KVIE (channel 6) is a PBS member television station in Sacramento, California, United States. The station is owned by KVIE, Inc., a community-based non-profit organization. KVIE's studios are located on West El Camino Avenue in the Natomas district of Sacramento, and its transmitter is located in Walnut Grove, California. After years of interest in educational television in the Sacramento area, KVIE began broadcasting in February 1959, airing evening educational programs from PBS predecessor National Educational Television and daytime instructional output for schools. Originally located in studios in Sacramento used by a previous UHF station that had become outdated and run down by the 1980s, KVIE relocated to its present studios in 1990. KVIE's local programming has focused on topics including agriculture and activity at the California state capitol. History Construction Channel 6 was allocated for educational use in Sacramento in 1952 after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) lifted its four-year freeze on new TV station applications in 1952. The next year, the first interest was expressed in the educational channel by a consortium of school officials in 15 Northern California counties. In 1955, it merged with a similar group in the Stockton area, the Delta-Sierra Educational Television Corporation. The combined group, Central California Educational Television (CCET), had board members from Ceres in the south to Chico in the north and represented a total of 20 counties. In early 1958, a fund drive was held to secure the finances needed to put the station in service. John C. Crabbe, one of KVIE's founders, traveled the region and gave 92 speeches in 90 days. This drive raised $205,000, enough to qualify for matching funds. In April, KOVR extended an offer to the station, which was accepted, to use facilities it had acquired when it purchased the assets of UHF station KCCC-TV the year prior on Garden Highway; KOVR would also carry demonstration programs to present educational television to the area until the station launched. The FCC granted CCET a construction permit on July 30, 1958. The consortium invited proposals for call signs, selecting KVIE (for "Valley Information and Education" as well as the Roman numeral for 6 and education). The pilot programs on KOVR ended in December 1958 in preparation for the launch of channel 6. Early years KVIE began broadcasting on February 23, 1959, with evening educational programming. The first educational programs for schools were broadcast at the end of March.