28) is a secondary PBS member television station in Los Angeles, California, United States.

It is owned by the Public Media Group of Southern California alongside the market's primary PBS member, Huntington Beach–licensed KOCE-TV (channel 50).

KCET was the second attempt at establishing an educational station in the Los Angeles area: KTHE, operated by the University of Southern California, had previously broadcast on channel 28, beginning on September 22, 1953.

It won the first two Los Angeles area Emmys for KCET for John Burton, and for the production by George Van Valkenburg.

Prior to applying for and receiving a construction permit to build the new channel 28, CTSC attempted to acquire one of Los Angeles's seven existing VHF commercial stations.

In 1968, Community Television of Southern California emerged as a potential buyer of KTLA's channel 5 license from then-owner Gene Autry,[15] but could not raise the cash needed to make a serious offer.

In 2004, as part of its image-reclaiming public relations after the Gulf oil spill, BP started granting KCET half the funding for preschool shows including A Place of Our Own and Los Ninos en Su Casa, a Spanish-language version.

[20][21] Prior to the new affiliation arrangement, KCET discussed plans to purchase KOCE-TV from its licensee, the Coast Community College District, but later opted not to place a bid for the station.

A consortium involving Southern California's PBS stations—KCET, KOCE, secondary Los Angeles member KLCS and San Bernardino-licensed KVCR—was also proposed to be formed to unite various functions, certain programming, fundraising and marketing, to save money.

[24] The sale of the property, which was sold for $45 million, closed on April 25, 2011, with part of the proceeds going towards KCET's leasing of the studios until new facilities were found.

In a joint statement, the two organizations stated that this merger would "[combine] PBS SoCal's beloved quality programming and community engagement excellence with KCETLink's passion for creating smart, original content that captures the spirit of the region".

[36] On January 1, 2013, as a byproduct of the Link Media merger, LinkTV—under the brand "KCETLink", which replaced the channel's national feed on local cable and satellite providers and simulcasted LinkTV-licensed content—replaced KCET Kids & Family on digital subchannel 28.2.

[citation needed] KCET produced Roger Fisher's The Advocates (1969–1984), Boboquivari (1970–1971),[40][41][42][43] Leon Russell's Homewood Session (1970 TV Special), Meeting of Minds (1977–1981), and Artbound (2012–).

In 1971, KCET began producing Hollywood Television Theater, TV movies directed by Norman Lloyd, Stacy Keach, Ivan Dixon, Lee Grant, and others.

To commemorate the 60th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camp, KCET produced a six-part miniseries in conjunction with the BBC called Auschwitz: Inside the Nazi State.

A television program designed for care-givers, A Place of Our Own and its Spanish language equivalent, Los Niños en Su Casa are taped at the KCET studios, produced with a grant from BP.

A few children's programs have also come from KCET—Storytime, The Puzzle Place, Adventures from the Book of Virtues, The Charlie Horse Music Pizza, and Sid the Science Kid (the latter now airing on KOCE).

Some of the programs that were announced and/or continued on the new lineup include Globe Trekker, Rick Steves' Europe, Burt Wolf: Travels and Traditions, The Nature of Things with David Suzuki, The McLaughlin Group, Inside Washington, BBC World News, Keeping Up Appearances, As Time Goes By, Visiting With Huell Howser,[44] and KCET's newsmagazine, SoCal Connected.

[45] KCET's 2012 schedule included Open Call a weekly series showcasing arts and culture in Southern California hosted by opera singer Suzanna Guzmán; expansion of its interview program, LA Tonight with Roy Firestone; Your Turn to Care, a four-part documentary about caregivers hosted by Holly Robinson Peete; the BBC crime drama Inspector George Gently; the British ITV dramedy, Doc Martin; and Classic Cool Theater, a showcase of classic films, cartoons and newsreels.

[47] In addition, KCET also began re-introducing PBS-distributed programming on its daily schedule in August 2019, including PBS NewsHour (which is aired live at 3 pm PT with the national 6 pm ET airing), Amanpour & Company, Nova, American Masters, and other notable news programs and documentaries commonly found on other PBS member stations.

Co-hosts for Life & Times had included Patt Morrison, Hugh Hewitt, Rubén Martínez, Kerman Maddox, Errol St. Clair Smith, Jess Marlow, Warren Olney, and Jerry Nachman.

Over its 16 years on the air, Life & Times covered major issues such as politics, education, the environment, demographics, transportation, science, culture and arts.

It also offered viewers profile, features, and interviews with authors, community leaders, elected officials, educators, artists, activists, actors and scholars.