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Dear Kaitlyn,

Happy 65th birthday, KPBS!  We’ve come a long way from a student-run radio station that launched in a closet at SDSU on September 12, 1960, to the nationally-renowned multimedia station you know today.  

KPBS is a unique nonprofit in that you are with us throughout all 24 hours of your day. I hear from people all the time about how they wake up to our news on the radio, watch KPBS Kids in the morning for their children or grandchildren, listen to a podcast while they’re driving or doing errands, check our social media throughout the day for news and information updates, and watch a show at night. 

We are together through thick and thin, and it is that togetherness that makes the relationship San Diego has with KPBS so special. We are honored to share this place in your life.

It’s true that this is a challenging time in our story, but KPBS is not going anywhere.  We are defunded, not defeated. This moment in history will not unravel what we have spent 65 years building together — an essential public service for San Diego. With your help, we will keep going strong into the next 65 years and I’m excited to see what the future holds.

Below are five things to celebrate or ponder about the past, present and future of KPBS and our relationship to the San Diego community. Thank you for helping us celebrate!

Special birthday specials

We’re marking our 65th birthday with special programming on radio, podcast, TV, streaming, everywhere! 

"The Finest" will release a special episode this Thursday, looking back at the KPBS auctions. Started in 1974, KPBS auctions had hundreds of volunteers, live TV energy, quirky items (custom cars, even a vasectomy!). It will be a fun retrospective on how they built a loyal community, why they eventually ended, and what they meant for KPBS and public media. 

"KPBS Roundtable" will talk with long-time current and former journalists who have covered some of the biggest stories over the years for KPBS during its September 12 broadcast on 89.5 FM. 

"KPBS News This Week" will feature a look back at KPBS News' evolution and impact on the San Diego community on September 12.

KPBS Classics from the Vault brings back unforgettable documentaries alongside current local fan favorites. It’s a chance to revisit stories that helped shape KPBS and celebrate our legacy of local storytelling. You can watch live on KPBS TV or stream on the new KPBS+ app starting tonight. Click the button below to see the schedule.

A walk down memory lane

The KPBS you know today has been 65 years in the making. There were pivotal moments over the years that led to our success. Our 65th birthday website takes a walk down memory lane with an interactive timeline and fun pictures showcasing our history. It also highlights what’s ahead in our next chapter. Take a look at the birthday page and share your favorite moment you've had with us.

Civic values

The Public Matters team recently produced a fascinating series looking at the question: Do Americans still share the same values? 

Amita Sharma talked with a scientist, philosophers, a sociologist and a religious leader about how we’re doing societally in the practice of empathy, truth, authenticity, ethics, power and the agape form of love. And if we’re deficient in these values, can they be strengthened?

You might not be surprised to learn we aren’t doing well in living these civic values we once held dear. But I am an optimist and believe there is hope!

The ultimate book club

I love to read, and there’s nothing quite like sharing a good book with a friend. The One Book, One San Diego program is the ultimate book club, bringing together people across the county to read the same book, and host discussions and author talks. 

This year I announced the 2025 One Book One San Diego selections at the KPBS Book Festival on August 23. The books are:

• “Deacon King Kong” by James McBride for adult readers
• “Family Style: Memories of an American from Vietnam” by Thien Pham for teens and tweens
• “The Interpreter” by Olivia Abtahi and illustrated by Monica Arnaldo for children. (“The Interpreter” is available in Spanish translation and will be part of our One Book Sin Fronteras program.)

All three books emphasize the importance of finding shared humanity in varied lived experiences so we can better understand the differences we each face, and see how similarly we overcome hardship — with love, understanding, hope, support, community and resilience.

Making news

I have worked at KPBS three times over the course of 41 years. One of the accomplishments I am most proud of is growing our news and digital services. 

Like many places across the country, San Diego is increasingly at risk of becoming a local news desert, with locally owned and operated news organizations dwindling by the year. At KPBS, we're doing our best to prevent that from happening by going all-in on producing local news for our community.

In the mid-90s, we had a very small news team (pictured above) that worked exclusively on radio. Now, we have 65 reporters, editors, producers, directors, and videojournalists who create new stories for TV, radio, podcasts, the website and social media. 

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