It would be quite the understatement to say that 2016 has been an active year for Mississippi Public Broadcasting. We started new programs, such as Amped and Wired, and brought back old favorites, such as Conversations. We continued to strengthen our radio lineup with many of your favorites and added a wrinkle or two to others. Our education department kept an exhaustive schedule managing the Between the Lions curriculum, holding workshops for teachers and parents, and aggressively implementing programs to help Mississippi students perform better in the classroom.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting is a special place with a staff dedicated to serving our customers. We’ve made our celebrities available through several community activities, including Fondren First Thursday, where the soothing voice of our morning radio host Karen Brown wins folks over every time. We engaged the services of our friend and radio host Felder Rushing to accompany us on many public events. It would be impossible for me to list all of the awards, the shows, the public accolades, the impact that MPB has had on this state this year.
But there’s only one way we can make this all happen: Through you and your support of this agency. I’m not afraid to admit that at Christmas time I turn into a kid again, even putting out that proverbial glass of milk and cake to entice Santa to stop by. While I mentioned some of the accomplishments of the agency this year, my real purpose for this column is to take advantage of the holiday season to say thank you to all of you who support us through your giving and through the many notes that we receive about our programming. Your words of gratitude motivate us to work harder to bring you the kind of content that makes you proud. The holiday season is typically one where people smile more and are in the giving spirit. In 2016, we hope we’ve made you smile, think, ponder and react.
When these words land in your mailbox, it is my hope that you are enjoying the beginning of the Christmas holiday season with family and friends. I absolutely love this time of year. And I absolutely love being the executive director of Mississippi Public Broadcasting because of the incredible conversations I’ve had with fans and critics alike. It serves to prove that in this world of differences, it is the diversity of thought that makes us all special. I’d like to personally wish you and yours a happy holiday season. Mississippi Public Broadcasting owes its success to you. For that, I raise my glass of eggnog for a toast to love, happiness, joy and peace.
