HUNTINGTON BEACH, CALIF. (May 14, 2007) – 2006 Nielsen ratings indicate KOCE-TV, Orange County’s public broadcasting station, has increased its viewership to 1,065,000 weekly households — effectively moving KOCE-TV to sixth place nationally. The PBS Research Viewership Report compiled data from four ratings periods to determine rankings among all 347 public broadcast stations. Numbers reported by the PBS Research Department represent cumulative ratings, or the average number of unduplicated households watching for at least 15 minutes per week. KOCE-TV, which has experienced steady audience gains since 2000, attributes its ratings boost to the station’s mission of providing quality broadcasting to Orange County’s more than three million residents and millions of other viewers throughout the greater Los Angeles metro area.

“KOCE-TV’s climb in viewership reinforces the fact that we are doing our part to deliver quality programming, education and timely local news to the residents of this community,” Rogers commented. “KOCE-TV is focused on serving as a unifying force in the community; lending a voice to our diverse population, and reflecting throughout Southern California the spirit and lifestyle of Orange County as a distinct community. We remain committed to achieving this goal year after year.”

Rogers used news of the ratings climb to boost and reiterate the power and importance of public broadcasting. “A recent poll by Roper Public Affairs & Media shows that Americans consider PBS the nation’s most trusted institution among nationally known media organizations,” he notes. “With local public television and radio stations among the few remaining independent and locally-owned electronic media, stations such as KOCE-TV provide something truly unique in this hyper-commercialized age. Our emphasis is on treating viewers like citizens of a democracy rather than consumers in a marketplace. I’m gratified that people are responding by watching in increasing numbers.”

KOCE-TV’s programming helped the station edge out KLCS-Los Angeles, KQED-San Francisco, KERA-Dalas and WGBH-Boston for its sixth place ranking. The station’s renowned programming includes staples like Sesame Street, documentaries, forums for local politics and diversity education; as well as Inside OC with Rick Reiff and the two-time Emmy Award-winning news and information show Real Orange, which has also garnered numerous Golden Mike Awards from the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California and three Excellence in Journalism Awards from the Orange County Bar Association.

About KOCE-TV
KOCE-TV, one of the most watched PBS stations in America, has an estimated 5.8 million viewers* each month, and offers a mix of both local and national programs. A national Roper poll recently ranked PBS as number-one in public trust for the fourth consecutive year.** In addition, KOCE Classroom serves more than half-a-million K-14 students. The winner of hundreds of awards including Emmys and Community Service Awards, KOCE continues to be a leading resource for education, culture and local issues in Southern California. For more information, please visit www.koce.org.

*This figure was calculated by KOCE’s program consultant and is based upon information obtained via PubTV Online and Nielsen Ratings Service.
** Reported by the GfKRoper Public Affairs & Media poll (2007).