KCET, L.A. Public TV Stalwart With Plunging Viewership, Selling Off Its Famed Hollywood Lot

By Dennis Romero Mon., Apr. 25 2011 at 5:50 PM

KCET

Update: The Hollywood Reporter says KCET has closed the deal to sell and is looking for new studios. LA Observed has posted press releases from KCET and Scientology.

A well-placed source has told LA Weekly that KCET has been in talks to sell its famed studios in Hollywood in the wake of the public TV station's split with PBS and its plummeting viewership and contributors.

Others, however, told us that the rumor of a pending sale had been around for months, and every time some Hollywood suits are on the lot -- often visiting just to lease studio time there -- people gossip about the possibilities.

But late Wednesday the Los Angeles Times cited "real estate brokers" in reporting that the station would indeed sell its land to the nearby Church of Scientology and move to smaller digs.

The paper reports the 4.5 acre studios at 4376 Sunset Blvd. could be worth bout $14 million.

"It's an open secret that the place is beings sold," our source said.

Speaking of what our source described as overpaid, six-figure salaried top executives:

They're going to leave the station burning and destroyed and walk away with money falling out of their pockets ... It's a scandal ... They only thing they're not dismantling is their own salaries ... this is really sad.

KCET long prided itself as having the longest continuously operating lot in Hollywood.

The source said KCET employees were "just freaking out" over the possible sale and rumors of more job cuts there.

Another said the rumor of a land sale has been perpetual in recent months: "The rumor circulates a lot."

Another source said, "Everyone in public media now is in fear of losing their job" -- that it's not just KCET employees who have been quivering.

The station split with PBS in January.

The lot started operating in 1912 as a film studio.

First posted at 4:35 p.m. on March 30.

Tags:

Church of Scientology, Hollywood, KCET, PBS, public television, real estate, Scientology, studios

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PamEllis

To any KCET employee:

KCET has about a year to vacate the studios before scientology completely takes over.I assume they will start to move some things in before then however. Please consider noting any weirdness you see and relating it to the various blogs of the critics of scientology.

http://forums.whyweprotest.net... (allows anonymous posting)

http://ocmb.xenu.net/ocmb/

http://www.xenutv.com/blog/

http://www.forum.exscn.net/

etc...

Thanks

PamEllis

To any KCET employee:

http://forums.whyweprotest.net...(allows anonymous posting)

http://ocmb.xenu.net/ocmb/http://www.xenutv.com/blog/http://www.forum.exscn.net/etc...

Thanks

choocho

Another empty building that Scientology will own because it's shrinking, WOOT!!!

Sandra Gortez

Wow, the church goes digital!

choocho

Sandra Gortez is a Scientology Office of Special Affairs "internet handler".

B Track

Exciting news, so we'll have a Scientology TV station soon?

Louanne

Just read the press release, wow!

This new studio is a turnkey setup that provides the Church the means to move into broadcasting for both the religion and its many social betterment and humanitarian programs. It is also ideally set up to establish a central media hub for our network of Churches around the world. Utilizing the studio’s existing satellite uplink, we will be able to provide our Churches and affiliated groups globally with instantaneous access to a wealth of content, all in high definition, ranging from the Church’s six annual international events to new educational and introductory films and even video updates for the public informational displays located in Churches around the world. This new studio enables the Church to establish one of the most advanced centers used by religious broadcasters with the ability to harness 21st century broadcast technology and production power to deliver its message to the largest international audience possible. Established in 1912, the KCET studio lot is the longest continuously-producing Hollywood studio. As such, the unique film and television heritage of this studio represents a legacy that the Church of Scientology is proud to carry forward. With a decades-long tradition of historical property preservation, especially in Hollywood, the Church intends to not only maintain but enhance the rich history of this venerable studio by fully and meticulously restoring the property’s remarkable historical structures. We will now begin the planning phase for renovations and new equipment installations for the Church’s unique use so that work can commence immediately upon KCET’s move to their new facilities in the coming year. http://www.scientologynews.org...