Kqed Inc

What it reported doing in 2024

Kqed's digital projects and services include maintaining kqed's website kqed.org, the kqed mobile app, and developing content and applications for owned and third-party digital platforms, smart speakers and mobile devices; kqed.org hosts online services for kqed public television, kqed public radio and kqed educational services; and serves as a community convener, providing kqed live event listings, resources, crosswords, podcasts, blogs and other items of timely interest. Kqed.org functions as one of kqed's media platforms, delivering content specifically acquired and produced for the web. Kqed.org reaches approximately 1,300,000 unique website users. Kqed also manages 43 social media accounts on platforms that include instagram, facebook, linkedin, x, tiktok, threads, and bluesky. Kqed also regularly delivers 16 email newsletter series, which deliver news, content, games, and promotions. Kqed produced a total of 65 live public events in fy25, which took place at kqed's headquarters and in other bay area venues. Most events were made available for digital streaming as well. Some highlights from our fy25 include kqed fest, an all-day open house and block party that welcomed at least a few thousand attendees, trivia nights, food demonstrations preview screenings, a teen poetry slam, concerts and on-stage conversations. And in may 2025, kqed partnered with pbs news hour to hold the second-ever reframe festival, an event that emphasized the value of reframing perspectives and provided a space where pioneering thought met discerning journalism. The event brought together on-air talent from pbs news hour and kqed and prominent speakers on politics, technology, and the environment.kqed's education youth-age media literacy resources and services, including student media and learning platforms as well as teacher professional development. Kqed provides educators and students in the bay area, California and nationwide free access to tens of thousands of digital resources directly from kqed and pbs learningmedia, including videos, games, audio, in-depth lesson plans and projects. In the 2024-25 school year, kqed partnered with 36 California school districts and six county offices of education to deliver media literacy professional development and resources; participated with 6,619 educators in media literacy training workshops and courses; published 4,055 student media pieces from 27 states for the youth media challenge showcase, which received nearly 130,000 views; brought 63 pieces from bay area youth to kqed's digital shows and airwaves through the youth takeover. Twelve public media stations shared 142 youth media challenge submissions created by local students in their communities.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 65.5%; rating input score 66
• Program expense ratio: 67.8%; rating input score 68
• Fundraising efficiency: $4.76 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 20; 20th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 68th percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: 3 of 6 controls in place; rating input score 50
  • Compensation committee: Missing
  • Independent consultant: Pass
  • Other Form 990s reviewed: Missing
  • Written employment contract: Missing
  • Compensation survey or study: Pass
  • Board or committee approval: Pass
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: Limited
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 77th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 9 of 9 controls in place; rating input score 100
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: Pass
  • Other executive compensation review process: Pass
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 8%; rating input score 67; 67th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 3.42; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.08; rating input score 85; 85th percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.8%; rating input score 18; 18th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 5.1% per year; rating input score 100; 41st percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 4.2% per year; rating input score 100; 34th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 9.3% per year; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings