KPBS will bring the popular Roundtable radio discussion heard on KPBS Midday Edition to a television audience. The new televised Roundtable will air Friday nights at 8:30 p.m. following Washington Week. Repeats will air Sunday mornings at 11 a.m. following Bill Moyers and Company. The move adds a sixth day of local TV news programming to the KPBS TV schedule and brings the show to a larger and more diverse audience than radio alone. The first TV broadcast airs Friday, June 28th at 8:30 p.m.
“This decision reflects KPBS’ commitment to having quality local news on all platforms,” said General Manager Tom Karlo. “To air The Roundtable during primetime on Friday night right after Washington Week is a great opportunity for the program to reach a much larger audience.”
Hosted by KPBS Senior Editor Mark Sauer, The Roundtable is a discussion of the week’s top stories among local journalists, reporters, and editors from San Diego’s diverse media outlets. It has been on the air since 1998.
In order to bring the program to the television audience, the live conversation will lead the first half of Friday’s KPBS Midday Edition and will be recorded for TV. The second half of the radio show will feature the top segments of the week’s interviews, stories, and discussion.
“This was not a cost cutting measure. It has been our goal to get The Roundtable on TV. A timeslot opened up and we took it,” said Karlo. “I am confident that The Roundtable will succeed by featuring good conversation on important issues. That’s what KPBS is known for and I am sure we’ll continue to serve our audience well.”
KPBS is a public service of San Diego State University, serving the region with TV, Radio, and Internet content that educates, inspires, entertains, and advances civic involvement.
