WQED Leases Sister Station WQEX to Home Shopping Network

WQED Multimedia today announced that a three-year network affiliate agreement has been signed with TV and Web retailer HSN to broadcast its “America’s Store” shopping network on WQEX tv16 beginning May 1. Programming that presently airs on WQEX will be available on sister station WQED. The two stations have been simulcasting programming since November 1997.

WQEX will operate 24 hours a day, seven days a week with America’s Store on-air for most of the time. The station will retain commercial inventory during America’s Store programming to air commercials and promotional spots for WQED products and programming. WQEX will continue to air programs such as On Q Magazine and Off Q in addition to select hours of children’s programming each week.

“This deal strengthens WQED Multimedia and the community, states Herbert Bennett Conner, board chair of WQED Multimedia. “It is a great example of social entrepreneurship.”

“This unique arrangement enables WQED to retain ownership of WQEX and create a revenue stream from advertising sales while maximizing the value of the station through an affiliation agreement with HSN,” says George L. Miles, Jr., president and chief executive officer of WQED Multimedia. “WQED will retain the right to sell the station in the future and profit from that sale.”

“I see this deal as a collaboration between WQED Multimedia and America’s Store which opens the doors to a number of additional merchandising and revenue building opportunities for WQED,” adds Miles.