Second Season Of Martha Stewart's Cooking School And Season One Of Martha Bakes To Premiere On PBS Beginning April 6th

NEW YORK, April 1, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) today announced that the second season of the James Beard Award-nominated Martha Stewart's Cooking School and the first season of Martha Bakes will premiere on PBS stations nationwide beginning April 6, 2013 (check local listings). The programs will be presented in association with WETA Washington, D.C., the flagship public broadcaster in the nation's capital. jcpenney and KitchenAid will serve as sponsors, along with charitable partner March of Dimes, for the second season of Martha Stewart's Cooking School. KitchenAid has signed on as the exclusive sponsor for the first season of Martha Bakes.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20130401/NY85812)

The second season of Martha Stewart's Cooking School comes on the heels of a successful first season which averaged approximately 1 million viewers each week and was seen in more than 92% of US households.  In each 30-minute episode of the second season of Martha Stewart's Cooking School, which was both produced by MSLO and inspired by Emmy® Award-winning TV host Martha Stewart's bestselling book of the same title, Martha will demonstrate more classic cooking techniques and basics using her signature step-by-step, how-to teaching process. Episodes will include everything from soups, stews and seafood to roasting, sauteing and preserving.

"I'm very happy that Martha Stewart's Cooking School has been so well-received," said Ms. Stewart. "Cooking and teaching—my two biggest passions—are front and center on a show that viewers are finding accessible and useful. Home cooking is truly one of life's greatest pleasures, and it's wonderful to see that more and more, people are enjoying meals cooked in their own kitchens." 

Following the success of Martha Stewart's Cooking School, Martha Stewart will re-air Martha Bakes, a 13-episode teaching series that originally aired on The Hallmark Channel. Throughout the series,  exclusively sponsored by KitchenAid, Martha shares her best tips and techniques, giving viewers the confidence to create the finest desserts and delectable baked goods in their own kitchens. From the perfect cheesecake to flaky, melt-in-your mouth puff pastry, Martha's updated versions of the classics will set the standard.

"We couldn't ask for a more perfect fit. Our viewers have an affinity for cooking shows and they tune in to public television to learn," says Dalton Delan, executive vice president and chief programming officer of WETA. "These series are ideal for people who want to learn cooking and baking techniques — and who better to teach them than America's most trusted lifestyle expert?"

"We are so pleased that our stations will have the opportunity to bring their viewers more episodes of Martha Stewart's Cooking School and now Martha Bakes," said Donald Thoms, vice president of programming for PBS. "For decades, PBS has been a destination where viewers learn how to cook from some of the world's foremost experts, so we are happy that legacy will continue with new seasons of Martha Stewart sharing her culinary expertise."

In addition, MSLO has created and produced 13 original Martha Bakes videos and 13 original Martha Stewart's Cooking School videos exclusively for KitchenAid, which will launch on April 6th on marthastewart.com.  Each video, either hosted by an expert from MSLO's culinary team or narrated by Martha Stewart, focuses on delicious recipes, helpful tips and techniques to make baking and cooking easier and more fun for every home cook.

Full episodes of the second season of Martha Stewart's Cooking School and the first season of Martha Bakes will also be available for viewing on PBS.org.

About Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.
Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc. (NYSE: MSO) is a diversified media and merchandising company, inspiring and engaging consumers with unique lifestyle content and distinctive products. The Company reaches approximately 66 million consumers across all media platforms each month and has a growing retail presence with 8,500 products in thousands of retail locations. MSLO's media brands, available across multiple platforms, include Martha Stewart Living, Martha Stewart Weddings, and Everyday Food; the Company also offers books and utility Apps.  MSLO's television and video programming includes the new "Martha Stewart's Cooking School" series on PBS, in addition to new made-for-the-web video and a vast library of how-to content available online.  Martha Live, a new radio show hosted by Martha Stewart, airs every weekday on SIRIUS XM Channel 107. MSLO also designs high-quality Martha Stewart products in a range of lifestyle categories available through select retailers, including The Home Depot, Macy's, Staples (together with Avery), PetSmart, Michaels and Jo-Ann Fabric & Craft Stores. The Company entered into a strategic alliance with J.C. Penney Company, Inc., and will launch products in jcp stores in Spring 2013. The MSLO family of brands also includes Chef Emeril Lagasse's media and merchandising properties.

Additional information about MSLO is at www.marthastewart.com.

About WETA Washington, DC
WETA Washington, D.C., is the third-largest producing station for public television. WETA productions and co-productions include PBS NewsHour, Washington Week with Gwen Ifill, In Performance at the White House, The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, and documentaries by filmmaker Ken Burns, including the premiere this April of The Central Park Five. Sharon Percy Rockefeller is president and CEO. More information on WETA and its programs and services is available at www.weta.org.

About PBS
PBS, with its nearly 360 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 123 million people through television and more than 21 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS' premier children's TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents' and teachers' most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

SOURCE Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, Inc.