WQED Multimedia will launch the Neighborhood Channel, a 24-hour digital channel that will feature archived local programming produced by WQED, starting June 1.

Available only to TV viewers who have sets equipped to receive multistreamed digital content and airing on Channel 13.3, it will air repeats of Rick Sebak's documentaries, the station's popular music specials and "OnQ" segments -- a sort of "best-of" local programming.

It's part of WQED's new digital technology that enables a TV station to provide multiple program streams through analog, digital, cable and HD and increase programming capabilities.

WQED plans to pursue underwriting support for the new channel, although its costs are minimized because of the use of existing programming and bandwidth. The ability to multicast is part of the larger overall technological upgrade that was funded by the Pittsburgh foundation community and support from the state.

WQED Multimedia president George Miles Jr., in describing the multicasting strategy, said the organization is "now more than one TV station and one radio station."

WQED will be talking to local cable companies in the coming weeks about adding it to their lineup.

The new channel allows WQED to take advantage of its growing library of local programming, said WQED executive vice president Deborah Acklin. Each month, Neighborhood Channel will feature a different theme. June is called "It's the Neighborhoods" and will feature some of Sebak's Pittsburgh documentaries.

The new multicast channel is part of WQED's digital conversion process, which when completed will give WQED HD studio production capabilities.

The announcement was made during yesterday's quarterly board meeting, where WQED also released its financial report for the current fiscal year as of Jan. 31.

The company had a net operating loss of $365,823 for the period, although an additional $123,935 in restricted funds reduced the net loss somewhat. Miles predicted WQED projects "to break even or better" by the end of the fiscal year on Sept. 30.