Never have we better understood or appreciated our mission to offer programming of substance and depth than in this daunting new era that began on September 11. In a time of intense grief and confusion, public television provided a forum where America could come together to hear voices of reason, gain a deeper understanding of unfolding events, and find signs of compassion and hope.
   We did it the way we do best - by bringing our brightest talents to bear on the sweeping issues transforming our national political, economic, and social landscape. The town hall meeting America Responds: A National Conversation, anchored by Gwen Ifill and Charlie Rose with segments contributed by public television stations around the country, the illuminating Moyers in Conversation series born out of the crisis, special editions of Washington Week and Wall $treet Week with Louis Rukeyser, and expanded editions of The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer offered Americans a degree of information, analysis and perspective not to be found anywhere else. PBS was also able to rebroadcast, and make available to our nation's leaders, an updated investigative report from Frontline on Osama bin Laden that originally aired in 1999, as well as the notable documentary Islam: Empire of Faith, which premiered earlier in this year, to provide valuable insight into the roots and dynamics of the developing conflict.

   In delivering trusted journalism, in-depth examination of critical issues, and programs that promote civic discourse at an unprecedented moment in the nation's history, PBS and its member stations forged connections and communication among people and institutions throughout the country - both on the national level and in individual communities in every corner of our land.
   Yet while the terrorist attacks are a watershed moment in history and bring a new urgency to our mission, the response from PBS reveals a continuity in our work. The fundamental goal of PBS has always been to inform, to enlighten, to educate, and to provide an uplifting voice for all Americans. And that objective is not limited to public affairs programming in times of distress. It is the essential nature of what we do every day, all year long - with all our programming and education services.

In the wake of the terrorist attacks, public television's most respected journalists rose to the moment, creating special nightly programming to provide information, analysis and insight as America faced a national crisis. In addition to rebroadcasting Frontline's Hunting bin Laden for the public, PBS responded to requests from our country's leadership by providing a special screening of the program for Congress.

From the drama of history and fascinating explorations of the natural world to wholesome educational fare for children, award-winning PBS series continue to innovate and inspire curious minds of all ages.

   From the core programming created in conjunction with our member stations to the work of the world's most talented independent producers, PBS gave viewers a body of remarkable television experiences this past year. The biography series American Masters, which won the Emmy for best non-fiction series for the third consecutive year, explored the lives and work of such luminaries as Norman Mailer, Alfred Stieglitz and Clint Eastwood. David Grubin's Abraham and Mary Lincoln: A House Divided added a fascinating new chapter to the American Experience's ongoing exploration of our nation's presidents.
   ExxonMobil Masterpiece Theatre's American Collection transported a PBS staple from Old World to New to bring the unique voices of American literature to life. In Australia: Beyond the Fatal Shore, author Robert Hughes took America on a spectacular tour of the Land Down Under to celebrate the Sydney Olympic Games. The Nature miniseries Triumph of Life presented the remarkable story of evolution and its survivors, while NOVA took us to the cutting edge of genetics in Cracking the Code of Life.

   Our acclaimed children's series - Arthur, Sesame Street, Dragon Tales, Between the Lions, and all the rest - continued to give young people the opportunity to laugh, learn and grow, a 'safe haven' from the images of terror in recent weeks. The appreciation of parents and children is reflected in the continued popularity of our children's programming. Nine of the top 10 most popular programs for children aged two to five are part of the PBS KIDS line up.
   The value of all these programs went far beyond the screen with their accompanying Web sites at pbs.org and through the online educational resources of PBS TeacherSource, which provides more than 2,000 lesson plans and teacher's guides. Indeed, the Web components of PBS programming have demonstrated tremendous appeal and found large audiences, which explains why pbs.org is now the number one dot-org Web site in the world.
   But PBS has never rested on its laurels and we have no intention of starting now. Over the past year we have devoted great effort to bring new focus and organization to our nightly national programming schedule and to reach out to the diverse audiences that are underserved by commercial media and that our original mandate charges us to serve. American High was one such series, and during its 26-week run in primetime, PBS attracted more teens and their parents than at any other time in our history. In early January we will premiere American broadcast television's first Latino primetime drama series, Gregory Nava's American Family.
   As we did this past year during our Election 2000 campaign coverage, we have continued to build a closer working relationship with our colleagues at National Public Radio so that the combined resources of PBS and NPR can be harnessed to realize the fullest promise of public broadcasting through joint reporting and production. Now with Bill Moyers, a timely and topical weekly program that debuts in January to provide context and meaning for the news of our time, will include weekly contributions from NPR.
   This year we bid a bittersweet farewell to Mr. Rogers, one of PBS's most enduring and beloved figures. While he has retired from his on-camera role in production, the library of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood programs continues to be an important part of our children's schedule. The magic that Fred Rogers brought to children's television and the vital contribution this great educator made in providing education, hope, love and understanding to young people for so many years is a lasting legacy. Indeed, in the aftermath of September 11, many PBS stations reached out to their communities by rebroadcasting special episodes of this series dealing with pain and loss. It was another way that public television reinforced one of its strongest messages: that we are all neighbors.
   As I review the fulfilling experiences of my first full year of service at PBS, I wish to extend my most heartfelt gratitude to the PBS Board of Directors and staff for their extraordinary commitment and dedication. My special thanks and appreciation go to Colin Campbell, who has been such a valued counselor to me. PBS has benefited greatly from his tireless leadership as a board member over the past seven years and as chairman during these last four years. At the same time I would like to welcome the current chairman of the board, Rex Adams. With his strong dedication to our mission, commitment to education, and wide-ranging expertise in business, Rex is the right individual to lead the PBS board, and I look forward to building on our strong working relationship.
   And our future will certainly build on the work we have done this past year. That is already clear to me. This was a year in which we devoted serious attention to focusing the inherent strengths of PBS and its tradition of service and innovation. That work served us - and America - well when the unexpected and unimaginable hit us with such force and fury. Now, as we face new and unaccustomed tasks in our communities and together as a nation, public television's abiding mission has become a great and urgent calling. Together, PBS and its member stations are ready and able to answer that call.