LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The KET Louisville Production Center is now open in the American Life Building at 471 West Main Street. The new location allows the statewide public television network to improve its facilities and enhance productions featuring more of Louisville’s unique people, places and culture. Previously located just down the street on the 700 block of West Main Street, this move to the American Life Building reinforces KET’s commitment to the Greater Louisville area.

KET’s studio, featuring modern set designs and state-of-the-art equipment, has been operational since the beginning of the new year. This space is where KET produces Inside Louisville, Kentucky Health and News Quiz, and provides the capacity to conduct live interviews between here and the Lexington studio. The sets feature five individually controlled scenic video monitors, a ten-foot-wide video wall and innovative LED lighting. Two editing suites, control room, production offices, two conference rooms, and spaces for those in education, technology, fundraising and production departments make up the remainder of the space on the first floor of the historic American Life Building. The offices and studio space comprise approximately 7,500 square feet.

“Thanks to the support of generous donors, these new facilities will allow us to better serve the people of Louisville and viewers across the state,” said Shae Hopkins, KET Executive Director and CEO. “We’re looking forward to sharing more of this vibrant city’s stories, celebrating art and cultural achievements, providing opportunities for civil discourse and forums, and delivering more educational programs and services for everyone here and throughout the Commonwealth.”

Famed German architect Mies van der Rohe designed the American Life Building. The building has six stories above ground and three below. The placement of the building on the Belvedere was chosen specifically to allow pedestrians to see the Ohio River and Indiana. The American Life Building was chosen as one of the 10 buildings that changed Louisville by a professional panel as part of the 50^th anniversary of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Kentucky in 2013.

The James Graham Brown Foundation provided a grant of $1 million to help support the expansion of KET’s operations in Louisville, including construction of the studio and facilities. Additional support was provided by The Gheens Foundation, Henry V. Heuser, Jr., and Austin and Jane Musselman.

To support future productions, KET is seeking funding to help make more programs about and for Louisville possible. More information is available at KET.org/Louisville.

ABOUT KET 

As Kentucky’s only statewide media source, KET offers original series and specials dedicated to the Commonwealth’s arts, history and public affairs. In addition to the more than 35,000 hours of programming broadcast each year, KET local productions include series Kentucky Edition, Kentucky Tonight, Kentucky Life, Comment on Kentucky, Kentucky Health, The Farmer and the Foodie, Great Conversations and Inside Louisville, as well as documentaries that have featured Alice and Wade Houston, Sally Brown, Mary Ann Currier, Actors Theatre, Jim Host and others. KET is also a national leader in producing innovative and effective learning resources, ranging from early childhood through career readiness, with use in every Kentucky school district and across the nation. 

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Editor’s Note: Images are available for download at KET.org/Pressroom.