View source for KOCE-TV

{{Short description|Television station in Huntington Beach, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox television station
| callsign = KOCE-TV
| city = Huntington Beach, California
| logo = KOCE PBS SoCal logo 2024.svg
| logo_size = 250px
| logo_caption = Logo used since February 6, 2024{{efn|The PBS logo has been in use since November 4, 2019, and the "SoCal" portion has been in use since January 2021.}}
| image = PBS SoCal Headquarters Costa Mesa California 2022.JPG
| branding = PBS SoCal
| digital = 18 ([[UHF]]), shared with [[KSCI]]
| virtual = 50
| translators = ''see {{section link||Translators}}''
| affiliations = {{ubl|'''50.1:''' [[PBS]]||''for others, see {{section link||Subchannels}}''}}
| owner = Public Media Group of Southern California
| licensee =
| location = [[Huntington Beach]]–[[Los Angeles]], California
| country = United States
| airdate = {{start date and age|1972|11|20|p=y}}
| last_airdate =
| callsign_meaning = "[[Orange County, California|Orange County]] Education"
| sister_stations = [[KCET]]
| former_callsigns =
| former_channel_numbers = {{ubl|'''Analog:''' 50 (UHF, 1972–2009)|'''Digital:''' 48 (UHF, 2001–2018)}}
| former_affiliations =
| erp = 700 [[kW]]
| haat = {{convert|899|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}
| facility_id = 4328
| coordinates = {{coord|34|12|47.9|N|118|3|44.3|W|region:US-CA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| website = {{URL|pbssocal.org}}
}}
'''KOCE-TV''' (channel 50) is a [[PBS]] member [[television station]] licensed to [[Huntington Beach, California]], United States, serving the Los Angeles area. It is owned by the Public Media Group of Southern California alongside the market's secondary PBS member, [[KCET]] (channel 28). The two stations share studios at The Pointe (on West Alameda Avenue and [[Bob Hope]] Drive, between [[The Burbank Studios]] and [[Walt Disney Studios (Burbank)|Walt Disney Studios]] complexes) in [[Burbank, California|Burbank]]; KOCE-TV maintains a secondary studio at the South Coast Corporate Center (in the [[South Coast Metro]] area) in [[Costa Mesa]] and shares transmitter facilities with [[KSCI]] (channel 18) atop [[Mount Wilson (California)|Mount Wilson]]. Since 2011, the station has been branded as '''PBS SoCal'''.

KOCE-TV and KCET are two of four PBS member stations serving [[Greater Los Angeles]] (the others being [[San Bernardino]]–based [[KVCR-DT]] [channel 24], which mainly serves the [[Inland Empire]], and the [[Los Angeles Unified School District]]–run [[KLCS]] [channel 58]).

==History==
{{multiple image|align=center|image1=Former KOCE-TV Station Headquarters Golden West College Huntington Beach California 2022 (1).JPG|image2=Former KOCE-TV Station Headquarters Golden West College Huntington Beach California 2022 (2).JPG|footer=Former station headquarters of KOCE-TV at [[Golden West College]] in Huntington Beach, California, pictured in 2022}}
The station first signed on the air on November 20, 1972, as the first television station licensed to [[Orange County, California|Orange County]], initially airing four hours of programming per day. It broadcast its first telecourse in 1973.<ref>{{cite web| date=September 15, 2005| url=http://www.koce.org/press_timeline.htm| title=A Nostalgic Look at the Milestone Events Which Have Formed the Rich History Of KOCE-TV| publisher=The KOCE-TV Foundation| access-date=May 20, 2006| archive-url=https://archive.today/20060112074641/http://www.koce.org/press_timeline.htm| archive-date=January 12, 2006| url-status=dead}}</ref> It was originally owned by the Coast Community College District.<ref name="lat"/> The station was originally based from studios at [[Golden West College]] in Huntington Beach. For most of its history, KOCE-TV was a "beta" or secondary PBS station, airing only 25 percent of the national PBS schedule.

===KOCE-TV Foundation vs. Daystar===
In 2002, the Coast Community College District offered KOCE for sale to raise revenue for other programs. A bidding war ensued between the religious broadcaster [[Daystar Television Network]] and members of the community who wanted to continue membership with PBS. In 2004, the station was sold to the KOCE-TV Foundation, an organization made up of civic and business leaders who wanted to keep KOCE-TV as an educational station, for $25.5&nbsp;million, reduced from an initial bid of $32&nbsp;million (with $8&nbsp;million paid up front and the rest paid in 25 equal installments without interest beginning in 2009). The foundation outbid Daystar by $500,000; the religious broadcaster placed a bid of $25&nbsp;million, which it intended to compensate in an all-cash payment.

Daystar sued in state court, stating that under the terms of the auction, its all-cash bid should have been accepted. A lower court ruled in favor of the college district and the foundation; but on June 23, 2005, the California Court of Appeals ruled that the sale of KOCE-TV was illegal, since the offer was modified after the end of bidding and because the value of the bid was not expressed in [[net present value]] terms. Both sides appealed this decision. On November 22, 2005, a state appeals panel reheard arguments in the case following a petition from KOCE, the KOCE Foundation, the Coast Community College District, and Daystar.<ref>{{cite news| publisher=The Orange County Register| title=Appellate court hears KOCE sale dispute| last=Fisher| first=Marla Jo| url=https://www.ocregister.com/2005/11/23/appellate-court-hears-koce-sale-dispute/| date=November 23, 2005| access-date=March 8, 2006| archive-date=March 19, 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200319221117/https://www.ocregister.com/2005/11/23/appellate-court-hears-koce-sale-dispute/| url-status=live}}</ref> On May 25, 2006, the appeals court reaffirmed its decision, again ruling the sale illegal.<ref>{{cite news| publisher=The Orange County Register]| title=State court strikes down sale of KOCE-TV| last=Campbell| first=Ron| url=http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/yourcounty/article_1157851.php| date=May 27, 2006| access-date=June 6, 2006| archive-date=September 30, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930182917/http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/yourcounty/article_1157851.php| url-status=live}}</ref>

At the same time, Daystar also filed a federal lawsuit, alleging [[religious discrimination]], [[civil rights]] violations, and [[Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act|racketeering]]. On May 1, 2006, the District Court dismissed the racketeering claim, but not the civil rights portion of the lawsuit.<ref>{{cite news| publisher=The Orange County Register| title=KOCE lawsuit can continue, judge rules| last=Fisher| first=Marla Jo| url=http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1125369.php| date=May 1, 2006| access-date=June 6, 2006| archive-date=September 30, 2007| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930182534/http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1125369.php| url-status=live}}</ref>

In June 2006, a state assembly bill that had previously been approved was changed to allow the Coast Community College District to sell KOCE below fair market value to keep it a PBS station.<ref>{{cite news| last=Fisher| first=Marla Jo| title=Lawmakers take up KOCE bill| url=http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1239098.php| publisher=The Orange County Register| date=August 10, 2006| access-date=December 22, 2006| archive-date=August 13, 2006| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060813171747/http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/homepage/abox/article_1239098.php| url-status=live}}</ref> The new bill was passed by the assembly, but Governor [[Arnold Schwarzenegger]] vetoed it, citing concerns about serving the public interest in the sale of public property and the unresolved legal challenges to the type of sale that the bill would have authorized.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_523_vt_20060930.html |title=AB 523 Assembly Bill - Veto |access-date=December 22, 2006 |last=Schwarzenegger |first=Arnold |date=September 30, 2006 |publisher=Legislative Council of California |archive-date=February 5, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120205021812/http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/05-06/bill/asm/ab_0501-0550/ab_523_vt_20060930.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2007, an agreement was reached in which the KOCE-TV Foundation would keep the station, provided that Daystar would be allowed to broadcast over one of KOCE's [[digital subchannel]]s. As a result, KOCE-DT3 is reserved to broadcast Daystar's national schedule without any local deviation.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2007-jun-22-me-koce22-story.html |title=KOCE stays with PBS in settlement |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |last=Powers |first=Ashley |access-date=July 7, 2007 |date=October 10, 2010 |archive-date=November 2, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102211920/http://articles.latimes.com/2007/jun/22/local/me-koce22 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=KOCE-TV will stay with PBS |url=http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/article_1740101.php |last=Fisher |first=Marla Jo |publisher=The Orange County Register |access-date=July 7, 2007 |date=June 21, 2007 |archive-date=September 30, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930180317/http://www.ocregister.com/ocregister/money/article_1740101.php |url-status=live }}</ref>

===OC Channel===
In 2007, KOCE and [[Chapman University]] launched [[OC Channel]], an Orange County-focused news channel.

===Becoming Los Angeles' primary PBS station===
KOCE became the Los Angeles market's primary PBS station on January 1, 2011, when the area's longtime original primary member station of the network, [[KCET]] (channel 28), ended its association with PBS after 40 years due to an increase in costs to carry PBS programming—leading to its switch to an [[independent station|independent]] public television station.<ref>{{cite news |title=KOCE takes over as top PBS station after KCET cuts ties with network |url=http://pedrowatcher.ocregister.com/2010/10/08/koce-takes-over-as-top-pbs-station-after-kcet-cuts-ties-with-network/28174/ |newspaper=The Orange County Register |first=Peter |last=Larsen |date=October 8, 2010 |access-date=October 10, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101010023551/http://pedrowatcher.ocregister.com/2010/10/08/koce-takes-over-as-top-pbs-station-after-kcet-cuts-ties-with-network/28174/ |archive-date=October 10, 2010 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

After KCET left PBS, KOCE entered into a broadcast agreement with [[KLCS]] and [[KVCR-DT|KVCR]] to form "PBS SoCal" effective January 1, 2011. The PBS programming originally carried on KCET is now shared between the three stations. As a consequence, on December 31, 2010, KOCE expanded its cable coverage into [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]], and later expanded to [[Palm Springs]].{{Citation needed|date=January 2011}} Both [[San Luis Obispo]] and [[Santa Maria, California|Santa Maria]] (who were previously served by KCET), however, were not included in the cable coverage, as those communities are now served by San Francisco PBS member [[KQED (TV)|KQED]] via cable<ref>[http://www.kqed.org/press/newsevents/assets/kqed-tv-extends-service.pdf KQED Public Television Provides Service in San Luis Obispo and Santa Maria] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110518030444/http://www.kqed.org/press/newsevents/assets/kqed-tv-extends-service.pdf |date=May 18, 2011 }}(PDF)</ref> (Palm Springs is also served by KVCR-DT, while [[Bakersfield]], which was also served by KCET, is now served via cable and over-the-air through [[Fresno]] PBS member [[KVPT]]).

In the spring of 2011, KOCE moved its administrative offices to a modern facility in Costa Mesa.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-1202-koce-20101201,0,1242637.story |title=HBindependent.com |date=December 2, 2010 |access-date=December 14, 2010 |archive-date=July 25, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110725072007/http://www.hbindependent.com/news/tn-hbi-1202-koce-20101201,0,1242637.story |url-status=live }}</ref>

KOCE was available in the Palm Springs area and the [[Coachella Valley]] on cable and over the air since the late 1990s, formerly on K55FI and later K35LA, now a KCET translator since 2011, when KOCE became the major PBS station for [[Southern California]].

===Public Media Group of Southern California===
[[File:KOCE 2021 logo.svg|thumb|The logo of PBS SoCal KOCE before changing to magenta color in 2024.]]
On April 25, 2018, KCETLink Media Group and the KOCE-TV Foundation announced that they would merge, effective by the end of the first half of 2018. KOCE remains Los Angeles' primary PBS station but relocated its operations to KCET's facility in Burbank (maintaining its Costa Mesa location as a secondary facility). The two stations continue to carry their existing programming, but KCET returned to PBS.<ref name="lat">{{cite web|title=Public TV stations KCET and KOCE to merge in shifting market|url=http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-koce-kcet-merger-20180425-story.html|work=Los Angeles Times|date=April 25, 2018|access-date=April 25, 2018|archive-date=April 26, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180426023926/http://www.latimes.com/business/hollywood/la-fi-ct-koce-kcet-merger-20180425-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/pbs-socal-kcetlink-1202786129/|title=PBS SoCal, KCETLink Agree to Merge|last=Holloway|first=Daniel|date=April 25, 2018|work=Variety|access-date=April 25, 2018|language=en-US|archive-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180623061843/https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/pbs-socal-kcetlink-1202786129/|url-status=live}}</ref> The merger was completed on October 1, 2018, with the combined company branded as Public Media Group of Southern California.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.kcet.org/press-room/southern-california-public-media-organizations-kcetlink-media-group-and-pbs-socal|title=Southern California Public Media Organizations KCETLink Media Group and PBS SoCal Finalize Merger Creating Stronger Flagship PBS Station for the Region|date=October 1, 2018|publisher=KCET|language=en|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=February 6, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200206015454/https://www.kcet.org/press-room/southern-california-public-media-organizations-kcetlink-media-group-and-pbs-socal|url-status=live}}</ref>

In January 2024, PBS SoCal announced plans to rebrand KCET as '''PBS SoCal Plus''' starting on February 6.<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 19, 2024 |title=Southern California's Primary PBS Stations Unite Two Core Brands to Become PBS SoCal |url=https://www.pbssocal.org/press-room/southern-californias-primary-pbs-stations-unite-two-core-brands-to-become-pbs-socal |access-date=January 22, 2024 |website=PBS SoCal |language=en-US}}</ref>

==Programming==
In addition to PBS programs, KOCE features programming focused on the communities of Orange County. It also broadcasts several [[distance learning#Radio and television|college telecourses]] by the Coast Community College District, which was the station's original owner. Programming produced by KOCE includes ''[[Variety Studio: Actors on Actors]]''.

===News operation===
KOCE produced and broadcast the only Orange County-focused nightly newscast in the Los Angeles market, ''Real Orange'', with a concentration on human interest and public service stories. The program was co-anchored by former longtime [[KTLA]] (channel 5) news/sports anchor Ed Arnold, and Ann Pulice. KOCE partnered with the ''[[Orange County Register]]'' for newsgathering resources for the station's newscasts, the newspaper also served as a sponsor for the program. The program aired five nights a week until 2009, when only two episodes a week were produced (with rebroadcasts the other three weeknights). The program ended in 2013 due to funding constraints.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://voiceofoc.org/2013/11/local-pbs-cancels-real-orange-ocs-main-tv-news-show/|title = Local PBS Cancels 'Real Orange,' OC's Main TV News Show|date = November 20, 2013|access-date = April 25, 2018|archive-date = April 26, 2018|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20180426011723/https://voiceofoc.org/2013/11/local-pbs-cancels-real-orange-ocs-main-tv-news-show/|url-status = live}}</ref>

KOCE also operated a Weather Center stationed in [[La Habra Heights]], located about {{convert|20|mi|km|0}} north of the Huntington Beach studios. This weather station, which only consists of a weather camera, was shown live during the weather segments of ''Real Orange'' on Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings. [[Weather radar]] imagery and other forecast data were gathered from other weather sources (such as the [[National Weather Service]]), as KOCE did not employ its own weather radar.

==Technical information==
{{#section:KSCI|subs}}
On January 1, 2011, [[World Channel]] moved from KCET-DT4 to KOCE-DT4.

===Analog-to-digital conversion===
KOCE-TV shut down its analog signal, over [[UHF]] channel 50, at 11:30&nbsp;p.m. on June 12, 2009,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQhn0ToBU0s |title=YouTube video of analog TV shutoffs in Los Angeles |via=YouTube |access-date=December 1, 2016 |archive-date=December 7, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131207101615/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQhn0ToBU0s |url-status=live }}</ref> as part of the [[Digital television transition in the United States|federally mandated transition from analog to digital television]].<ref name="Analog to Digital">[http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf List of Digital Full-Power Stations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130829004251/http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-06-1082A2.pdf |date=August 29, 2013 }}</ref> The station's digital signal remained on its pre-transition UHF channel 48, using [[virtual channel]] 50.

===Spectrum reallocation===
On April 13, 2017, KOCE-TV announced it had sold its over-the-air spectrum in the FCC's [[spectrum reallocation]] auction, reaping $49&nbsp;million, which the station said it would use to invest in programming and other services. As a result of its spectrum sale, KOCE-TV entered into a channel sharing arrangement with multicultural independent station [[KSCI]] (channel 18).<ref>[http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/103258/koce-to-expand-service-with-auction-money "KOCE To Expand Service With Auction Money,"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170926091727/http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/103258/koce-to-expand-service-with-auction-money |date=September 26, 2017 }} from TVNewsCheck, April 13, 2017</ref> KOCE completed the move to UHF 18 on the morning of June 19, 2018, with all five programming streams appearing in the virtual channel table with the same numbering.

===Translators===
* '''KODG-LD''' 17 [[Palm Springs]]
* '''KBAB-LD''' 50 [[Santa Barbara, California|Santa Barbara]]

==See also==
* [[Maria Hall-Brown]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}
==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://www.pbssocal.org PBS SoCal]

{{PBS California}}
{{LA TV}}
{{Central Coast TV}}
{{Coachella Valley TV}}
{{California Religious Stations}}
{{Daystar stations}}
{{PBSTV}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Koce-Tv}}
[[Category:1972 establishments in California]]
[[Category:Daystar Television Network stations]]
[[Category:Mass media in Orange County, California]]
[[Category:PBS member stations]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1972]]
[[Category:Television stations in Los Angeles|OCE-TV]]