In summary
The new collaboration offers two-minute video updates on vital issues across Southern California.
PBS SoCal, Southern California’s flagship PBS organization, and CalMatters, the nonpartisan, nonprofit newsroom, announced the debut of a new short weekday regional series called SoCalMatters.
It includes daily two-minute video updates on a wide range of topics, including the environment, politics, justice, education, housing, inequality, health and the economy. SoCalMatters is part of PBS SoCal’s weekday afternoon news line-up, which includes PBS NewsHour, NHK Newsline, DW News, BBC News America and France 24.
Two-minute segments will air every weeknight on PBS SoCal at 5:58 p.m. and on PBS SoCal Plus at 5:28 p.m., 5:58 p.m. and 10:58 p.m.. Episodes will also be published on the websites and YouTube channels of PBS SoCal and CalMatters and on the free PBS App.
“We believe that this collaboration with CalMatters in offering local news to our viewers is vital to our role in public media as we help our community be informed of what’s going on locally,” said PBS SoCal President and CEO Andrew Russell. “As we are an essential and trusted institution in our community, we believe SoCal Matters is the next logical step in our programming slate, which currently features the most trusted and unbiased national and international news from around the globe.”
Production of the show is led by Robert Meeks III, who joined CalMatters after almost a decade at the Los Angeles Times, where he was senior director for video.
“We’re excited to partner with PBS SoCal,” said CalMatters CEO Neil Chase. “Reaching their vast Southern California audience dramatically advances our mission of explaining how government impacts the lives of millions of Californians.”
Join the conversation on social media using #SoCalMatters and tag @PBSSoCal and @CalMatters.