KPBS' 50th Anniversary
May 3, 2010, Updated September 13, 2010 | KPBS
KPBS supporters, staff, and civic leaders over the last 50 years have all helped make KPBS a trusted source for education, information, and enrichment. Our year-long celebration invites you to discover the past and share in the vision for tomorrow – one that continues a tradition of community service through quality programming.
KPBS supporters, staff, and civic leaders over the last 50 years have all helped make KPBS a trusted source for education, information, and enrichment. Our year-long celebration invites you to discover the past and share in the vision for tomorrow – one that continues a tradition of community service through quality programming.
HISTORY
September 12, 1960 was just another day for most San Diegans. But for a small group of students at San Diego State College (now SDSU), it was a day that gave rise to a new voice of broadcasters. KEBS formed as San Diego’s first public broadcasting entity, transmitting a radio signal for just a few hours a day, five days a week. Fifty years later KPBS has transformed from humble beginnings into a leading public radio and television station. Click below to learn more about KPBS’ history and the vision for tomorrow.
STORIES
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As part of KPBS’ 50th anniversary, the newly established Hall of Fame serves to honor the extraordinary individuals and families while providing inspiration for the future generations. These charter inductees are very diverse in their contributions and accomplishments, but they share one common characteristic: the vision and dedication to help KPBS grow and thrive in the San Diego community for future generations. -
Ken Jones, a San Diego State professor, had the vision to create an educational radio station on campus. Seven years later, President Johnson signs the Public Broadcasting Act with KPBS General Manager John Witherspoon at his side and spurs the formation of National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service. -
In October of 1970, the station officially changes the call letters to KPBS and lengthens its daily radio broadcast to eighteen hours. That same year, the first program guide is published in 1970 with Gloria Penner as editor. In 1971 KPBS establishes a membership program and holds its first ever pledge drive - more than 1,500 people join. -
A new transmitter allows KPBS to deliver high quality radio and television programs to a larger San Diego audience. Demand for such programs increases and KPBS delivers with innovative local programs like "Club Date" and "Sing Out" - and debuts national programs like "This Old House," "Nature," "Reading Rainbow" and "the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour." -
In response to the first Gulf War in 1991, KPBS Radio shifts to an all news and information format during the day and creates the call-in show "These Days." To this day, "These Days" remains the signature, locally produced program on radio. In 1995 KPBS opens a state-of-the-art facility on the San Diego State University campus to support the TV and radio operations under one roof. -
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Today, KPBS is a multi-media powerhouse providing thoughtful, quality programming and local content on radio, TV, and KPBS.org. KPBS continues to expand and grow its news division with the goal to be the premier source of local news and analysis.
MEMORY LANE
Our dedicated staff, volunteers, and supporters have all contributed to KPBS’ success just as KPBS has enriched their lives. Read on as they share their personal stories of being a part of public broadcasting. Then, register below to comment on our memory lane or share a story of your own. Visit often as new stories, photographs, and audio clips are added weekly
STORIES
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Throughout my eight years working in the Audience Services department here at KPBS, many callers have asked me, "What is KPBS' mission statement? What are your guiding principles?" It seems like such a simple question, but it's also a very important one. You can read the whole thing by clicking here, but this is my favorite part: "KPBS staff are committed to creating engaging and appealing programs and services, and through their endeavors, reflect the values of civility, respect, integrity and individual responsibility." -
I joined KPBS in December, 2005 after working at four other PBS stations during the previous 20 years. I like KPBS for a number of reasons. The people who work here are hard-working, smart and fun. The production facilities are top-notch, thanks to some very generous donors. And I get to work on a variety of different projects. Part of my job is producing and part of my job involves managing the stations’ on-air fundraising campaigns. The two halves come together when I produce national pledge breaks for PBS headquarters. -
The early days of television editing were nothing like it is today. There were no computers to control the tape machines and digital media wasn’t even a dream. All the video was recorded on 2-inch tape equipment that we called Quads. They were huge machines that used air pressure to guide the tape and hissed all the time. -
One of the first radio features I did was with Dr. Bronner of Dr. Bronner’s “All-One” Peppermint Soap fame. Dr. Bronner’s soap was very popular with hippies and carries a fascinating label that can keep you occupied in the shower for hours. -
I had been at KPBS barely a month when I was given a directive to focus on teen violence. More specifically, to plan an event that could help young people learn ways to handle aggressive behavior. With no other instructions, and little knowledge of how to achieve this, it seemed to be a very tall order. I had a bare-bones budget and a lofty goal. Yet somehow this event happened in a big and meaningful way. -
I volunteer at the Radio Reading Service because I know first hand how important the service is to the visually impaired in our community. More than 20 years ago, Mom realized something was wrong with her vision. First, the Venetian blinds looked all wobbly. Then, depending on which eye she used, the camera was broken or not. Once, Mom threw out a brand new box of pens because they “didn’t write.” Mom is virtually blind as a result of Macular Degeneration. -
My colleague, Ken Kramer, characterized the KPBS television auction of the 70’s and 80’s as an “everything went” event. For 7 nights, we sold the most unimaginable to the most exquisite items in a wild, no-holds-barred preview of QVC. In fact, QVC was born the year we bid adieu to the KPBS auction after a 12 year tumultuous and often emotional ride. -
One of my best memories was when Tom Karlo and I went up to Los Angeles to have lunch with Huell Howser, producer and host of "California’s Gold" and "Road Trip with Huell Howser". “I have this GREAT place I want to take you to.” Huell says in his signature way and Southern accent. He drives us across town providing colorful commentary along the way. Upon arriving at our destination and getting out of the car, we hear gun fire. -
One of my greatest memories while working at KPBS takes me back a few years to a fundraising campaign. I was on the air that day with KPBS Environmental Reporter, Ed Joyce and things were going smoothly. We had all the essentials: scripts, snacks, and freshly brewed coffee -- everything to keep our spirits and energy high. I had delivered the same script many times in prior shifts: “The new KPBS Flash Drive will hold your photos, documents, or music ... and you’ll have storage on this drive equal to hundreds of floppy discs”. Maybe it was the coffee or the fatigue that sets in mid-way through the day. But whatever the reason, I didn’t say “discs”. -
Who knew that telephone cables make for a good snack? Apparently, this is an unspoken truth among the greater San Diego rodent community. At least that’s one of the many things I learned one fateful fall morning. The great thing about radio is that you can do it practically anywhere. All you need is a microphone, a couple cables, maybe a pair of headphones... And viola, you’re live! Ah, the magic of radio. -
My first impression of the KEBS offices in late 1969 was the swimming pool. I walked through a rickety gate which linked the edges of a U-shaped two-story drab masonry apartment building which wouldn’t have survived the 2009 Haitian earthquake. The “apartments” housed offices for both KEBS and some State College departments. But it was the swimming pool that riveted my attention. It was ugly, crumbling and a hazard. No lifeguards, no fence, no liability insurance and hot summer nights. -
My first reporting job out of college was in Durango, Colorado. It was an emotional time. I was leaving the place I grew up and everyone I knew to live by myself in a tiny town known for its skiing...I am a horrible skier. As I headed out of town to start my broadcasting career I passed SDSU and the KPBS sign soaring above Interstate 8. I told myself that I’d find my way back some day. -
It was late October 2003. Sunny. Just like you would expect in San Diego. And hot. Santa Ana winds had been blowing all weekend. My coffee cup was empty when the KPBS Newsroom called. -
I'll admit it. I miss the KPBS Auction. For those too new in town, or too young to remember the 1970s and 80s, Auction was an annual rite of spring, a drop-everything, suspend-the-schedule, week-long, every-evening on-air marathon to raise money for KPBS. -
It was December 1, 1969 and my younger son was having his third birthday. For both of us, it would be a day of great change. I was stepping back into the media world after a five year hiatus devoted to my role as parent and homemaker. It was a half-time position which worked for my schedule and for the KEBS (now KPBS) budget.
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My first role at KPBS was as a camera assistant in the documentary film department. There was an overload of projects and a small staff. So when an opportunity to be the cinematographer for a documentary on the Asian Court at the San Diego Museum of Art came up, I convinced (ok, I begged) management to let me be the director of photography.
MEDIA GALLERY
In 1960, the price of a gallon of gas was 31 cents, Elvis topped the billboard charts with “Are You Lonesome Tonight?” and a new type of broadcasting took shape at San Diego State College. Our video and picture galleries invite you to see the many sides of KPBS.
KPBS HALL OF FAME
As part of KPBS' 50th Anniversary celebration, we have created the KPBS Hall of Fame to honor individuals and families whose contributions have made the organization a public media leader in the region and throughout the country. The charter members, 13 in all, serve as an inspiration to all.
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Dr. Andrew and Erna Viterbi, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Visionaries Inductees. The Viterbi Family has supported KPBS since 1988. A very generous gift from the family enabled KPBS to become the first PBS station to convert to High Definition broadcasting and made it possible for KPBS to construct and equip the most up to date digital production studios.
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Joan Kroc, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Visionaries Inductee. Kroc’s relationship with KPBS and public radio began in the 1980s. She generously funded the equipment for the KPBS production center, for which she is prominently recognized inside KPBS. Among the many gifts she bestowed upon her death in 2003, one of the largest was granted to NPR in excess of $200 million. She also bequeathed $5 million to KPBS.
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KEBS general manager John Witherspoon witnesses President Johnson signing of the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. Witherspoon joins the board of directors for National Public Radio in 1969.
Witherspoon is a 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Inductee.
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San Diego State professor Ken Jones founded KEBS September 12, 1960. Jones is among the charter members of KPBS' Hall of Fame as a Lifetime Achievement Inductee.
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Donald and Darlene Shiley (left) with David Copley and Judith Harris. Donald and Darlene Shiley and the Copley Family are charter members of the KPBS Hall of Fame. Both families were honored with a Visionary Award.
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Jeannie Rivkin, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Visionaries Inductees. Arthur and Jeannie Rivkin gave their first contribution to KPBS in 1971. They were major contributors to KPBS Campaign to Make a Difference and the campaign for the KPBS Digital Future. Their family have also been generously supporting children’s programming for more than 10 years.
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Margaret A. Cargill, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Visionaries Inductee. Cargill began supporting KPBS anonymously in the late 1990s through the Akaloa Resource Foundation. Gifts from the
Foundation focused primarily providing KPBS with resources to augment with content independent from PBS and NPR. The Foundation continues to support KPBS through grants for an educaton reporter and other local programing.
Courtesy of Margaret A. Cargill Foundation
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Ken Jones, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Inductee. Jones was a speech communications professor at San Diego State College (now SDSU) and spent years pushing for an educational radio station on campus. His vision was realized on September 12, 1960 when KEBS went on the air. Affectionately called the "founding father" of KPBS, Jones died in the fall of 2009 at the age of 90.
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Paul Marshall, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Inductee. Marshall created and served as Executive Producer for the Emmy Award winning series, Club Date, which KPBS produced and distributed during the 1980s and 90s. The series was accepted as a complete collection now residing in the Library of Congress’ Jazz Music section.
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Tom McManus, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Inductee. Tom was the first full time employee of KPBS, serving as the radio station’s Program Director and later Station Manager from 1968-1988.
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Paul Steen, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Inductee. As former General Manager of KPBS, Steen oversaw both the radio and television stations from 1974-1992. During Steen’s term, KPBS accomplished broadcast history by transmitting the first ever over-the-air digital HDTV signal. Steen retired from KPBS in 1992.
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Above: Paul Marshall, 2010 KPBS Hall of Fame Lifetime Achievement Inductee. Marshall created and served as Executive Producer for the Emmy Award winning series, Club Date, which KPBS produced and distributed during the 1980s and 90s. The series was accepted as a complete collection now residing in the Library of Congress’ Jazz Music section.
KPBS BUILDINGS AND STUDIOS
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Original KPBS administration building
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KPBS' radio and TV studios were located on campus, in the Music/Speech and Speech Arts building -- a seven minute walk from the administrative offices on College Avenue.
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Studio C was the home for virtually all of KPBS' live and taped TV productions from the station's founding until 1998, when the new facility became operational.
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KPBS Radio Reading Service relies on volunteers to read the written word to the community's visually impaired.
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The KPBS Radio remote van allowed station reporters, producers, and engineers to provide programming from locations throughout San Diego.
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KPBS radio personalities provided - and continue to provide - balanced news and quality programming to local audiences.
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In 1973, KPBS editing suites consisted of a "reel to reel" system.
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Field units allow KPBS storytellers to take the camera, lights, and mics into the community.
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KPBS staffers gather for informal meeting in front of original administrative offices on College Avenue.
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By the 1980s, pledge drives became an effective way to add new members in support of KPBS' core services. Like the vast majority of TV production, pledge was broadcast from Studio C.
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In the early 1990's, KPBS successfully raised enough funds to construct a new building to bring together the administrative staff and the broadcast centers.
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KPBS' Stephanie Bergsma (left) and former General Manager, Doug Myrland (center) with Judith Harris, Co-Chair of the Campaign to Make a Difference (right) at groundbreaking event for the current building. The campign raised the money for the contruction of KPBS' current building.
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Construction of the new building included a new satellite, which sits on the top level of adjacent parking structure.
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When KPBS opened the current broadcast center in 1994, it featured state-of-the-art equipment, including audio boards which allowed operators to digitally mix levels for optimum sound.
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KPBS' current building and broadcast center is located on the SDSU campus.
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"These Days" producers during live broadcast in 2005 from KPBS' radio studios.
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KEN KRAMER
Celebrated TV personality and local icon, Ken Kramer joined KPBS in the late sixties.
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Ken Kramer on assignment in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico in 1973. A new highway in Baja California became the subject of a five-part series on NPR's "All Things Considered." Ken traveled along the tourist road from one small town to the next in the Mercury Capri.
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Ken Kramer joined KPBS in 1969.
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Ken Kramer easily steps into hosting duties during the 1976 KPBS Auction.
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During his stint at KPBS, Ken Kramer won several awards for his work in journalism, including this one in 1978 from the San Diego Press Club. Pictured with Ken is Ed Bremer.
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Ken Kramer adds Golden Mic Award winner to his list of accomplishments.
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Ken Kramer always had a good time during KPBS Auction.
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Ken Kramer headshot for KPBS in 1980.
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Ken Kramer during the 1982 KPBS Auction.
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Ken Kramer with golden mic awards.
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Ken Kramer as host of KPBS Auction, 1980.
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Ken Kramer in KPBS radio studios.
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Ken Kramer, KPBS Host. Early 80s.
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