KCET-TV said to be in talks to sell landmark studio to Church of Scientology

Financially strapped KCET-TV is in talks to sell its landmark Sunset Boulevard studio to the Church of Scientology, according to people who know about the pending deal.

The Los Angeles television station, which is struggling to rebuild viewership after its recent split from PBS, plans to move its operations to a smaller location, real estate brokers said. Station officials have been touring potential sites, brokers said. Terms of the potential deal were unavailable, but the 4.5-acre property at 4401 W. Sunset Blvd. has an assessed value of $14.1 million, according to county records. The lot, which has served as a studio since 1912, was formerly the home of Monogram Pictures and Allied Artists. Scenes for dozens of notable films were shot there over the years, including "El Cid" with Charlton Heston, John Ford's "Hurricane" and the Charlie Chan mysteries.