San Francisco Bay Area TV Station KAXT Launches Innovative Electronic Program Guide From Tribune Media Services

CHICAGO, April 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Local TV station KAXT, serving the San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose, CA market, has launched an innovative electronic program guide (EPG) from Tribune Media Services.  Provided by TMS and using its industry-leading metadata, the All Channel TV Program Guide offers viewers 24/7 access to the most accurate and up-to-date information available on over-the-air programming from local broadcasters.  The new on-screen guide is available to viewers now on channel 1.1.  

KAXT is the first local TV station in the nation to use a digital sub-channel to deliver an on-screen program guide to viewers.  The All Channel TV Program Guide covers all local over-the-air channels and their respective digital sub-channels, providing Bay Area TV viewers receiving over-the-air signals a comprehensive, convenient and easy-to-use information resource.  With a good portion of the market receiving their television signals over-the-air, the on-screen guide serves a sizable audience.  The San Francisco/Oakland/San Jose TV market is the nation's 6th largest according to Nielsen.

Local broadcasters will also benefit from the new All Channel Program Guide.  Stations will be able to purchase time-targeted spots to display topical on-air promos in the guide's prominent video window.  Because users of the guide are engaged in making viewing decisions, video promos will have the ability to drive awareness for upcoming local programming and influence tune-in behavior.

KAXT plans to introduce a unique self-service model to local broadcasters which will allow them to schedule their promos in key time slots, upload the pre-produced video and receive back-end billing.

"TMS is pleased to be involved with this truly unique deployment of our electronic program guide," said Jay Fehnel, Vice President, TMS Entertainment Products.  "The fact that KAXT has chosen to utilize channel 1.1 for the guide - premium real estate on their digital spectrum - underscores the value of this offering to both TV viewers and local broadcasters in the San Francisco market."

Warren Trumbly, President of KAXT added, "Cable promotes cable and satellite promotes satellite.  Now the All Channel Program Guide helps Bay Area broadcasters promote free TV and the additional programming available on our sub-channels.  We're excited to be the very first to offer this service to local over-the-air TV viewers.  Ultimately, it's made possible by the inherent flexibility of the TMS electronic program guide."

TMS metadata powers the leading television and movie guide products which reach millions of consumers in 40 countries through clients including Microsoft, Google, TiVo, Time Warner Cable, Cablevision, IMDb and the New York Times.  The company's On™ suite of data products is linked by TMS Unique IDs to enable both searching and browsing of entertainment choices across multiple media platforms.

About Tribune Media Services

Tribune Media Services' Entertainment Products division is an international leader in entertainment navigation.  TMS provides industry-leading databases of TV, movie and celebrity information; guides in print, online and on-screen formats; and advertising and marketing services to build audiences.  The company also produces Zap2it.com, the web site that connects 5.5 million engaged entertainment fanatics to popular TV shows, celebrities, movies, events and other fans each month.  For more information about TMS Entertainment Products visit TribuneMediaServices.com.

About KAXT

KAXT Digital Channel 1 is America's most diverse television station, featuring 12 video channels and eight audio channels catering to the unique needs of the San Francisco Bay Area.

With over-the-air coverage reaching in excess of four million viewers, KAXT currently offers programming for the growing Vietnamese, South Asian and Hispanic communities and was nominated as 2010 Station of the Year by Broadcast Engineering.

This summer, the station will launch 24/7 channels featuring Chinese, Korean, Real Estate and Business content.

For more information about KAXT, please call 408.345.KAXT (5298).

SOURCE Tribune Media Services