KCET new programming slate brings more ‘SoCal Connected,’ ‘Artbound’

Get ready for more “SoCal Connected” and “Artbound” on KCET.

The public broadcaster announced Monday that its new season will include more episodes of the award-winning, locally produced series, as well as more of “Doc Martin,” the British medical comedy that is KCET’s highest-rated show.

The programming slate is the first overseen by new KCET chief Michael Riley, who arrived at the Burbank-based KCETLink in January following the retirement of former boss Al Jerome. KCETLink includes what was once KCET-TV, the local PBS outlet that left the network several years ago after station officials battled PBS officials over dues and other issues.

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The station has had viewership and fundraising challenges since then, but in a statement, Riley said ratings have rebounded and the station is poised for growth.

“We are very encouraged by the ratings and happy to be able to grow the company from a place of greater stabilization,” Riley said. “My main focus has been to prioritize our key franchises and leverage our video storytelling expertise through new strategic partnerships.”

One of those partnerships is with the Los Angeles Times. KCET collaborated with this news organization for “The California Conversation,” a public-affairs show looking at state issues. The premiere episode in June featured Gov. Jerry Brown discussing the drought in depth at USC; according to KCET, the program was seen by nearly 1 million viewers on TV.

Another key to KCET’s local mandate is “Artbound,” the acclaimed documentary series about Los Angeles artists. The new season will provide more “immersive documentary specials,” including the Nov. 17 premiere devoted to Afrofuturism.

Funding for “SoCal Connected” has sometimes been dicey, but KCET will bring back the public affairs show, hosted by Val Zavala, for its seventh season in January.

“City Walk” will return in March for Season 3. The series focuses on walkable communities and urban architecture, with a heavy emphasis on Southern California.

Besides “Doc Martin,” other notable acquisitions include the ITV crime drama “Whitechapel,” which had its premiere Sept. 27 (before that, episodes aired on BBC America), and the BBC Scotland crime drama “Shetland.”

What do you think of KCET and its programming?

Twitter: @scottcollinsLAT

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