KET helps every corner of KY. It deserves our voice and our support | Opinion

I’ve been fortunate in life. But, I never forget where that fortune began: with a mother who made sure I had the chance to grow up in a home that was stable and safe, and a community that gave me access to opportunity.

That kind of foundation doesn’t just happen. It takes people who care enough to invest in others, and institutions strong enough to serve every corner of the state.

Kentucky Educational Television (KET) is one of those institutions. And right now, it needs our support.

KET is one of the largest public television networks in the United States, serving more than two million people each week. Their mission has always been to improve the lives of Kentuckians, from early childhood education to adult workforce training, civic engagement to public health resources. It’s a statewide commitment. And it’s not political. It’s practical. It reflects who we are.

That’s why the recent decision to rescind federal funding to KET is so troubling. Certainly, some national outlets funded by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) have veered into partisan territory. But KET is tailored to our state’s needs, values, and identity.

As a board member of the Commonwealth Fund for KET, I’ve seen firsthand the extraordinary impact this organization has across our 120 counties. Whether it’s helping a child learn to read, preparing a high school student for college, or broadcasting public health updates to rural communities, KET is often the difference-maker. For so many Kentuckians, it’s not just educational television, it’s their trusted connection to opportunity.

As a lifelong fiscal conservative, I understand the importance of budget discipline. I believe every public dollar should serve the public good. And that’s exactly what KET does. The return on investment is extraordinary: a few million dollars unlocks access to free, high-quality education and trusted information for millions of Kentuckians. No subscription fees. No political spin. Just service.

Here’s the fiscal reality: about $4.2 million of KET’s annual budget comes from federal funding through the CPB. These funds make possible local productions like Kentucky Edition, Comment on Kentucky, and supports coverage of the General Assembly. They help bring high-quality, non-partisan content into homes from Pikeville to Paducah.

Since 1969, the federal funding has complemented the investment made by the Commonwealth of Kentucky. This commitment reflects broad, bipartisan support for KET’s mission and long-standing value to our state.

That’s what makes the current situation so frustrating. We’re penalizing one of the most effective, non-partisan, community-focused organizations in the country. That’s not accountability; it’s collateral damage.

But we still have a choice. And we still have a voice.

If you’ve benefited from KET, if you’ve watched it, learned from it, or trusted it to bring your community into focus, now is the time to step forward. Private donations matter. Every gift is a statement that this work matters, and that we’re willing to invest in the lives of our neighbors.

While individual support will help, it can’t solve the full deficit caused by the loss of federal funds. I’m calling on our Kentucky delegation and public officials to push back against this cut. We need a solution that restores funding to non-partisan public broadcasters like KET.

Again, this is not about politics. It’s about public service. It’s about keeping promises to families who count on us to deliver access, connection, and opportunity, regardless of income or ZIP code.

We often say that Kentucky takes care of its own. That’s our reputation. This is our chance to prove it. I’m proud to support KET because it represents the best of what we can do when we come together; not for political gain, but for the good of our people. It’s time to make sure KET has what it needs to keep doing that work.

My mother always said, “What’s right is right, and what’s wrong is wrong.” Supporting KET is about more than funding. It’s about protecting what brings us together and doing right by the next generation of Kentuckians.

William “Bill” Jones is an independent board director and longtime advocate for Kentucky communities. He serves on the board of the Commonwealth Fund for Kentucky Educational Television (KET), supporting their mission to deliver non-partisan, high-quality educational programming statewide. He is a member of the Kentucky Housing Corporation board and former chairman of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce.