KCETLink Media Group President and Chief Executive Michael Riley has been named general manager of Ellen Digital Ventures, a partnership between Ellen DeGeneres and Warner Bros. Digital Networks. Riley, who previously held senior positions at Turner Broadcasting and Walt Disney Co., leaves the Burbank-based nonprofit television station after three years overseeing a company-wide rebranding effort. With Riley at the helm, KCET put an increased focus on hyper-local coverage and greatly expanded its digital presence. “During Riley’s three-year tenure at KCETLink, the organization saw a marked increase in ratings, revenue and productions,” the company said in statement. “We appreciate his many important contributions and wish him well in his new endeavor.” According to the most recent available tax filings, KCET’s total contributions and revenues fell in 2015, the year Riley took over as president. KCET saw total losses of $7.2 million that year. Since then, it is unclear how KCET fared. KCETLink’s Board Chair Dick Cook will take over as interim president and chief executive after the departure was announced Feb. 28. In 2011, KCET severed ties with the Public Broadcasting Service and became fully independent. With the loss of PBS programming including shows such as “Downton Abbey,” ratings, contributions and revenues reportedly took a major hit. Later that year, the company sold its headquarters on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles to the Church of Scientology and moved its operations to Burbank. Benjamin Davis, journalism professor at California State University, Northridge, said Riley is leaving behind a template for a successful turnaround at KCET. He pointed to the company’s increased online footprint and its emphasis on diversity. “For public broadcasting, the future belongs to the daring,” he said. In October, the company announced it would began subleasing four of its control rooms and nine of its editing bays to other broadcasters. It also outsourced its broadcast operations to New York-based firm The Switch, which took ownership of the master control, studio and remote production facilities and satellite transmission assets of KCETLink. Partnership Funds Youth Center New Directions for Youth broke ground last month on a 5,000 square-foot arts and recreation center for young people in North Hollywood. The nearly $1 million project is being funded through a public-private partnership with the city of Los Angeles and local foundations, businesses and individuals. Los Angeles City Councilman Paul Krekorian’s office contributed $600,000 toward the center’s construction. Other major sponsors include the Saul Brandman Foundation, Rickey and Robbi Gelb, the John Rothman Family Trust and Hopeless Records/Sub City. New facilities including a yoga studio, workout area and music recording space will be added to the existing youth center at 7315 Lankershim Blvd. The project is being built by Los Angeles-based architecture firm Perkins+Will Global. “New Directions for Youth embodies the type of mission-driven design project that Perkins+Will is proud to be a part of. As integral to our social purpose mandate, the firm commits 1 percent of all billable hours to non-profit organizations in our communities,” said project architect Ashley Stoner. “Working with NDY for the last four years has been a privilege as they continue to bring valuable resources to youth, their families and the greater community.” The groundbreaking event on March 10 was attended Tom Neary and Cathy Orquiola of PCL Construction, Louis Posen of Hopeless Records and Councilman Krekorian. Founded in 1975, New Directions for Youth is a North Hollywood-based non-profit that provides services to over 3,000 at-risk youth and families each year in the Valley. Services include programs for after school tutoring, gang prevention and intervention, G.E.D. preparation and parent and family counseling. Semtech Holds Charity Tourny Camarillo semiconductor manufacturer Semtech Corp. will host its sixth annual charity golf tournament June 15 at the River Ridge Golf Course in Oxnard. The event will benefit Interface Children & Family Services, a family support nonprofit based in Camarillo that has recently served victims of the Thomas Fire and Montecito mudslides. “Interface is extremely grateful for Semtech’s commitment to the safety, health and well-being of children, families and communities of Ventura County,” said Catherine Kort, fund development and marketing director at Interface. “Proceeds from this year’s charity golf tournament will support Interface’s ability to respond to calls for help when crises such as the Thomas Fire occur, support families throughout their recovery process, and help prevent the lifelong impact of trauma from occurring in the first place. Past tournaments have raised a total of more than $200,000 for charities including RaisingHOPE Inc., RAIN Communities Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Ventura County. Tickets for the event cost $125 for golf and dinner or $30 for dinner only. Sponsorship packages for the event are also available and range from $1,000 to $5,000. Staff Reporter Ethan Varian can be reached at (818) 316-3130 or [email protected].
