Kenneth Michael Kramer
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Kenneth Michael Kramer | |
|---|---|
| Add a Photo | |
| Born | July 25, 1948 |
| Citizenship | American |
| Alma mater | San Diego State University |
| Occupation | Radio and television personality |
| Organization | Ken Kramer’s About San Diego |
Kenneth Michael Kramer (born July 25, 1948) is an American radio and television personality based in San Diego, California.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7] He is best known as the creator, host, and co-producer of the long-running public television program Ken Kramer’s About San Diego. Over his career, Kramer has received 14 Emmy Awards, 8 Golden Mikes, the KPBS Lifetime Achievement Award, and induction into the KPBS Hall of Fame.[8][9]
Early life and education
Kramer is a fourth-generation Californian who grew up in Pasadena, California.[10] From a young age, he showed an interest in broadcasting, famously carrying a toy microphone around the house to interview family members and even the local ice cream man. As a teenager, he built a pirate AM radio station in his bedroom, transmitting far enough that his father discovered it while driving and promptly shut it down.
Kramer studied at San Diego State University, graduating in 1974. While there, he was one of the founders of the student-run station KCR and worked between 1968 and 1972 as an announcer and student assistant at KEBS (now KPBS Radio).
Career
Early broadcasting
Kramer began his professional career in radio, working at KPBS, NPR, and KSDO Radio. His fascination with radio’s ability to connect people through sound and production shaped his broadcasting style. He later transitioned to television, working for NBC 7 San Diego.
Ken Kramer’s About San Diego
In 1972, Kramer created About San Diego as a half-hour radio program for KPBS. In 1979, the show premiered on KPBS television with a team of volunteers, including Michael McKeever and Gayle Perryman.
The program presents stories on the history, culture, and people of San Diego County, often highlighting little-known aspects of the region’s past. Inspired by Ralph Story’s People and Places of Los Angeles (1964–1970)[11], Kramer designed About San Diego to showcase the character and heritage of the community. Each story typically concludes with some variation on the line: ‘And that’s something you might not have known About San Diego.'
Notable broadcast history:
- 1972: First aired as radio program on KPBS
- 1979: First televised on KPBS
- 1984–1996: Morning and afternoon radio segment on KSDO (KOGO), reaching over 200,000 weekly listeners
- 1995–2009: Half-hour program on NBC 7 San Diego
- 2010–present: Prime-time program on KPBS-TV
In 2015, Kramer retired from producing weekly new episodes, but he has continued creating occasional new programs, which air alongside archived shows every Thursday night at 8:00 p.m. Upcoming new episodes are scheduled on September 18, October 16, and November 20.
The San Diego City Council described the program as “greatly enriching our community’s character,” while the County Board of Supervisors called it “more valuable to San Diego history than any two or three of our local museums combined.”
Episodes of About San Diego are currently available on PBS platforms, with new programs produced in collaboration with co-producer Suzanne Bartole
Collaborations
Suzanne Bartole, a photojournalist and multimedia producer is videographer, editor, and co-producer of Ken Kramer’s About San Diego[12]. Their collaboration began in 1997 at NBC 7 San Diego and resumed in 2015 at KPBS.
Awards and recognition
Kramer has received multiple honors for his broadcasting work:
- Emmy Awards (14 total) – including
- Golden Mike Awards (8 total)
- KPBS Lifetime Achievement Award
- Induction into the KPBS Hall of Fame
Personal life
Kramer remains based in San Diego, California. His work continues to be broadcast on KPBS-TV and CNC-TV, and streamed online via PBS platforms. His favorite episode of About San Diego is the feature on Haven’s Caves in Kensington.
References
- ↑ Josephson, Judith P.; Fine, Edith H. (1985-07-31). "Master of Ad Lib Seeking Angel for S.D. Program". The Los Angeles Times. p. 48. Retrieved 2025-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Josephson, Judith P.; Fine, Edith H. (1985-07-31). "Master of Ad Lib Seeking Angel for S.D. Program". The Los Angeles Times. p. 49. Retrieved 2025-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ "Focus on San Diego on CONTACT 89 show". The Los Angeles Times. 1982-02-20. p. 168. Retrieved 2025-11-29 – via Newspapers.com.
- ↑ Wilkens, John (2015-02-16). "About Ken Kramer: He's retiring". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ↑ Pollack, Mimi (2015-06-24). "Ken Kramer's Last 'About San Diego' Airs Thursday". Times of San Diego. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ↑ Ditler, Joe (2014-01-31). "Film Star And Coronado Man, Johnny Downs Featured On KPBS". Coronado Eagle & Journal. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ↑ Pollack, Mimi. "KEN KRAMER - ONE OF A KIND | East County Magazine". East County Magazine. Retrieved 2025-11-29.
- ↑ "KPBS Hall Of Fame". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ↑ "Ken Kramer's About San Diego". Ken Kramer's About San Diego. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ↑ Producer, Jennifer Robinson / Web (2025-06-02). "KEN KRAMER'S ABOUT SAN DIEGO: The Beatles 1965 visit to San Diego". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ↑ "Ralph Story's Los Angeles | UCLA Film & Television Archive". www.cinema.ucla.edu. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ↑ "About San Diego". Ken Kramer's About San Diego. 2018-10-22. Retrieved 2025-09-16.
- ↑ Producer, Jennifer Robinson / Web (2024-05-08). "KEN KRAMER'S ABOUT SAN DIEGO: Star Of India and Museums". KPBS Public Media. Retrieved 2025-09-04.
- ↑ Kramer, Ken (2024-04-01). "Carmen the Riveter: San Diego's 100-Year-Old Rosie Celebrates a Century. GB Magazine. Retrieved 2025-09-04". Retrieved 2025-09-04.
External links
This article "Kenneth Michael Kramer" is from Wikipedia. The list of its authors can be seen in its historical. Articles taken from Draft Namespace on Wikipedia could be accessed on Wikipedia's Draft Namespace.