MPB launches It’s Worth a Shot campaign to help combat COVID-19

JACKSON, Miss. – Mississippi Public Broadcasting has launched a special campaign called It’s Worth a Shot to help combat COVID-19 by sharing vaccination information.

The campaign, which will be available on all MPB platforms, includes testimonials from Mississippians who share why they decided to get vaccinated. MPB’s Coronavirus Resources web page, launched at the height of the pandemic in 2020, will now include It’s Worth a Shot downloadable and shareable content such as factoids, audio files and video files. The page also includes MPB News stories about COVID-19 and other resources. Later in the year, public service announcements geared toward parents of young children featuring MPB’s Ed Said – the rapping and rhyming animated character that promotes healthy eating and exercising – will be released. 

“At MPB, we follow the science from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and our state health department. With so much disinformation about the vaccines, we see this campaign as vital in better educating the public,” said MPB Executive Director Ronnie Agnew. “COVID-19 has taken a heavy toll on our state. MPB’s ultimate goal is for the number of vaccinated citizens to rise through a campaign that combines facts with real-life testimonies.”

MPB is one of 14 public broadcasting stations nationwide that was awarded a grant from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to address COVID-19 misinformation in our communities. The grants – up to $20,000 each – are being awarded to public television and radio stations in areas with low vaccination and high infection rates or in emerging hotspots for coronavirus infection.

Through this campaign, MBP has partnered with the Community Engagement Alliance (CEAL) Against COVID-19 Disparities. The Mississippi CEAL Team is part of a national effort to provide trustworthy, science-based information through active community engagement and outreach to those hardest-hit by the COVID-19 pandemic. The goal being to build long-lasting partnerships as well as improving diversity and inclusion in our research and response to COVID-19 in these communities. 

MPB is a state agency that also operates as a PBS and NPR affiliate broadcasting station. For more information visit www.mpbonline.org. Find all MPB press releases here.

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Mississippi Public Broadcasting provides relevant instructional and public affairs programming to Mississippians through its statewide television and radio network.  MPB enhances the work of educators, students, parents and learners of all ages by providing informative programming and educational resources.  MPB’s locally produced programming focuses on the people, resources and attractions that reflect Mississippi’s unique culture and diverse heritage. Children’s television programs constitute a major portion of the daytime and weekend morning schedules.  MPB provides a valuable resource to Mississippians in disseminating information as part of the state’s emergency preparedness and response system.  Since 1970, MPB has won over 350 national, regional and statewide awards, including Emmy®, Edward R. Murrow and Parents’ Choice® Awards.