GOOD EVENING AND WELCOME TO KSPS PBS.

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR JOINING US HERE IN THE STUDIO AND TO EVERYONE WATCHING ONLINE OR ON TV ACROSS THE REGION.

I'M SKYLER REEPE, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER OF KSPS PBS, AND I'M DELIGHTED TO WELCOME YOU TO OUR STATION TOWN HALL.

WE'VE INVITED YOU HERE TONIGHT FOR A PRETTY STRAIGHTFORWARD REASON.

KSPS PBS BELONGS TO THIS COMMUNITY, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THAT COMES WITH AN OBLIGATION TO REPORT BACK HONESTLY ABOUT HOW WE'RE DOING AND WHAT WE'RE ACCOMPLISHING, AND WHERE WE'RE FALLING SHORT AND WHAT COMES NEXT.

AND THIS HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST CONSEQUENTIAL YEARS IN OUR NEARLY 60 YEAR HISTORY AT KSPS PBS.

AND I THINK THAT THESE FIVE NUMBERS KIND OF HELP US EXPLAIN WHY.

FIRST, WE LOST APPROXIMATELY $1.2 MILLION IN ANNUAL FEDERAL FUNDING.

THAT'S ABOUT 18% OF OUR OPERATING BUDGET.

SECOND, IN THE FACE OF THAT LOSS, OUR COMMUNITY STEPPED FORWARD WITH AN EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSE.

OVERALL, GIVING INCREASED APPROXIMATELY 13%, AN INCREASE OF ABOUT $1.5 MILLION.

THIRD, NEARLY 24,000 HOUSEHOLDS ARE DIRECTLY SUPPORTING KSPS PBS THROUGH MEMBERSHIP.

FOURTH, WE WELCOMED NEW 726 NEW CANADIAN DONORS AND ANOTHER 1221 CANADIAN DONORS RETURNED AFTER HAVING STOPPED GIVING.

THAT'S NEARLY 2000 NEW AND RETURNING CANADIAN SUPPORTERS.

AND FIFTH, OUR ESTIMATED AUDIENCE REACH NOW EXTENDS TO 2.3 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS ACROSS OUR ENTIRE SERVICE REGION.

THOSE NUMBERS TELL US SOMETHING IMPORTANT.

KSPS PBS IS FACING A VERY REAL FINANCIAL CHALLENGE, BUT IT'S ALSO SUPPORTED BY AN EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY.

AND THE WORK WE DO REACHES FAR BEYOND THE WALLS OF THIS BUILDING.

AND THAT REACH COMES WITH RESPONSIBILITY.

WE'RE NOT HERE TONIGHT JUST TO CELEBRATE OUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS, ALTHOUGH WE HAVE PLENTY TO BE TO BE PROUD OF.

WE'RE HERE TO EXPLAIN SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS AND TALK ABOUT CHALLENGES THAT REMAIN UNRESOLVED.

AND TO GIVE YOU A CLEARER UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT IT TAKES TO OPERATE YOUR PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

THERE'S BEEN AN ENORMOUS AMOUNT OF CONVERSATION ABOUT PUBLIC MEDIA OVER THE PAST YEAR.

SOME OF IT HAS BEEN INFORMATIVE AND SOME OF IT HAS BEEN CONFUSING.

SOME OF IT HAS REFLECTED FUNDAMENTAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT HOW PUBLIC BROADCASTING EVEN WORKS.

AND SO TONIGHT IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO PULL BACK THE CURTAIN.

I WANT YOU TO LEAVE KNOWING MORE ABOUT KSPS PBS THAN WHEN YOU ARRIVED, AND FEELING THAT YOU'VE HAD A GENUINE OPPORTUNITY TO ASK QUESTIONS OF THE PEOPLE ENTRUSTED WITH OPERATING IT.

SO LET'S START WITH WHAT CHANGED.

FOR DECADES, FEDERAL FUNDING HAS BEEN ONE PART OF THE FINANCIAL FOUNDATION OF PUBLIC BROADCASTING AT KSPS PBS.

IT REPRESENTED APPROXIMATELY $1.2 MILLION EACH YEAR WHEN CONGRESS ELIMINATED THAT FUNDING.

WE DIDN'T JUST LOSE REVENUE FOR ONE DIFFICULT YEAR, WE LOST A RECURRING SOURCE OF SUPPORT THAT HAD HELPED PAY FOR THE ONGOING WORK OF OPERATING A PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

AND THERE'S AN IMPORTANT DISTINCTION HERE.

THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING DIDN'T MEAN THE LOSS OF PBS.

WE'RE STILL A PBS MEMBER STATION.

WE STILL BRING YOU THE NATIONAL PROGRAMS THAT YOU KNOW AND LOVE, AND WE'RE STILL PRODUCING LOCAL PROGRAMS AND DELIVERING EDUCATIONAL SERVICES.

BUT WE NOW HAVE TO PAY FOR ALL OF THAT WITH SUBSTANTIALLY FEWER RESOURCES.

WE COULDN'T RESPONSIBLY ASSUME THAT DONATIONS WOULD IMMEDIATELY REPLACE EVERY DOLLAR, OR THAT FEDERAL FUNDING WOULD BE RESTORED IN TIME TO COVER OUR EXPENSES.

AND SO WE ACTED DECISIVELY.

WE ELIMINATED OR REDUCED SIX POSITIONS.

WE IMPLEMENTED COMPENSATION REDUCTIONS FOR SIX MORE.

WE REDUCED DEPARTMENTAL SPENDING AND DEFERRED CAPITAL INVESTMENTS.

WE ENDED OUR MEDIA MAKERS HIGH SCHOOL INTERNSHIP PROGRAM, AND WE REORGANIZED RESPONSIBILITIES THROUGHOUT THE STATION.

NOW I WANT TO BE CLEAR ABOUT SOMETHING.

THESE WEREN'T ABSTRACT BUDGET ADJUSTMENTS.

THEY AFFECTED REAL PEOPLE, TALENTED COLLEAGUES WHO HAD CONTRIBUTED TO THE STATION AND THIS COMMUNITY AND THE PEOPLE WHO REMAINED WERE ASKED TO CONTINUE THAT WORK WITH FEWER RESOURCES.

AND I DON'T WANT TO GLOSS OVER THAT COST.

BUT I ALSO BELIEVE WE HAD AN OBLIGATION TO PROTECT THE LONG TERM HEALTH OF THE ORGANIZATION.

WE COULDN'T ALLOW A SUDDEN LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING TO JEOPARDIZE THE PUBLIC SERVICE THAT THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE RELY UPON.

NOW, OUR APPROACH WAS TO PROTECT CORE SERVICES, MAKE DIFFICULT REDUCTIONS, AND PRESERVE THE ABILITY TO REBUILD.

WE ALSO BEGAN ADVOCATING FOR THE RESTORATION OF FEDERAL FUNDING AND WORKING WITH PUBLIC MEDIA COLLEAGUES ACROSS WASHINGTON TO EXPLORE STATE SUPPORT.

THESE EFFORTS ARE CONTINUING, BUT WE'RE NOT BUILDING OUR FINANCIAL PLANS AROUND THE ASSUMPTION THAT GOVERNMENT FUNDING WILL RETURN.

WE HAVE TO OPERATE RESPONSIBLY WITH THE RESOURCES WE KNOW WE HAVE, AND FORTUNATELY, THE COMMUNITY'S RESPONSE HAS BEEN MUCH STRONGER THAN WE MIGHT HAVE OTHERWISE HAD.

SO WHERE DO WE STAND TODAY?

THE ANSWER IS ENCOURAGING.

WITH SORRY, WITH SOME IMPORTANT QUALIFICATIONS, SOME IMPORTANT QUALIFICATIONS.

COMMUNITY GIVING DID INCREASE BY APPROXIMATELY 13%.

THE NUMBER OF MEMBER HOUSEHOLDS GREW BY 4% AND MAJOR GIVING INCREASED BY AN ASTONISHING 118%.

NOW, WHEN I SAY MAJOR GIVING, YOU MIGHT IMAGINE MILLIONAIRES WRITING SIX FIGURE CHECKS.

AND WHILE WE'RE CERTAINLY GRATEFUL FOR LARGE GIFTS, THAT'S NOT WHAT.

WHAT DEFINES A MAJOR GIFT AT KSPS FOR US, MAJOR GIVING IS ANY GIFT OF OVER $1,000, AND THE AVERAGE ANNUAL DONATION TO KSPS PBS IS ONLY ABOUT $110.

I THINK THAT'S IMPORTANT CONTEXT.

OUR FINANCIAL STRENGTH DOESN'T COME FROM A HANDFUL OF WEALTHY BENEFACTORS.

IT COMES FROM THOUSANDS, TENS OF THOUSANDS, ACTUALLY, OF PEOPLE MAKING CONTRIBUTIONS AT LEVELS THAT ARE MEANINGFUL FOR THEM.

SOME GIVE 5 OR $10 A MONTH, SOME GIVE $100 A YEAR, AND OTHERS ARE ABLE TO GIVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OR MORE.

AND WHEN FEDERAL FUNDING DISAPPEARED, PEOPLE ACROSS THE ENTIRE SPECTRUM STEPPED FORWARD.

THAT'S WHAT COMMUNITY SUPPORTED PUBLIC MEDIA LOOKS LIKE.

PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY INVESTED IN THIS INSTITUTION STEPPED FORWARD WITH EXTRAORDINARY GENEROSITY.

AND MANY PEOPLE WHO HAD NEVER SUPPORTED KSPS PBS BEFORE DECIDED THAT THIS WAS THE YEAR TO BEGIN.

AND OUR CANADIAN SUPPORTERS WERE ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF THAT RESPONSE.

WE SERVE COMMUNITIES ON BOTH SIDES OF THE 49TH PARALLEL.

THAT MEANS OUR AUDIENCE INCLUDES PEOPLE WITH DIFFERENT NATIONAL IDENTITIES, POLITICAL EXPERIENCES AND PERSPECTIVES, BUT THAT COME THAT CONNECTS THEM WITH AN APPRECIATION FOR THE EDUCATION, CULTURAL AND INFORMATIONAL SERVICES THAT KSPS PBS PROVIDES.

AND I'M GRATEFUL FOR THAT.

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT THE FINANCIAL PICTURE.

WE COMPLETED OUR FISCAL YEAR WITH APPROXIMATELY $6.5 MILLION IN REVENUE.

THAT'S A RECORD FOR KSPS PBS AND APPROXIMATELY $6.1 MILLION IN EXPENSES.

OUR BALANCE SHEET SHOWS APPROXIMATELY 12 POINT MILLION $12 MILLION IN TOTAL ASSETS, ANOTHER RECORD AGAINST AN APPROXIMATELY $2.6 MILLION IN LIABILITIES.

THESE ARE MEANINGFUL INDICATORS OF FINANCIAL STABILITY AND HEALTH.

BUT I WANT TO BE CAREFUL NOT TO SUGGEST THAT A RECORD FUNDRAISING YEAR MEANS THAT OUR FINANCIAL CHALLENGES HAVE DISAPPEARED.

SOME OF THE GENEROSITY WE SAW WAS AN EXTRAORDINARY RESPONSE TO AN EXTRAORDINARY EVENT, AND A ONE TIME EMERGENCY GIFT CAN HELP US WEATHER A DIFFICULT YEAR, BUT IT DOESN'T AUTOMATICALLY BECOME A RECURRING REVENUE.

AND OUR EXPENSES AREN'T ALL OPTIONAL.

WE HAVE PROGRAMING COMMITMENTS, STAFF FACILITIES, TRANSMISSION SYSTEMS, AND EQUIPMENT THAT MUST BE MAINTAINED WHETHER THE ECONOMY IS STRONG OR WEAK.

WE'VE ADOPTED A BALANCED BUDGET FOR THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, BUT THE BUDGET DOES DEPEND ON RETAINING A SUBSTANTIAL SHARE OF THAT OF THE DONORS THAT STEPPED FORWARD LAST YEAR.

AND THIS WILL REQUIRE REAL WORK.

WE NEED TO CONTINUE WELCOMING NEW MEMBERS, STRENGTHENING RELATIONSHIPS WITH EXISTING SUPPORTERS, AND GROW OUR MAJOR GIVING PROGRAM.

WE ALSO NEED TO DEMONSTRATE THAT CONTRIBUTIONS ARE BEING USED WISELY AND PRODUCING MEANINGFUL RESULTS.

SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS WE'RE HERE TONIGHT.

I WANT YOU TO UNDERSTAND JUST HOW MUCH MONEY KSPS PBS RAISES, BUT WHAT WE DO WITH IT AND WHY THE CHOICES.

WHY THOSE CHOICES MATTER.

A YEAR LIKE THIS FORCES AN ORGANIZATION TO MAKE CHOICES, AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE EXPLAIN THE THINKING BEHIND THOSE CHOICES.

THE FIRST WAS HOW TO REDUCE EXPENSES WITHOUT COMPROMISING ESSENTIAL SERVICES.

THOSE SERVICES THAT WE'RE HERE TO PROVIDE, IT MEANT PROTECTING OUR BROADCAST OPERATIONS, OUR EDUCATIONAL MISSION, AND OUR CAPACITY TO PRODUCE AND DISTRIBUTE TRUSTED PROGRAMING.

IT ALSO MEANT ACCEPTING THAT SOME WORTHWHILE ACTIVITIES WOULD HAVE TO BE REDUCED, POSTPONED OR REDESIGNED.

THE SECOND MAJOR DECISION WAS TO MOVE FORWARD WITH A NEW STRATEGIC PLAN.

WE DIDN'T WANT TO SPEND THE NEXT SEVERAL YEARS JUST REACTING TO THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING.

WE NEEDED TO ASK A BIGGER QUESTION WHAT SHOULD KSPS PBS BECOME IN ORDER TO SERVE THE REGION WELL FOR THE NEXT 60 YEARS?

AND I'LL RETURN TO THAT PLAN A LITTLE LATER.

WE'VE ALSO BEEN LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITIES TO RESTORE CAPACITY AND REINVEST STRATEGICALLY.

THAT INCLUDES REBUILDING SOME OF THE STAFFING CAPACITY WE LOST, MODERNIZING OUR SYSTEMS AND STRENGTHENING THE ABILITY TO SERVE THE COMMUNITY.

INTERNALLY, WE'VE BEEN IMPROVING OUR FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL MANAGEMENT SO THAT WE CAN MAKE BETTER DECISIONS, MEASURE RESULTS, AND USE OUR RESOURCES MORE EFFECTIVELY.

AND WE'RE ALSO EXPLORING DEEPER COLLABORATIONS WITH OUR COMMUNITY INSTITUTIONS.

PUBLIC MEDIA ORGANIZATIONS HAVE HISTORICALLY OPERATED WITH A GREAT DEAL OF INTERDEPENDENCE OF INDEPENDENCE.

EXCUSE ME, BUT A CHANGING FINANCIAL ENVIRONMENT MAKES IT MAKES IT MAKES SENSE FOR US TO ASK WHETHER WE CAN SHARE RESOURCES, REDUCE DUPLICATION, OR ACCOMPLISH MORE BY WORKING TOGETHER.

THAT DOESN'T MEAN EVERY POTENTIAL COLLABORATION WILL MAKE SENSE.

WE NEED TO EVALUATE OPPORTUNITIES CAREFULLY WITH OUR MISSION AND THE COMMUNITY INTERESTS AT THE CENTER.

AND WE'RE THINKING SERIOUSLY ABOUT FACILITIES AND INFRASTRUCTURE.

THIS BUILDING HAS SERVED KSPS PBS FOR DECADES, BUT OUR NEEDS HAVE CHANGED AND WE WANT TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR EDUCATION, PUBLIC PARTICIPATION, PRODUCTION, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

SO WE'RE EXPLORING WHAT THAT MIGHT LOOK LIKE OVER THE LONG TERM.

NONE OF THESE DECISIONS IS ABOUT GROWTH FOR ITS OWN SAKE.

IT'S ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT THE ORGANIZATION WE'RE BUILDING IS CAPABLE OF DELIVERING ON THE PROMISE WE MAKE TO THE COMMUNITY.

AND IT'S ABOUT BALANCING OUR RESPONSIBILITIES THAT SOMETIMES PULL IN DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS, PROTECTING OUR FINANCIAL STABILITY.

TODAY, INVESTING IN THE PUBLIC SERVICES PEOPLE WILL NEED TOMORROW.

I ALSO WANT TO SPEND JUST A MOMENT ON THE CHALLENGES THAT HAVEN'T GONE AWAY.

THE FIRST, OF COURSE, IS THE UNRESOLVED LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING.

WE ARE CONTINUING TO ADVOCATE FOR ITS RESTORATION, AND WE'RE WORKING WITH COLLEAGUES ACROSS WASHINGTON TO PURSUE A MORE DURABLE FUNDING MODEL AT THE STATE LEVEL.

BUT NEITHER OUTCOME IS GUARANTEED.

THE SECOND CHALLENGE IS HOW RAPIDLY MEDIA CONSUMPTION IS CHANGING.

PEOPLE HAVE MORE CHOICE THAN EVER BEFORE.

THEY WATCH TELEVISION DIFFERENTLY, THEY DISCOVER CONTENT DIFFERENTLY, AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHERE AND WHEN THEY CAN ACCESS INFORMATION.

FOR KSPS PBS, THAT MEANS WE NEED TO BE EXCELLENT AT TRADITIONAL BROADCASTING, WHILE ALSO MAKING OUR CONTENT AND SERVICES EASIER TO FIND AND USE ON DIGITAL PLATFORMS.

AT THE SAME TIME, OUR BROADCAST INFRASTRUCTURE IS AGING.

OUR SERVICE AREA STRETCHES ACROSS EASTERN WASHINGTON, NORTHERN IDAHO, WESTERN MONTANA, AND INTO CANADA.

MAINTAINING THAT HUGE NETWORK REQUIRES REQUIRES SPECIAL ENGINEERING EXPERTISE, EQUIPMENT, AND ONGOING INVESTMENT.

AND UNLIKE A STREAMING SERVICE FOR OVER-THE-AIR BROADCAST ARE AVAILABLE, OVER-THE-AIR BROADCAST IS AVAILABLE WITHOUT AN INTERNET CONNECTION, WITHOUT A SUBSCRIPTION, OR EVEN WITHOUT A MOBILE PHONE.

THAT MATTERS, PARTICULARLY IN RURAL COMMUNITIES AND DURING EMERGENCIES.

WE ALSO HAVE CAPACITY GAPS RESULTING FROM LAST YEAR'S REDUCTIONS.

OUR STAFF HAS DONE REMARKABLY WELL, BUT WE CANNOT EXPECT PEOPLE TO PEOPLE TO COMPENSATE INDEFINITELY FOR REDUCED RESOURCES.

THEN THERE'S THE CHALLENGE OF SERVING THAT EXTRAORDINARILY DIVERSE REGION.

OUR CROSS NATIONAL.

WE CROSS NATIONAL BOUNDARIES, GEOGRAPHIC BOUNDARIES, POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES, AND CULTURAL IDENTITIES.

NOT EVERYONE WILL AGREE WITH EVERY PROGRAMING DECISION THAT WE MAKE.

NOT EVERYONE WILL HAVE THE SAME EXPECTATIONS OF PUBLIC MEDIA.

BUT EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO EXPECT US TO ACT WITH INTEGRITY, TO LISTEN RESPECTFULLY, AND TO REMAIN FOCUSED ON OUR PUBLIC SERVICE MISSION.

TRUST ISN'T SOMETHING THAT WE GET TO CLAIM ONCE AND KEEP FOREVER.

WE HAVE TO EARN IT CONTINUALLY.

THAT'S ESPECIALLY TRUE AT A TIME WHEN CONFIDENCE IN INSTITUTIONS IS BEING TESTED.

OUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO REMAIN ACCESSIBLE, COMMUNITY CONNECTED, TRUSTWORTHY AND EDUCATIONAL.

THESE ARE THE.

THESE ARE OUR VALUES AND THE STANDARDS AGAINST WHICH WE HOPE YOU'LL JUDGE US.

NOW, I SPENT A FAIR AMOUNT OF TIME TALKING ABOUT MONEY AND CHALLENGES, BUT I DON'T WANT THAT TO OVERSHADOW WHAT WE HAVE BEEN, WHAT WE'VE ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED.

BECAUSE EVEN IN A DIFFICULT YEAR, KSPS PBS HAS DONE SOME REMARKABLE THINGS.

WE'VE COMPLETED A FISCAL YEAR WITHOUT FEDERAL FUNDING WHILE MAINTAINING OUR CORE SERVICES.

WE GREW COMMUNITY GIVING AND COMMUNITY GIVING AND BEGAN PUTTING OUR NEW STRATEGIC PLAN INTO PLACE.

WE PRODUCED THE FOURTH SEASON OF CIVICS BOWL, HELPING YOUNG PEOPLE DEVELOP THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF GOVERNMENT, PUBLIC POLICY AND CIVIC PARTICIPATION.

WE CONVENED COMMUNITY AROUND CONGRESSIONAL DEBATES, INCLUDING MORE THAN 30 RURAL WATCH PARTIES THAT ALLOWED PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE DISTRICT TO PARTICIPATE IN SHARED CIVIC EXPERIENCE.

AND WHEN DEVASTATING WILDFIRES STRUCK OUR REGION, WE RESPONDED.

TENS OF THOUSANDS OF OUR NEIGHBORS WERE DISPLACED.

FAMILIES LOST THEIR HOMES.

ONE OF OUR OWN COLLEAGUES LOST HIS HOME.

OUR TEAM HAS HELPED SHARE EMERGENCY INFORMATION, CONNECTED FAMILIES WITH EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES, SUPPORTED CHILDREN AFFECTED BY THE FIRES, AND WORKED WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO RESPECT THE NEEDS AS THEY EMERGED.

PUBLIC MEDIA THAT'S PUBLIC MEDIA AT ITS BEST.

NOT JUST TELLING PEOPLE WHAT'S HAPPENING, BUT HELPING COMMUNITIES RESPOND.

WE ALSO RESUMED LIVE PLEDGE PROGRAMING, STRENGTHENING OUR INTERNAL FINANCIAL AND OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP, AND MAINTAINS SERVICE ACROSS ONE OF THE MOST GEOGRAPHICALLY CHALLENGING BROADCAST FOOTPRINTS IN THE PBS SYSTEM.

AND WE'RE PREPARING TO CELEBRATE OUR 60TH ANNIVERSARY.

60 YEARS OF EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING, LOCAL STORYTELLING, TRUSTED INFORMATION, AND COMMUNITY CONNECTION.

I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WORTH CELEBRATING.

BUT I ALSO THINK THE MOST MEANINGFUL WAY TO HONOR THAT HISTORY IS TO MAKE KSPS PBS REMAIN RELEVANT, USEFUL, AND ACCESSIBLE FOR THE GENERATIONS THAT COME NEXT.

SO BEFORE WE TALK MORE ABOUT THE FUTURE, I WANT TO GIVE A GLIMPSE OF WHAT YOUR STATION HAS BEEN DOING, BECAUSE THE BEST WAY TO UNDERSTAND THE IMPACT OF KSPS PBS ISN'T THROUGH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.

I THINK IT'S BETTER TO SHOW YOU.

WE ARE CONNECTED THROUGH STORIES.

STORIES ABOUT LOVE, FAMILY, AND DISCOVERY.

AND IT'S MAGIC.

WHY?

IT BEGINS IN YOUR MIND.

IT BEGINS WITH YOUR THOUGHTS.

IT'S ABOUT CREATING AGAIN AND AGAIN.

THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING.

ARE WE READY TO BE DAZZLED?

SOME NEW BEGINNINGS.

IT'S SO INCREDIBLE HERE.

THIS PLACE BUILT ME FROM THE GROUND UP.

NEW BEGINNINGS.

SO OPEN YOUR EYES, YOUR EYES.

YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT, YOU'RE RIGHT.

COME ON.

WE'VE GOT WORK TO DO.

THIS YEAR, KSPS PBS PARTNERED WITH SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS TO BRING CODING, CREATIVITY AND HANDS ON LEARNING TO STUDENTS ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.

THROUGH THESE EXPERIENCES, STUDENTS EXPLORED NEW IDEAS, BUILD CONFIDENCE, AND DISCOVERED NEW POSSIBILITIES FOR THEIR FUTURE.

TOGETHER, WE'RE INSPIRING THE NEXT GENERATION OF THINKERS, CREATORS, AND PROBLEM SOLVERS, AND IT'S ALL MADE POSSIBLE BY YOU.

THANK YOU.

HELLO, I'M ANGELA RILEY, THE EDUCATION DIRECTOR HERE AT KSPS PBS.

PBS IS A NATIONALLY TRUSTED BRAND, AND OUR JOB IN EDUCATION IS TO MAKE THAT TRUST REAL.

WHILE PBS HAS BEEN THE MOST TRUSTED MEDIA NETWORK IN AMERICA FOR OVER 22 YEARS, KSPS PBS HAS BEEN BUILDING COMMUNITY TRUST FOR OVER 60 YEARS.

THROUGH OUR INNOVATIVE EDUCATION AND PRODUCTION MATERIALS EDUCATION AT KSPS.

PBS IS MORE THAN PROGRAMS.

IT'S ABOUT BECOMING A TRUSTED PART OF A FAMILY'S COMMUNITY.

THE MOST MEANINGFUL PART OF OUR EDUCATION WORK IS THAT WE GET TO KNOW THE FAMILIES THAT COME TO OUR EVENTS.

THE FAMILIES IN THESE PHOTOS EACH HAVE THEIR OWN STORY.

THEY ARE WORKING THROUGH LIFE'S CHALLENGES OF GRIEF, CHILD DISENGAGEMENT, AND LEARNING CHALLENGES.

HOWEVER, I'D LIKE TO TELL YOU ANOTHER STORY TONIGHT AT ONE OF OUR FAMILY AND COMMUNITY LEARNING EVENTS, A MOM ARRIVED PUSHING A STROLLER WITH TWO OTHER CHILDREN BESIDE HER WHILE PREGNANT WITH TWINS.

ONE OF HER BOYS HAD BEEN PARTICIPATING IN A SUMMER CAMP A FEW YEARS EARLIER, AND SHE REMEMBERED THE POSITIVE EXPERIENCE.

SHE WALKED SEVERAL BLOCKS TO GET THERE BECAUSE SHE WANTED HER CHILDREN TO HAVE A FUN, SAFE PLACE TO SPEND THE EVENING.

A FEW MONTHS LATER, WE RETURNED TO THE SAME COMMUNITY AND SHE CAME BACK AGAIN, THIS TIME WITH HER NEWBORN TWINS.

SHE HAD TO WALK TO THE EVENT ONCE MORE, BUT WHAT REALLY STAYED WITH ME WAS WHY SHE KEPT COMING.

SHE KNEW HER FAMILY WOULD BE WELCOMED, SHE KNEW THERE WOULD BE FOOD AND SHE KNEW HER CHILDREN WOULD BE SAFE, ENGAGED, AND LEARNING WHILE HAVING FUN.

AND THAT IS WHAT OUR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS REALLY BUILDING.

WE MAY BEGIN WITH THE PBS KIDS ACTIVITY, A FAMILY LEARNING NIGHT OR A SUMMER CAMP.

BUT OVER TIME WE ARE BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS AND TRUST WITH FAMILIES.

AND WHEN FAMILIES CHOOSE TO RETURN AGAIN AND AGAIN, WE KNOW WE ARE CREATING MORE THAN AN EVENT.

WE ARE CREATING A PLACE WHERE THEY FEEL CONNECTED, SUPPORTED, AND A PLACE THEY BELONG.

LAST YEAR, OUR EDUCATION DEPARTMENT REACHED OVER 4000 PEOPLE, AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE LAST YEAR.

AT A FUTURE DAY EVENT, WE HAD OVER 800 PARTICIPANTS.

AND BE SURE THAT YOU JOIN US THIS YEAR IN FEBRUARY OF 2027, WHERE THE EVENT WILL BE EVEN BIGGER AND BETTER.

WE HOSTED 11 FAMILY NIGHT EVENTS WHERE WE REACHED OVER 750 PEOPLE, AND DURING THE DEVASTATING AUGUST WILDFIRES, WE JOINED THE PARK DAY CAMP SUPPORTING DISPLACED FAMILIES WITH IN-PERSON ACTIVITIES.

WE ALSO PROVIDED OVER 1500 SESAME WORKSHOP MATERIALS TO NINE MILE FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND THE SPOKANE FIRE DEPARTMENT.

AND THAT'S NOT ALL WE DID.

WE ALSO REACHED FAMILIES THROUGH COMMUNITY EVENTS AND BY SHARING EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES.

BUT WE CAN'T DO THIS WORK BY OURSELVES.

WE WORK WITH A VARIETY OF COMMUNITY PARTNERS SPOKANE PUBLIC SCHOOLS, SPOKANE PUBLIC LIBRARY, SPOKANE COUNTY LIBRARY DISTRICT, SPOKANE FIRE DEPARTMENT, SPARK CENTRAL NORTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER, AND A VARIETY OF PRESCHOOLS AND OTHER EARLY ELEMENTARY ORGANIZATIONS.

WE ALREADY HAVE 22 ENGAGEMENT EVENTS ON THE CALENDAR FOR THIS YEAR, AND WHICH INCLUDE WORKING WITH GONZAGA STUDENTS TO CREATE COMMUNITY EVENTS.

WE HAVE 16 WATCH AND PLAY PRESCHOOL SCREENERS WITH LIBRARY PARTNERS, SIX FAMILY NIGHTS IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, AND OUR PBS KIDS SCRATCH.

JUNIOR CLASSES ARE CURRENTLY IN SEVEN SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE TWO KINDERGARTEN WORKSHOP READINESS WORKSHOPS IN WHITMAN COUNTY.

THIS YEAR, WE'RE EXPANDING OUR IN-PERSON OPPORTUNITIES IN WHITMAN COUNTY, WHERE WE WILL BE PARTNERING WITH LOCAL ORGANIZATIONS TO MAKE THIS POSSIBLE.

SO WHAT'S NEXT IN THE SPOKANE AREA?

OVER 50% OF CHILDREN ENTERING KINDERGARTEN CANNOT PASS THE KINDERGARTEN READINESS TEST.

TO COMBINE THAT STATISTIC, WE ARE DEVELOPING A NEW KINDERGARTEN READINESS PROGRAM GUIDED BY AN ADVISORY COUNCIL OF EDUCATORS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

WE WANT TO GIVE CHILDREN AND CAREGIVERS ENGAGING EXPERIENCES, TRUSTED RESOURCES, AND PRACTICAL TOOLS THAT WILL HELP BUILD CONFIDENCE AND READINESS FOR SCHOOL.

WE WILL PILOT THIS PROGRAM IN THE SPRING, AND IT WILL BE AVAILABLE THIS SUMMER FOR THE NEW CLASS OF KINDERGARTNERS.

OUR SCHOOLS, FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES ARE FACING REAL CHALLENGES, AND THAT MEANS OUR WORK MUST CHANGE TOO.

WE WILL LISTEN, ADAPT AND CONTINUE FINDING MEANINGFUL WAYS TO BUILD.

BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER, SUPPORT FAMILIES, AND CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR CHILDREN TO LEARN, BELONG AND THRIVE.

AND THIS IS HOW WE BUILD A STRONGER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

LEARNING DOESN'T JUST HAPPEN IN ONE PLACE.

THROUGH PROGRAMS LIKE GAME QUEST, FUTURE DAY AND FAMILY NIGHTS, KSPS PBS IS CREATING HANDS ON EXPERIENCES THAT INSPIRE CURIOSITY, CREATIVITY, AND CONNECTION FOR CHILDREN AND FAMILIES ACROSS OUR COMMUNITY.

FROM EXPLORING NEW IDEAS TO LEARNING THROUGH PLAY, THESE MOMENTS HELP BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER BECAUSE WHEN A COMMUNITY COMES TOGETHER, LEARNING REACHES FAR BEYOND THE CLASSROOM.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR ATTENDING THIS TONIGHT.

AND THANK YOU TO YOU FOLKS WATCHING WHEREVER YOU ARE.

I'M KSPS PBS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER JIM ZIMMER.

THE PAST YEAR HAS BEEN ANOTHER BUSY AND CREATIVE ONE FOR THE PBS PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT.

FROM ORIGINAL LOCAL PROGRAMING AND COMMUNITY STORYTELLING TO PUBLIC AFFAIRS AND DIGITAL MEDIA, OUR TEAM HAS BEEN INVOLVED IN A WIDE RANGE OF PROJECTS THAT CONNECT WITH THE PEOPLE AND THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

DESPITE STAFF REDUCTIONS, WE'VE MAINTAINED A ROBUST PRODUCTION SCHEDULE AND EVEN EXPANDED OUR COVERAGE OF CURRENT EVENTS.

WE'VE TACKLED DIFFICULT COMMUNITY ISSUES, HELPED VIEWERS MAKE SENSE OF ELECTIONS, SHOWCASED REGIONAL MUSICIANS, BROUGHT STUDENTS INTO THE WORLD OF CIVICS, AND CONTINUED TELLING THE STORIES OF THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE OUR REGION SPECIAL.

I'D LIKE TO SHOW YOU WHAT THAT WORK LOOKS LIKE, INTRODUCE THE PEOPLE BEHIND IT AND GIVE YOU A GLIMPSE OF WHAT'S COMING NEXT.

ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT ROLES IS HELPING OUR COMMUNITY MAKE SENSE OF COMPLICATED ISSUES AT ISSUE.

OUR CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM PROVIDED A THOROUGH EXAMINATION OF PFAS CHEMICALS IN WELLS ON THE WEST PLAINS, BRINGING TOGETHER PERSPECTIVES FROM GOVERNMENT, THE AIRPORT AND AFFECTED LANDOWNERS.

AND THE CONVERSATIONS DIDN'T END WHEN THE PROGRAM AIRED.

OUR WEBSITE, BLOG AND PODCASTS HAVE CONTINUED THE COVERAGE.

TWO AT ISSUE PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON STATE GOVERNMENT.

SPEAKING WITH LOCAL LEGISLATORS BEFORE AND AFTER THIS YEAR'S SESSION IN OLYMPIA, AND WE REVISITED THE HOMELESS SITUATION IN DOWNTOWN SPOKANE FOR AN UPDATE ON HOW CHANGES IN CITY POLICY HAVE AFFECTED CONDITIONS FOR BUSINESS OWNERS, THE UNHOUSED AND THE GENERAL PUBLIC HEALTH MATTERS HAS ALWAYS BEEN INTERACTING WITH LOCAL MEDICAL EXPERTS, PROVIDING HEALTH ADVICE FOR OVER 20 YEARS, AND THAT PROGRAM PROFILED PROFILED CARE PROVIDERS THAT ARE HELPING THE UNINSURED AND THE UNHOUSED.

IN SPOKANE, WE ALSO SPOKE FICTION.

I SPOKE, SPOKE FACT TO FICTION ABOUT VACCINES, AUTISM AND INTERNET HEALTH INFLUENCERS.

AND THEN THERE'S ELECTION COVERAGE.

WE TOOK THE TEMPERATURE OF LOCAL POLITICS, AND WITH RANGE MEDIA, RAISED THE HEAT LITERALLY.

OUR ELECTION COVERAGE THIS YEAR INCLUDED LIVE STREAMING ON YOUTUBE, THEIR SPICIEST CANDIDATE FORUM, WHERE CANDIDATES SUFFERED INCREASINGLY HOTTER CHICKEN WINGS WITH EACH QUESTION.

WE ALSO LIVE STREAMED A FORUM FOR TEN OF THE CONGRESSIONAL CANDIDATES IN THE PRIMARY AND BROADCAST THE BAUMGARTNER CONROY DEBATE AT THE BING FOR DEBATES WITH CANDIDATES RUNNING FOR LOCAL AND STATE OFFICES WERE TAPED HERE LAST WEEK, AND COMPREHENSIVE ELECTION PRIMER IS AIRING TONIGHT AT SEVEN.

SET YOUR VIEWING.

DIFFERENT FORMATS.

SAME GOAL HELPING VOTERS MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS.

WE'RE ALSO FINDING NEW WAYS TO REACH LEARNERS, WHETHER THEY'RE COMPETING IN A STUDIO, WATCHING A PUPPET SHOW, OR EXPLORING CAREER OPTIONS.

ONLINE CIVICS BOWL OUR COMPETITION FOR HIGH SCHOOL TEAMS THAT TEST THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF HISTORY, GOVERNMENT AND THE CONSTITUTION RETURNED AFTER A HIATUS FOR THE FOURTH SEASON, EIGHT SPOKANE AREA TEAMS COMPETED WITH A RIDGELINE, ULTIMATELY CLAIMING THE TROPHY.

SCOTT LEDINGHAM REPLACED RETIRED SHOW HOST GARY STOKES AND DID A FANTASTIC JOB RELATING WITH THE TEAMS.

THE LEAGUE OF WOMEN VOTERS HELPED RESEARCH THE QUESTIONS AND NEW.

THIS YEAR WE HAD COLLEGE PROFESSORS FROM WAZOO AND WHITWORTH AT THE JUDGES TABLE, AND IN AN UNUSUAL AND INSPIRED PAIRING BETWEEN EDUCATION DIRECTOR ANGELA RILEY AND PRODUCER LEILA ISAACSON, CIVICS SCHOOL WAS BORN, SHOWCASING THE HIDDEN TALENTS OF MANY OF OUR STAFF PUPPETS.

ASKED ANGELA AND SPECIAL GUEST, SPOKANE COUNTY AUDITOR VICKY DALTON QUESTIONS ABOUT VOTER REGISTRATION AND HER JOB AS COUNTY AUDITOR.

AND I'D LIKE TO WELCOME LUCY.

HI, JIM.

HOW ARE YOU DOING TONIGHT?

OH, HAVING A GREAT TIME.

THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

HEY, I'VE GOT MY BALLOT READY TO GO.

I'VE JUST GOT TO FIND A DROP BOX.

OH, THERE'S ONE OVER BY THE LIBRARY.

I JUST SAW IT BY THE LIBRARY.

OKAY.

ALL RIGHT.

THANK YOU VERY MUCH.

YOU BET.

ALL RIGHT, ALL RIGHT.

ADIOS.

AS I SAID, MANY HIDDEN TALENTS ON THE STAFF AND YOU'VE JUST WITNESSED.

I DON'T KNOW IF YOU ACTUALLY DID WITNESS ANY.

THIS IS ONE EXAMPLE OF OUR COMMITMENT TO INCREASING OUR EXPOSURE ON SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS AND FORMATTING OUR CONTENT TO MEET THE PREFERENCES OF AUDIENCES ON FACEBOOK, YOUTUBE AND INSTAGRAM.

AND IN THIS CASE, THE MESSAGES ARE DIRECTED AT A TEEN AUDIENCE UNLIKELY TO SEE IT ON TV OR THE PBS APP.

IF WE WANT TO REACH OUR YOUNGER AUDIENCES, WE HAVE TO MEET THEM WHERE THEY ALREADY ARE AND CREATE CONTENT THAT WORKS ON THEIR PLATFORMS.

FISHING WHERE THE FISH ARE AND THE FISH HAVE BEEN BITING.

WHEN WE USE JOBS AS BAIT, CAREER EXPLORER NORTHWEST IS ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF HOW WE'RE EXTENDING KSPS PBS EDUCATIONAL MISSION BEYOND TELEVISION.

THIS FREE ONLINE RESOURCE SUPPORTS HELPING YOUTH TOWARD MAKING AN INFORMED DECISION ABOUT THEIR CAREER PATH.

CAREER EXPLORER NORTHWEST TO DATE HAS HIGHLIGHTED 190 UNIQUE EASTERN WASHINGTON CAREERS, GENERATED OVER HALF A MILLION VIDEO VIEWS, VIEWS, AND IS EXPANDING TO NEW COMMUNITIES.

OF COURSE, INFORMING PEOPLE ISN'T OUR ONLY JOB.

SOMETIMES WE WANT TO JUST TURN UP THE VOLUME.

IT'S A GOOD EXCUSE TO LET YOUR FEELINGS RUN WILD.

ELLEN SESSIONS WAS CREATED TO SHOWCASE THE MUSICAL TALENT IN OUR REGION, AND IN THE LAST YEAR, 24 PERFORMANCES WERE TAPED RIGHT HERE IN THIS STUDIO COUNTRY, ROCK, JAZZ, ELECTRONIC DANCE AND A POETRY EPISODE ARE ALL INCLUDED IN THE CURRENT SEASON.

HOW IS THAT FOR VARIETY NOW?

IN OUR SEVENTH SEASON, WE HAVE PROVIDED HUNDREDS OF ARTISTS A PLATFORM FOR EXPRESSION AND THE OPPORTUNITY TO GROW THEIR AUDIENCE AND REACHING INTO THE RANKS OF HIGH SCHOOL MUSICIANS.

WE WILL RECORD AND STREAM HIGH SCHOOL CONCERTS AND GRADUATIONS.

SPOKANE SCHOOLS HAVE TERRIFIC MUSIC PROGRAMS, AND WE ARE HAPPY TO GIVE THEM VERY PROFESSIONAL, QUALITY COVERAGE OF THEIR CONCERTS.

LIVE STREAMING.

THESE EVENTS ALLOW DISTANT FAMILY MEMBERS, SUCH AS GRANDPARENTS, TO SEE THE EXCITEMENT AND THEIR APPRECIATION MAKES THIS COMMUNITY SERVICE A FULFILLING OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STATION STAFF.

THE LAST PRODUCTION I WISH TO MENTION HOLDS A SPECIAL PLACE IN THE PANTHEON OF KSPS.

PBS NORTHWEST PROFILES ENTERS ITS 40TH SEASON NEXT WEEK, WHETHER IN SPOKANE OR EDMONTON, NORTH IDAHO OR WESTERN MONTANA.

PROFILE STORIES HAVE ALWAYS FOCUSED ON YOUR FRIENDS, YOUR NEIGHBORS, MANY WITH HIDDEN TALENTS AND MANY OF THE ORGANIZATIONS THAT ELEVATE THE COMMUNITIES WE SERVE.

THIS SERVANT THIS SEASON WILL INCLUDE SOME LOOK BACKS AT PAST STORIES, AND WE HOPE TO HAVE A CULMINATING EVENT NEXT SPRING, COINCIDING WITH THE STATION'S 60TH ANNIVERSARY.

NOW, HERE'S A LOOK AT THE PEOPLE WHO MAKE ALL THIS HAPPEN.

THIS TEAM WORKS ACROSS MULTIPLE PRODUCTIONS, OFTEN JUGGLING PROJECTS THAT RANGE FROM PUBLIC AFFAIRS TO MUSIC AND COMMUNITY STORYTELLING.

LOOK BACK AT THIS YEAR.

WHAT STANDS OUT TO ME IS THE SHEER VARIETY OF OUR WORK OUR TEAM MADE POSSIBLE.

WE COVER DIFFICULT COMMUNITY ISSUES, HELP PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR GOVERNMENT, SHOWCASE LOCAL ARTISTS, SUPPORT EDUCATION, AND TELL THE STORIES OF OUR NEIGHBORS.

THIS COMING MONTHS WILL BRING MORE OPPORTUNITIES AND MORE CHALLENGES.

BUT THIS PAST YEAR HAS DEMONSTRATED THE CREATIVITY, ADAPTABILITY AND COMMITMENT OF THE PEOPLE IN THIS DEPARTMENT AND THROUGHOUT THE STATION.

I'M PROUD OF WHAT WE'VE ACCOMPLISHED TOGETHER, AND I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO WHAT WE DO NEXT.

THANK YOU.

TODAY, WE'RE INUNDATED WITH NEWS, BUT TRUSTING WHAT YOU HEAR OR SEE.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT STORY.

GOOD EVENING.

I'M AMNA NAWAZ AND I'M GEOFF BENNETT AT PBS.

TRUST MEANS INFORMATION WITH MORE CONTEXT.

WHAT SHOULD AMERICANS UNDERSTAND ABOUT THIS CONFLICT.

MORE QUESTIONS.

WHAT IS THE IMPACT OF THAT DECISION?

MORE LISTENING.

IT'S ALWAYS GOOD TO HAVE DISCUSSIONS TOGETHER AND MORE TIME FOR YOU TO UNDERSTAND.

THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES THAT WE HAVE TO SORT OUT, AND THERE'S NO EASY WAY TO DO IT.

WE WILL CONFRONT ALL SORTS OF HARD CHOICES.

DID THIS CHAOS UNDERMINE PROGRESS?

WHEN THE NOISE GETS LOUD AND FACTS ARE HARD TO SEE, THERE'S ONE PLACE YOU CAN TRUST.

HELLO, I'M IAN MIKOSCH, THE DIRECTOR OF ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS HERE AT KSPS PBS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I APPRECIATE MOST ABOUT THIS DEPARTMENT IS THAT WE'RE WILLING TO CHALLENGE THE STATUS QUO.

WE DON'T ASSUME THAT JUST BECAUSE SOMETHING HAS ALWAYS BEEN DONE A CERTAIN WAY, THAT IT'S THE BEST WAY.

WE REGULARLY EVALUATE OUR WORKFLOWS, SYSTEMS, AND PROCESSES TO FIND OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.

SOMETIMES THOSE CHANGES ARE SMALL, AND SOMETIMES THEY FUNDAMENTALLY IMPROVE HOW WE OPERATE.

ENGINEERING AND OPERATIONS IS, AT ITS CORE, A PROBLEM SOLVING DEPARTMENT.

EVERY DAY WE FACE CHALLENGES, AND EVERY DAY WE WORK TO OVERCOME THEM.

RATHER THAN FOCUSING ON LIMITATIONS, WE FOCUS ON SOLUTIONS, WHETHER IT'S IMPROVING WORKFLOWS, INCREASING RELIABILITY, OR BUILDING NEW CAPABILITIES.

OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP THE ORGANIZATION MOVING FORWARD.

INNOVATION COMES FROM EXPERIMENTATION.

SOME OF THE BEST SOLUTIONS HAVE COME FROM TESTING NEW IDEAS AND LEARNING FROM WHAT DIDN'T WORK, AND THEN REFINING OUR APPROACH OVER TIME.

WHILE FAILURE ISN'T THE GOAL, CONTINUOUS LEARNING IS, AND EVERY LESSON BUILDS US, HELPS BRING US SOMETHING BETTER.

ONE AREA WHERE WE'VE BEEN ESPECIALLY INNOVATIVE IS BRINGING TRAFFIC AND PLAYOUT CLOSER TOGETHER BY CONNECTING WORKFLOWS THAT HISTORICALLY OPERATED INDEPENDENTLY, WE CREATED A MORE EFFICIENT PROCESS THAT REDUCED OPPORTUNITIES FOR HUMAN ERROR.

THAT AUTOMATION HELPED MODERNIZE OUR MASTER CONTROL OPERATIONS AND INFLUENCED HOW BOTH PBS AND OTHERS IN OUR INDUSTRY THINK ABOUT WORKFLOW INTEGRATION.

NOW, AUTOMATION ISN'T ABOUT REPLACING PEOPLE.

IT'S ABOUT REDUCING REPETITIVE TASKS SO OUR STAFF CAN FOCUS ON MORE MEANINGFUL WORK.

THE TIME WE SAVE ALLOWS US TO IMPROVE RELIABILITY, STRENGTHEN PUBLIC SAFETY EFFORTS, SUPPORT PRODUCTION, AND BETTER SERVE OUR VIEWERS.

AUTOMATION HELPS US FOCUS OUR EXPERTISE WHERE IT CREATES THE GREATEST VALUE.

KSPS PBS SERVES A DIVERSE REGION AND OUR SUCCESS DEPENDS ON STRONG PARTNERSHIPS.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH SCHOOLS, EMERGENCY MANAGERS, LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, TELECOMMUNICATION PROVIDERS, COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS, AND PUBLIC MEDIA PARTNERS TO BETTER SERVE THE COMMUNITIES THAT RELY ON US.

AND MANY PEOPLE DON'T REALIZE THE SIZE OF OUR SERVICE AREA.

KSPS PBS REACHES VIEWERS ACROSS MULTIPLE STATES AND WELL INTO CANADA, AND SUPPORTING THAT COVERAGE TAKES SIGNIFICANT INFRASTRUCTURE, COORDINATION AND COMMITMENT.

THE WORK WE DO IMPACTS COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT THE INLAND NORTHWEST AND BEYOND.

EVERYTHING STARTS WITH A RELIABLE BROADCASTING, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING, EMERGENCY ALERTS, COMMUNITY STORIES AND PUBLIC SERVICE ALL DEPEND ON OUR ABILITY TO KEEP KSPS PBS ON THE AIR.

OUR INFRASTRUCTURE PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION THAT MAKES OUR MISSION POSSIBLE.

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT AND ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT RESPONSIBILITIES IS SUPPORTING EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS.

THROUGH OUR EAS PARTNERSHIPS, WE HELP ENSURE CRITICAL INFORMATION REACHES COMMUNITIES DURING EMERGENCIES, STRENGTHENING PUBLIC SAFETY ACROSS OUR REGION.

WHEN SOMETHING BREAKS, ENGINEERING IS EXPECTED TO RESPOND, WHETHER IT'S A TRANSMITTER ISSUE, NETWORK OUTAGE, PRODUCTION PROBLEM OR FACILITY CONCERN, OUR TEAM IS RESPONSIBLE FOR RESTORING SERVICE AND KEEPING CSPS ON THE AIR.

WE ARE WHO YOU CALL WHEN YOU NEED HELP.

OVER THE YEARS, WE'VE BECOME A TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS EASTERN WASHINGTON FROM BROADCASTERS, TOWER OPERATORS AND EMERGENCY MANAGERS AND COMMUNITY PARTNERS.

PEOPLE KNOW THAT THEY CAN COUNT ON OUR TEAM TO HELP SOLVE COMPLEX PROBLEMS AND KEEP CRITICAL SYSTEMS RUNNING.

IN MANY WAYS, OUR DEPARTMENT FUNCTIONS AS A NETWORK OPERATIONS CENTER FOR THE INLAND NORTHWEST.

WE MONITOR CRITICAL SYSTEMS, MANAGE REMOTE INFRASTRUCTURE, MAINTAIN CONNECTIVITY BETWEEN SITES, AND RESPOND TO ISSUES THAT IMPACT NOT ONLY KSPS VIEWERS, BUT VIEWERS ACROSS MULTIPLE BROADCASTERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION.

OUR RESPONSIBILITIES EXTEND WELL OVER.

BEYOND OVER-THE-AIR TELEVISION.

WE WORK CLOSELY WITH CABLE PROVIDERS THROUGHOUT THE REGION TO ENSURE VIEWERS CAN ACCESS KSPS, PBS AND OUR PARTNERS PROGRAMING RELIABLY.

MANY COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS RELY ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE AT OUR TOWER SITES.

MAINTAINING THOSE SITES TAKES EXPERTISE, PLANNING AND ONGOING EFFORT.

KSPS PBS ENGINEERING SUPPORTS MORE THAN 30 TOWER SITES ACROSS THE REGION, HELPING KEEPING MULTIPLE BROADCASTERS ON THE AIR AND ENSURING RELIABLE SERVICE FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

HARSH WORKING CONDITIONS.

WE.

THE WORK WE DO DOES NOT ALWAYS HAPPEN IN AN OFFICE.

OUR ENGINEERS REGULARLY TRAVEL TO REMOTE TOWER SITES, WORK IN CHALLENGING CONDITIONS, AND RESPOND TO ISSUES WHEREVER THEY OCCUR.

THAT COMMITMENT IS ESSENTIAL TO KEEPING OUR SERVICE RELIABLE AND OUR COMMUNITIES CONNECTED.

BROADCASTING DOES NOT FOLLOW A TRADITIONAL SCHEDULE, AND NEITHER DO KSPS, PBS OPERATORS OR ENGINEERS.

OUR OPERATIONS TEAM COVERS STATION OPERATIONS ON WEEKENDS AND HOLIDAYS, AND LIKEWISE, OUTAGES AND EMERGENCIES CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME.

SO OUR ENGINEERING TEAM SOMETIMES WORKS NIGHTS, WEEKENDS, HOLIDAYS AND AFTER HOURS TO KEEP KSPS, PBS AND OUR PARTNERS OPERATING RELIABLY.

WITH THIS WORK COMES SIGNIFICANT RESPONSIBILITY.

COMMUNITIES DEPEND ON OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, WHETHER SUPPORTING EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMING OR PUBLIC SERVICE INITIATIVES.

OUR TEAM TAKES THAT RESPONSIBILITY SERIOUSLY AND REMAINS COMMITTED TO SUPPORTING THE MISSION OF KSPS PBS.

TECHNOLOGY CONTINUES TO EVOLVE AND MAINTAIN KSPS PBS SIGNAL REQUIRES STRATEGIC INVESTMENT.

WE REGULARLY EVALUATE OUR EQUIPMENT, WORKFLOWS AND SYSTEMS TO IDENTIFY OPPORTUNITIES THAT IMPROVE RELIABILITY, EFFICIENCY, AND SERVICE ACROSS OUR VIEWERS.

CYBERSECURITY HAS BECOME A CRITICAL PART OF MODERN BROADCASTING, PROTECTING OUR INFRASTRUCTURE, CONTENT, AND BUSINESS SYSTEMS REQUIRES ONGOING VIGILANCE AND INVESTMENT, AND PLAYS A KEY ROLE IN MAINTAINING RELIABLE OPERATIONS.

ONE OF THE INITIATIVES THAT I'M MOST PROUD OF IS OUR PARTNERSHIP WITH SPOKANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE.

IT GIVES STUDENTS REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE WHILE HELPING BUILD THE NEXT GENERATION OF BROADCAST PROFESSIONALS.

THE BROADCAST INDUSTRY FACES A GROWING WORKFORCE CHALLENGE AS EXPERIENCED PROFESSIONALS RETIRE AND FEWER PEOPLE ARE ENTERING BROADCAST ENGINEER CAREERS.

WE'RE HELPING ADDRESS THAT GAP BY INVESTING IN THE NEXT GENERATION.

NOW, OUR GOAL IS NOT SIMPLY TO MAINTAIN TODAY'S SYSTEMS.

OUR GOAL IS TO PREPARE THE NEXT GENERATION OF ENGINEERS, OPERATORS, TECHNICIANS AND INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WILL CONTINUE SERVING THIS COMMUNITY FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

AND THAT'S HOW WE'RE BUILDING STRONGER COMMUNITIES TOGETHER.

ULTIMATELY, EVERYTHING WE DO COMES BACK TO SERVICE, WHETHER WE'RE MAINTAINING TRANSMITTERS, STRENGTHENING CYBERSECURITY, SUPPORTING STUDENTS, EXPANDING EMERGENCY COMMUNICATIONS, OR IMPROVING WORKFLOWS.

OUR OBJECTIVE IS TO ENSURE KSPS PBS.

PBS REMAINS A STRONG, RELIABLE, AND TRUSTED RESOURCE FOR THE COMMUNITIES THAT WE SERVE.

ONE OF THE POWERFUL REALITIES IS WE EMBRACE CHANGE, BUT WE ALSO HAVE THESE TRADITIONS THAT NEVER GO AWAY.

ALL OF THIS INFORMATION I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW EXISTED.

OH, I GET GOOSEBUMPS.

AMERICAN MUSIC QUICKLY WAS BECOMING BLACK MUSIC BECAUSE THAT'S THE ROOTS OF ROCK AND ROLL.

THE FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION, WAGING A RELENTLESS WARFARE AGAINST CRIME AND CRIMINALS.

NO PLACE IN THE HISTORY OF THE EARTH HAS REMADE ITSELF MORE RESILIENTLY THAN NEW YORK.

THEY CAME AT A TIME WHEN YOU CAN REALLY SAY A LOT OF AMERICANS NEEDED THEM.

GET OUT OF MY ROOM.

THEY'RE PUTTING TOGETHER THE PIECES TO TELL THE CORRECT STORY.

THIS IS WHO WE ARE.

THERE ARE SO MANY FOUNDING FATHERS AND MOTHERS THAT ARE BEING OVERLOOKED.

THERE ARE TWO HIDDEN DOORS.

I LOVE A HIDDEN DOOR.

YES.

DO YOU WANT TO GO THERE?

YES, I DO.

OKAY.

THANK YOU TO OUR TEAM FOR SHARING SOME OF THEIR WORK HERE TONIGHT.

I REALLY HOPE THOSE PRESENTATIONS HAVE HELPED ILLUSTRATE SOMETHING THAT WE'VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT THROUGHOUT THE EVENING.

KSPS PBS IS MUCH MORE THAN A TELEVISION CHANNEL.

WE'RE AN EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION, A LOCAL STORYTELLING ORGANIZATION, A CONVENER OF CIVIC CONVERSATIONS, AND AN ESSENTIAL PART OF THE COMMUNICATIONS INFRASTRUCTURE SERVING THE REGION.

AND OUR WORK IS CHANGING.

SO AS WE LOOK TOWARD THE NEW FISCAL YEAR, I WANT TO SHARE WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT THE FUTURE.

OUR STRATEGIC PLAN IS ORGANIZED AROUND FOUR COMMITMENTS CREATE, CURATE, CONVENE, AND SUSTAIN.

THEY'RE EASY WORDS TO REMEMBER, BUT EACH REPRESENTS AN IMPORTANT SHIFT IN HOW WE THINK ABOUT OUR ROLE IN THE COMMUNITY.

THE FIRST IS CREATE.

WE WANT TO MAKE MORE WORK THAT COULD ONLY COME FROM KSPS.

PBS NATIONAL PBS PROGRAMING IS EXTRAORDINARY, AND WE'RE PROUD TO BRING PROGRAMS LIKE NOVA, MASTERPIECE, NATURE AND PBS KIDS.

BUT THERE ARE STORIES, PEOPLE, AND ISSUES AND EXPERIENCES IN THIS REGION THAT WON'T NECESSARILY BE COVERED BY A NATIONAL TELEVISION NETWORK.

AND THAT'S WHERE LOCAL PUBLIC MEDIA COMES IN.

WE WANT TO TELL MORE OF THOSE STORIES.

WE WANT TO BUILD ON PROGRAMS LIKE NORTHWEST PROFILES AND INLAND SESSIONS AND CIVICS BOOKS, AND WE WANT TO CREATE EDUCATIONAL CONTENT AND EXPERIENCES THAT RESPOND DIRECTLY TO THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITIES.

THAT INCLUDES HELPING STUDENTS EXPLORE CAREERS, SUPPORTING TEACHERS AND FAMILIES, AND WORKING WITH COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO CONNECT EDUCATION WITH REAL OPPORTUNITIES.

WE'RE NOT ONLY MEASURING SUCCESS JUST BY HOW MANY HOURS OF TELEVISION WE PRODUCE, WE'RE ASKING WHETHER OUR WORK HELPS PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THEIR COMMUNITIES AND LEARN SOMETHING USEFUL, DISCOVER OPPORTUNITIES, OR CONNECT TO ONE ANOTHER.

AND WE WANT TO CREATE MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR LOCAL PEOPLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THAT WORK.

NOW, OUR SECOND PRIORITY IS CURATE.

WE WANT TO MAKE KSPS PBS EASIER TO FIND AND MORE USEFUL.

THERE'S AN ALMOST UNIMAGINABLE AMOUNT OF CONTENT AVAILABLE TODAY.

THE CHALLENGE FOR MOST PEOPLE ISN'T JUST FINDING SOMETHING TO WATCH, IT'S FINDING SOMETHING WORTH THEIR TIME.

AND INCREASINGLY, IT'S IN KNOWING WHAT INFORMATION THEY CAN TRUST.

PUBLIC MEDIA HAS AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY IN THAT ENVIRONMENT.

WE SELECT PROGRAMING BECAUSE IT SERVES AN EDUCATIONAL, CULTURAL, INFORMATIONAL, OR CIVIC PURPOSE, NOT BECAUSE AN ALGORITHM HAS DETERMINED IT'LL GENERATE THE MOST ADVERTISING REVENUE.

BUT WE ALSO RECOGNIZE THAT PEOPLE NEED TO BE ABLE TO FIND THAT PROGRAMING IN THE WAYS THAT THEY PREFER TO WATCH.

NOW, FOR SOME PEOPLE, THAT'S STILL ON AN ANTENNA, ON THE ROOF, AND FOR OTHERS, IT'S A STREAMING DEVICE, THE PBS APP, A PHONE OR A COMPUTER.

AND FOR MANY FAMILIES, IT'S A CONTINUATION OR A COMBINATION OF ALL OF THOSE THINGS.

WE NEED TO MEET PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE, AND THAT MEANS IMPROVING HOW WE ORGANIZE AND PRESENT OUR PROGRAMING, MAKING OUR DIGITAL SERVICES MORE INTUITIVE, AND HELPING PEOPLE DISCOVER THE EXTRAORDINARY RESOURCES ALREADY AVAILABLE TO THEM.

IT ALSO MEANS REMAINING COMMITTED TO PEOPLE WHO DON'T HAVE RELIABLE BROADBAND ACCESS.

WE SERVE RURAL COMMUNITIES, OLDER ADULTS, FAMILIES WITH LIMITED RESOURCES, AND PEOPLE FOR WHOM OVER-THE-AIR TELEVISION REMAINS AN ESSENTIAL CONNECTION TO INFORMATION AND EDUCATION.

WE CAN'T LEAVE THEM BEHIND.

AS MEDIA TECHNOLOGY CHANGES, OUR THIRD PRIORITY IS CONVENE.

WE WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND THE REGION'S NEEDS.

ONE OF THE THINGS I FIND MOST TROUBLING ABOUT TODAY'S MEDIA ENVIRONMENT IS HOW EASY IT IS TO BECOME A TO LIVE ENTIRELY IN YOUR OWN INFORMATION WORLD.

WE CAN CONSUME DIFFERENT NEWS.

WE HEAR DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF EVENTS, AND WE RARELY ENCOUNTER PEOPLE WHOSE EXPERIENCES OR PERSPECTIVES DIFFER FROM OUR OWN.

I DON'T THINK PUBLIC MEDIA CAN SOLVE THAT PROBLEM BY ITSELF, BUT I DO THINK THAT WE HAVE AN IMPORTANT ROLE TO PLAY.

WE CAN CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO LEARN TOGETHER, ASK QUESTIONS, EXPLORE DIFFICULT ISSUES, AND PARTICIPATE IN CIVIC LIFE.

OUR CONGRESSIONAL DEBATE WATCH PARTIES ARE ONE EXAMPLE.

CIVICS BOWL IS ANOTHER, AND TONIGHT'S TOWN HALL IS AN EXAMPLE TO.

WE AREN'T HERE TO TELL YOU WHAT TO THINK ABOUT PUBLIC MEDIA, BUT WE ARE HERE TO GIVE YOU INFORMATION, EXPLAIN OUR DECISIONS, ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS, AND LISTEN TO WHAT YOU HAVE TO SAY.

I WANT US TO DO MORE OF THAT, AND I WANT KSPS PBS TO BE A PARTNER FOR OTHER ORGANIZATIONS.

WHAT SOMEONE THAT THEY THINK OF WHEN THEY WANT TO BRING PEOPLE TOGETHER AROUND EDUCATION, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, ARTS AND CULTURE, AND CIVIC HEALTH.

THOSE ARE THE FOUR PILLARS OF OUR COMMUNITY IMPACT STRATEGY.

WE DON'T HAVE TO BE THE ORGANIZATION ORGANIZATION DOING ALL THE WORK.

SOMETIMES OUR GREATEST VALUE IS JUST CONNECTING PEOPLE AND INSTITUTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY DOING IT.

AND FINALLY, SUSTAIN.

WE WANT TO BUILD AN INSTITUTION PREPARED FOR ITS NEXT 60 YEARS.

THIS IS ABOUT FINANCIAL SUSTAINABILITY.

CERTAINLY, WE NEED TO WE NEED TO RETAIN THE EXTRAORDINARY COMMUNITY SUPPORT THAT WE RECEIVED LAST YEAR, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE GROWING OUR MEMBERSHIP AND MAJOR GIVING PROGRAMS.

WE NEED TO DIVERSIFY OUR SOURCES OF REVENUE, AND WE NEED TO CONTINUE ADVOCATING FOR PUBLIC INVESTMENT AND PUBLIC MEDIA.

BUT SUSTAINABILITY IS ABOUT MORE THAN MONEY.

IT'S ABOUT OUR PEOPLE.

WE NEED TO REBUILD ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY, INVEST IN PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, AND MAKE KSPS PBS A PLACE WHERE TALENTED PEOPLE WANT TO WORK AND BUILD CAREERS.

IT'S ABOUT OUR TECHNOLOGY.

WE NEED TO MAINTAIN AND MODERNIZE THE SYSTEMS THAT DELIVER OUR SERVICES, WHETHER THAT'S A TRANSMITTER SERVING A RURAL COMMUNITY FROM A MOUNTAINTOP, OR A DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE THAT ALLOWS SOMEONE TO WATCH OUR PROGRAMS ONLINE.

IT'S ABOUT OUR FACILITIES.

WE NEED TO THINK CAREFULLY ABOUT WHAT KIND OF PHYSICAL SPACE WOULD BEST SUPPORT OUR MISSION IN THE DECADES AHEAD.

AND IT'S ABOUT RELATIONSHIPS.

WE NEED TO DEEPEN PARTNERSHIPS, EXPLORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COLLABORATION, AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE USING THE RESOURCES ENTRUSTED TO US AS EFFECTIVELY AS POSSIBLE.

NOW, I WANT TO EMPHASIZE SOMETHING HERE.

OUR GOAL ISN'T JUST TO GROW FOR GROWTH'S SAKE, AND IT'S NOT JUST TO SURVIVE THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING, IT'S TO EMERGE FROM THIS PERIOD STRONGER, MORE ADAPTABLE, MORE COMMUNITY CONNECTED.

THAT WON'T HAPPEN OVERNIGHT, AND IT WON'T HAPPEN WITHOUT SOME DIFFICULT DECISIONS ALONG THE WAY.

BUT I BELIEVE IT'S ACHIEVABLE.

WHEN I THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF KSPS PBS, I DON'T THINK ABOUT A TELEVISION TOWER OR A STUDIO OR EVEN A PARTICULAR PROGRAM.

I THINK ABOUT A CHILD WHO'S LEARNING TO READ ON PBS KIDS.

I THINK ABOUT A STUDENT DISCOVERING A CAREER THEY HAVEN'T CONSIDERED.

I THINK ABOUT A RURAL FAMILY RECEIVING IMPORTANT INFORMATION DURING AN EMERGENCY.

I THINK ABOUT A VOTER WHO HAS THE OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM A CANDIDATE BEFORE MAKING THEIR DECISION.

AND I THINK ABOUT PEOPLE THROUGHOUT THE REGION SEEING THEIR OWN COMMUNITIES AND EXPERIENCES REFLECTED IN THE STORIES WE TELL.

THESE ARE THE REASONS KSPS PBS EXISTS, AND THOSE ARE THE OUTCOMES THAT SHOULD GUIDE OUR DECISIONS.

WE'RE ENTERING A NEW FISCAL YEAR WITH A BALANCED BUDGET, A CLEAR STRATEGIC PLAN, AND A COMMUNITY THAT HAS DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC MEDIA.

WE ALSO HAVE REAL CHALLENGES AHEAD.

I DON'T WANT TO MINIMIZE THOSE CHALLENGES, AND I DON'T WANT TO PROMISE THAT EVERY DECISION WE MAKE WILL BE EASY OR UNIVERSALLY POPULAR, BUT I CAN PROMISE THAT WE'LL APPROACH THOSE DECISIONS THOUGHTFULLY, TRANSPARENTLY, AND WITH OUR MISSION AT THE CENTER, AND WE'LL KEEP INVITING YOU INTO THE CONVERSATION.

WHICH BRINGS US TO THE MOST IMPORTANT PART OF TONIGHT'S TOWN HALL.

WE'VE SPENT QUITE A BIT OF TIME TALKING TO YOU, AND NOW WE'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM YOU.

SO WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE ABOUT KSPS PBS?

OUR FINANCES, OUR PROGRAMING, OUR COMMUNITY SERVICES, OR WHERE WE'RE HEADED?

QUESTION WAS ABOUT HOW THE NATIONAL NEWS AND PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAMS ARE GREAT.

BUT IS THERE A ROLE FOR SPS, PBS TO CREATE A PUBLIC AFFAIRS PROGRAM AND WHAT FORMAT THAT MIGHT TAKE?

AND SO I THINK JIM CAN GET INTO THAT FOR US NOW.

SURE.

EXCUSE ME.

SURE.

YEAH.

WELL, HOPEFULLY WHAT YOU DID SEE IN MY PRESENTATION WAS SOME DISCUSSION ABOUT A PROGRAM CALLED AT ISSUE.

AND IT'S SOMETHING THAT STARTED JUST OVER A YEAR AGO.

AND IT'S OUR COMMITMENT TO DO MORE OF WHAT YOU'VE JUST ASKED FOR, TO DO SOME IN-DEPTH REPORTING.

AND, AND, AND EXCELLENT JOURNALISM ON TOPICS THAT AFFECT OUR AREA.

THE TOPICS THAT WE'VE ADDRESSED SO FAR, AS I MENTIONED, THE PFAS IN WEST PLAINS, THE FOCUS ON THE DOWNTOWN SITUATION, WHETHER IT BE UNEMPLOYMENT, UNHOUSED FOLKS, DRUGS, ALL THE STUFF THAT WE HEAR ABOUT ALL THE TIME.

AND THEN WE REACHED OUT AND, AND TALKED TO OUR LEGISLATORS AS WELL TO, TO KIND OF SEE WHAT THEY'RE THINKING ABOUT AS THEY GO TO OLYMPIA DATA CENTERS IS CERTAINLY ON OUR MIND AS IT IS ON MANY PEOPLE'S.

AND SO OUR PLANS ARE TO ADDRESS THAT TOPIC OVER THE NEXT, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY HALF A YEAR WE'VE GOT A SMALL STAFF THAT GETS STRETCHED SO THIN AND THESE THINGS TAKE TIME.

SO AS AS THAT'S A TOPIC THAT WE IDENTIFIED AND SAID, GOSH, WE GOT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS IMPORTANT.

WE NEED TO DO THIS.

AND, AND THEN WE JUST HAVE TO FIND THE TIME TO DO IT.

SO BUT THE STATION HAS KIND OF RECOMMITTED ITSELF TO BEING, DOING, HAVING A REGULAR CURRENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM.

AND THAT'S HOPEFULLY WITH SOME MORE SUPPORT, WE CAN IF WE CAN INCREASE THE STAFF A LITTLE BIT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO DO THAT MORE FREQUENTLY.

BUT WE'RE TRYING TO KEEP A CADENCE OF, OF A NEW SHOW EVERY, EVERY FEW MONTHS AS BEST WE CAN, WHEN IT'S NOT INTERRUPTED BY OTHER THINGS.

SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR A WEEKLY HARD NEWS NEWS JOURNALISTIC PROGRAM THAT'S BEEN ASKED.

WE'D LOVE TO DO THAT AGAIN.

IT'S THE RESOURCES THAT IT REQUIRES.

YOU KNOW, THE THE OTHER STATIONS IN TOWN, YOU KNOW, THEIR STAFFS ARE COMMITTED TO THOSE DAILY NEWSCASTS.

AND IT TAKES A LOT OF FOLKS.

AND TO DO THAT WELL.

AND WE JUST DON'T HAVE THOSE RESOURCES.

SO WE'RE DOING THE BEST WE CAN RIGHT NOW, DOING SOMETHING LESS FREQUENT.

BUT WHO'S TO SAY THAT, YOU KNOW, AS TIME PASSES AND WE GET OUR AND OUR PRIORITIES AND OUR AND OUR FUNDING CHANGE MAY WE CAN DO MORE OF THAT.

THANK YOU.

PERFECT.

WE GOT A QUESTION THAT CAME IN FROM A VIEWER ONLINE, WHICH I CAN READ HERE.

HAS THE NUMBER OF SUSTAINER MEMBERS INCREASED?

I CHANGED FROM ANNUAL GIVING TO A SUSTAINER, HOPING TO HELP PROVIDE MORE.

SO A SUSTAINER IS SOMEONE WHO'S ON A ON A RECURRING DONATION SCHEDULE.

AND THE ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION IS YES.

WE HAVE RECEIVED MORE SUSTAINERS OVER THE LAST YEAR, AND IN FACT, WE CROSSED, I BELIEVE, THE 50% THRESHOLD WHERE MORE THAN HALF OF OUR DONORS ARE GIVING AS SUSTAINERS, AS THE AS THE WRITER INDICATES, SUSTAINING GIFT IS IS A LITTLE MORE DEPENDABLE AND RELIABLE WHEN BUDGETING, NOT THAT ANNUAL GIFTS OR AD HOC GIFTS ARE NOT A VERY IMPORTANT PART OF IT.

BUT YEAH, WE HAVE WE HAVE A VERY RELIABLE SUSTAINER CORPS, AND THEY HAVE INCREASED QUITE A BIT.

THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE IT'S FOR IAN.

IAN, CAN YOU EXPLAIN MORE ABOUT YOUR ROLE IN AN EMERGENCY, LIKE A FIRE OR A DANGEROUS STORM?

OF COURSE.

HAPPY TO.

THAT IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT OUR TEAM TAKES VERY SERIOUSLY.

WE ARE AN EMERGENCY ALERT SERVICES.

SO WHENEVER YOU'RE WATCHING TV, IT'S THAT BAM BAM AND THEN THE MESSAGING THAT COMES ACROSS YOUR SCREEN.

WE ARE A RELAY FOR 16 COUNTIES IN THE REGION.

AND SO ANY, ANY TERRIBLE EVENT OR CATASTROPHIC WEATHER EVENT THAT MAY HAPPEN ACROSS THOSE 16 COUNTIES, WE WILL RELAY THOSE EMERGENCY SERVICES INTO THOSE COMMUNITIES.

AND THAT IS ONE OF OUR BIGGEST COMMITMENTS TO SOLVING THIS ISSUE ON.

ONE OF THE WAYS THAT WE'RE DOING IT WITH A LITTLE LESS WEIGHT IS BY CREATING GRAPHICS THAT CAN INFORM OUR VIEWERS ON OUR AIR AND BY PUTTING THAT GRAPHIC OVER AIR.

SO DURING THE AUGUST FIRES, WE CREATED AND POPULATED A GRAPHIC THAT POINTED PEOPLE TO OUR WEBSITE, WHICH HAD RESOURCES THAT PEOPLE COULD USE NO MATTER WHAT THEIR SITUATION WAS, AND MOVING FORWARD FOR FUTURE DISASTERS AND CATASTROPHES LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN AUGUST.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT COMMITMENT FOR THIS COMMUNITY.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE?

YEAH.

GIVEN WORK?

SO THE QUESTION WAS, WHAT'S THE ROLE OF VOLUNTEERS IN THE KSPS PBS SYSTEM?

WE HAVE A REALLY LARGE, DEDICATED VOLUNTEER POOL.

I THINK WE HAVE SEVERAL HUNDRED VOLUNTEERS THAT CONTRIBUTE IN DIFFERENT WAYS.

WE HAVE A LOT OF TASKS JUST HERE IN THE OFFICE.

SO HELPING, ESPECIALLY IN THE DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT, AS YOU CAN IMAGINE, TALKING TO, YOU KNOW, 2.3 MILLION HOUSEHOLDS OR 25,000 DONOR HOUSEHOLDS.

THERE'S A LOT OF OF COMMUNICATION GOING BACK AND FORTH.

AND SO THEY HELP US WITH ANSWERING PHONES AND RETURNING MAIL.

WE ALSO HAVE ANGIE'S WORK.

YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS WHO DO WORK WITH YOU.

DO YOU WANT TO BRING UP ANY OF THOSE?

YEAH, WE HAVE A LOT OF VOLUNTEERS SHOWING UP TO OUR EVENTS THAT HELP US MAN THE TABLES THAT WE DO THAT PROVIDE SERVICES HERE IN THE STATION, STUFFING BAGS, GETTING PREPARED FOR THE DIFFERENT EVENTS THAT WE DO.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE PROBABLY 15, 20 PEOPLE THAT WE USE THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.

WHAT KIND OF EVENTS DO YOU DO?

WELL, THE FAMILY AND NIGHTS THAT WE DO, WE HAVE THOSE.

WE HAVE PEOPLE MANNING THE DIFFERENT ACTIVITY TABLES.

SO WE HAVE WE ALSO HAVE TABLING EVENTS.

SO WE GO TO DIFFERENT SCHOOLS.

WE HAVE THE PRESCHOOL EVENTS THAT WE'RE DOING THE SCREENERS.

THOSE ARE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST ONES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW.

AND YEAH, SO WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER SYSTEM THAT VOLUNTEERS CAN SIGN UP AND THEY GET THE EMAIL ASKING, YOU KNOW, ARE YOU AVAILABLE FOR THIS EVENT?

AND, AND THEN YEAH, THAT'S HOW WE GET OUR VOLUNTEERS.

GOOD TO HEAR.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YEAH.

THAT BUILDS TO THE STRENGTH OF AN ORGANIZATION FOR SURE.

THERE IS.

I THINK YOU CAN APPLY TO BE A VOLUNTEER ON OUR WEBSITE PRETTY EASILY.

IF YOU JUST LOOK FOR THAT ON THE MENU, I THINK.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS IN THE AUDIENCE?

I SEE ONE HERE THAT CAME IN ONLINE.

HOW MUCH OF MY DONATION STAYS HERE IN THE COMMUNITY?

THAT'S A PRETTY GOOD QUESTION.

SO KSPS PBS IS YOUR LOCAL PUBLIC TELEVISION STATION.

THERE ARE 330 PBS STATIONS AROUND THE COUNTRY, AND EACH OF US PAYS A MEMBERSHIP FEE TO PBS IN WASHINGTON, DC IN ORDER TO BE A PBS STATION.

FOR US.

THAT'S ABOUT 14% OF OUR BUDGET, A LITTLE UNDER 14%.

AND THEN I CAN CONFIDENTLY SAY THE ENTIRE REST OF YOUR DONATION DOESN'T LEAVE THE REGION.

IT'S HERE SPENT ON PRODUCTIONS AND ACTIVITIES AND ALL THOSE THINGS THAT THAT OUR COLLEAGUES HERE WERE JUST TALKING ABOUT.

AND SO, YEAH, IT'S, IT STAYS QUITE LOCAL AS OPPOSED TO AS OPPOSED TO SOME OTHER OPTIONS.

I GUESS I'LL USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO SAY, WATCHING KSPS PBS, THERE ARE A LOT OF WAYS TO DO IT.

DOING SO DIRECTLY IS, IS THE MOST IS THE MOST BENEFICIAL TO THE STATION.

THERE ARE SOME OTHER PARTNERS THAT YOU COULD GO THROUGH, FOR INSTANCE, AND YOU'LL GET MAYBE LIKE A PARTIAL PBS CHANNEL OPTION.

AND THOSE DOLLARS DO NOT STAY IN THE COMMUNITY.

I WON'T NAME NAMES.

ANY QUESTIONS HERE OVER THE AIR.

RIGHT.

YOU CAN GET OVER THE AIR.

YOU CAN GO TO THE PBS APP THAT STILL THAT STILL COMES THROUGH US.

YOU CAN GET IT.

LET'S SEE.

CABLE SATELLITE OVER THE AIR, THE PBS APP.

YOU CAN JUST GO TO KSPS.ORG AND WATCH IT THERE.

WE HAVE A LIVE STREAM THAT HAS SEVEN CHANNELS.

SO WE HAVE PBS MAIN CREATE WORLD, PBS KIDS 24 OVER SEVEN, NHK WORLD, JAPAN, FRANCE 24 AND FIRST NATIONS EXPERIENCE.

AND THOSE ARE ALL AVAILABLE 24 HOURS A DAY ON OUR WEBSITE.

THANK YOU.

YEAH.

OTHER THERE'S ANOTHER ONE HERE FOR JIM.

JIM, WHAT'S A LOCAL STORY THAT YOU'VE BEEN ESPECIALLY PROUD TO HELP TELL?

OH, WOW.

WELL, I'VE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO A LOT OF LOCAL STORIES, AND I HAVE A FOND FONDNESS FOR MANY OF THEM.

I THINK ONE THAT I THAT REALLY STANDS OUT IS A DOCUMENTARY THAT WE DID A FEW YEARS AGO CALLED INJUSTICE AT HOME LOOKING LIKE THE ENEMY.

AND THAT IS ABOUT THE JAPANESE AMERICAN INTERNMENT DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

AND WHAT'S SO COOL ABOUT THAT WAS THAT THAT STARTED WITH AS A SMALL PROJECT WITH THE LOCAL JAPANESE ORGANIZATION, WHO JUST ASKED US TO HELP THEM DOCUMENT THE MEMORIES OF SOME OF THEIR THEIR OLDER MEMBERS AND GET THEIR FAMILY HISTORIES.

AND AS WE DID THAT, THE, THE, THE GREATEST, MOST IMPACTFUL PART OF THESE PEOPLE'S LIVES WERE THEIR EXPERIENCE DURING WORLD WAR TWO.

EITHER THEY HAD BEEN INTERNED, YOU KNOW, TAKEN FROM THEIR HOMES ON THE WEST SIDE AND SENT TO PLACES LIKE HEART MOUNTAIN, WYOMING OR CALIFORNIA OR SPOKANE.

DIDN'T HAVE TO.

FOLKS THAT WERE EAST OF THE COLUMBIA DID NOT HAVE TO RELOCATE.

SO THERE WAS A COMMUNITY HERE IN SPOKANE OF FOLKS THAT WERE ABLE TO STAY WITH FAMILY HERE AND.

BUT PLACES LIKE THE TRI-CITIES, WHERE IF YOU WERE ON ONE SIDE OF THE RIVER, YOU WERE SENT AWAY.

AND ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER, YOU WERE FREE TO STAY.

AND THEN THE HARDSHIPS THESE FOLKS WENT THROUGH WAS JUST REALLY INCREDIBLE TO US.

I MEAN, YOU WERE ALL WE WERE ALL AWARE THAT IT HAPPENED, BUT THEN YOU.

BUT WHEN IN TALKING TO THESE FOLKS AND YOU SAW THAT IT IT NEVER, YOU KNOW, THE, THE DIFFICULTY, THE, THE IN SOME CASES, THE SHAME OF IT ALL NEVER LEFT THEM.

SO THAT'S ONE THAT I'M ESPECIALLY APPRECIATIVE THAT I GOT TO WORK ON.

THANK YOU.

ANY OTHER THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT CSPS, PBS TAKING ADVANTAGE OF OPPORTUNITIES TO ENGAGE WITH THE COMMUNITY AT COMMUNITY EVENTS LIKE FARMERS MARKETS AND FAIRS AND PLACES LIKE THAT, WHERE YOU MIGHT SEE A BOOTH PIG OUT IN THE PARK, THINGS LIKE THAT.

CSPS, PBS DOES PARTICIPATE IN A LOT OF THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM AVAILABLE, BUT WE PARTICIPATE IN A TON OF THEM.

I AM NOT SEEING MARINA, BUT I'M THINKING WE WERE AT 100 AND SOMETHING OF THEM IN THE LAST YEAR.

DOES THAT SOUND RIGHT?

YEAH, YEAH.

I MEAN, WE GO THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT GOES TO PROBABLY FOUR OR.

WELL, I DON'T KNOW, 6 OR 7 DIFFERENT TABLING EVENTS UP AT HILLIARD.

WE ARE CONSTANTLY UP THERE WITH THE NORTHEAST COMMUNITY CENTER.

THAT'S ONE OF OUR PARTNERS.

SO WE'RE UP THERE, BUT ALSO WE'VE DONE UNITY IN THE COMMUNITY.

SOME OF THE LARGER COMMUNITY EVENTS WE BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN.

BUT AGAIN, OUR STAFF IS, YOU KNOW, RELATIVELY SMALL AND WE DO HAVE VOLUNTEERS.

BUT IF WE HAD, YOU KNOW, THERE'S MORE OPPORTUNITY THAT THERE IS, YOU KNOW, TIME.

AND YEAH, AND I HAVEN'T SEEN ANY.

YEAH.

PRESENCE AT THE KENDALL YARDS NIGHT MARKET.

YEAH, YEAH.

I CAN'T RECALL A QUITE BUSY.

YEAH.

THE QUESTION WAS ABOUT THE KENDALL YARDS NIGHT MARKET.

I CAN'T REMEMBER IF WE'VE BEEN AT THAT ONE YET.

SO I'LL I'LL FIGURE IT OUT.

BUT YEAH THERE, THERE ARE A LOT OF VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES AT THE, AT THE TABLING EVENTS.

AND WE USUALLY KIND OF TAILOR THE, THE OFFERINGS AT THE TABLING EVENT TO THE AUDIENCE.

AND SO IF IT'S GOING TO BE YOUNGER KIDS, THEN WE HAVE MORE PBS KIDS STUFF.

IT'S IF IT'S MORE GENERAL AUDIENCE, WE HAVE OTHER THINGS.

SOMETIMES WE'LL HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF A TELEVISION AND AN ANTENNA THERE.

SO PEOPLE CAN LEARN HOW TO, HOW TO SET UP AN ANTENNA.

BUT YEAH, YOU CAN SWING BY AND GRAB SOME STICKERS AND SOME CIVICS BOWL PLAYING CARDS OR WHATEVER.

BUT YEAH, KENDALL YARDS NIGHT MARKET IS A GREAT ONE.

ANY OTHER QUESTIONS HERE IN THE ROOM?

YEAH, THE QUESTION WAS IS THERE A WAY FOR PEOPLE FROM THE PUBLIC TO BUY SPS, PBS MERCHANDISE?

SO YEAH, WE DO HAVE A SMALL GIFT SHOP HERE IN THE IN THE FRONT OF THE BUILDING.

AND THERE ARE SOME PRETTY GREAT THINGS.

MY FAVORITE ITEM IS THE PBS NERD SHIRTS.

YOU CAN GET A SHIRT THAT SAYS PBS NERD, AND IT SHOWS A LITTLE PBS P HEAD WITH HIS GLASSES ON, OR THE CIVICS BOWL CARDS ARE REALLY GREAT.

THEY'RE.

THEY'RE A DECK OF PLAYING CARDS.

AND THEN EACH CARD HAS A REALLY HUMBLING CIVICS QUESTION ON IT.

SO YOU CAN MAKE YOUR CARD GAMES HARDER.

ALL THOSE ARE ALSO AVAILABLE ON THE.

WE HAVE AN ONLINE SHOP SO PEOPLE CAN GO TO THAT.

WE HAVE WE HAVE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO, NONTRADITIONAL WAYS OF SUPPORTING THE STATION.

SO, SO PURCHASING A LITTLE BIT OF SWAG IS ONE WAY.

THERE IS A, AN AUCTION SITE WHERE YOU CAN GO AND BID ON EXPERIENCES OR COLLECTIONS OF ITEMS FOR KSPS PBS LIKE YOU WOULD AT A GALA.

AND WE ALSO HAVE A REALLY NEW OFFERING CALLED THE KSPS PBS TRAVEL CLUB, WHERE YOU CAN BOOK A TRIP AND TRAVEL WITH OTHER PBS NERDS LIKE YOU TO PLACES LIKE, WELL, LET'S SEE, WE'RE GOING TO REYKJAVIK HERE IN JANUARY.

DOES THAT SOUND GOOD TO ANYBODY?

YEAH, GOING TO REYKJAVIK IN JANUARY.

WE'VE GOT AN ENGLAND TRIP IN IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NEW SESAME STREET AND NATURE EPISODE ABOUT THE THE ELEPHANTS IN KENYA.

WE HAVE A TRIP GOING TO AFRICA.

AND SO WHEN WE HAVE WHEN WE HAVE A CRITICAL MASS OF PEOPLE WHO WANT TO GO TOGETHER, THEN A STAFF MEMBER WILL JOIN YOU AS WELL AND, AND TAKE YOU ON THOSE TRIPS.

AND THOSE TRIPS SUPPORT KSPS PBS.

SO THERE ARE A LOT OF LIKE UNIQUE WAYS TO SUPPORT.

YOU DON'T JUST HAVE TO, YOU KNOW, DONATE A DOLLAR THERE.

THERE ARE GREAT WAYS TO SUPPORT THE STATION.

IF YOU GO TO KSPS.ORG/SUPPORT, I THINK YOU'LL SEE THOSE.

GOOD QUESTION.

ANOTHER QUESTION OUT HERE.

ANOTHER QUESTION OUT HERE.

OTHERWISE I SEE ONE THAT CAME IN ONLINE.

THIS ONE LOOKS LIKE IT MIGHT BE FOR IAN.

IAN, WHY DO WE STILL NEED TELEVISION TRANSMITTERS AND TRANSLATORS WHEN SO MUCH PROGRAMING IS AVAILABLE THROUGH STREAMING?

THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

SO THERE IS A NOT INSIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGE OF OUR POPULATION OR OUR COMMUNITY THAT DOESN'T HAVE BROADBAND INTERNET OR ACCESS TO SMARTPHONES AND TECHNOLOGY LIKE THAT.

OVER-THE-AIR TELEVISION IS HOW THEY GET THEIR NEWS.

IT'S HOW THEY GET I MEAN, ENTERTAINMENT, OF COURSE, BUT ALSO HOW THEY GET ALERTED FOR EMERGENCY SERVICES OR ALERTS LIKE I JUST SAID.

THERE'S A LOT OF PEOPLE THAT DON'T HAVE INTERNET AND MOBILE PHONES.

I'LL GIVE YOU AN EXAMPLE.

VERY RECENTLY I HAD A CONVERSATION WITH A WOMAN, AN ELDERLY WOMAN WHO LIVES ON TOP OF A MOUNTAIN NEAR THE CANADIAN BORDER.

SHE HAS BECOME THE TECH SUPPORT OR ALERT SUPPORT FOR HER ENTIRE MOUNTAIN, HER ENTIRE MOUNTAIN.

THERE'S A BUNCH OF PEOPLE WHO LIVE ON THE MOUNTAIN, AND IF THEY HAVE ANY ISSUES AT ALL, THEY CONTACT HER AND THEN SHE CONTACTS WHOEVER THEY GOT TO CONTACT.

NO ONE ON THAT MOUNTAIN HAS GOOD BROADBAND, AND MOST OF THE ELDERLY POPULATION ON THAT MOUNTAIN DON'T HAVE SMARTPHONES.

AND SO THE MAJORITY OF THAT MOUNTAIN GETS THEIR NEWS AND GETS THEIR ENTERTAINMENT AND THEIR EMERGENCY ALERTS FROM KSPS PBS OVER THE AIR, THROUGH BUNNY EARS AND THROUGH ANTENNAS AT THEIR HOUSE.

IF WE DIDN'T HAVE THE INFRASTRUCTURE WE HAD, WE WOULD BE ABANDONING THOSE COMMUNITIES.

THAT'S RIGHT.

I THINK THE THE STAT THAT I READ RECENTLY WAS THAT 14% OF PEOPLE IN OUR REGION HAVE NO INTERNET AT HOME, AND 7% HAVE NO INTERNET OR CELL SERVICE AT THEIR HOME.

SO IT'S AS YOU SAID, IT'S NOT INSIGNIFICANT.

AND THEN ANY OF US COULD BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE TOMORROW WITH INTERNET OR CELL SERVICES ARE DOWN, RIGHT, AS THEY OFTEN ARE DURING EMERGENCIES.

GOT ANOTHER QUESTION FOR JIM COMING THROUGH.

JIM.

HOW DO YOU APPROACH PRODUCING POLITICAL DEBATES OR CIVIC PROGRAMS WHILE MAINTAINING FAIRNESS AND PUBLIC TRUST CAREFULLY?

YEAH.

WELL, YEAH, IN THIS DAY AND AGE, IT'S IT'S MORE OF A TRIBAL RELATIONSHIP THAN ANYTHING ELSE.

BUT BUT BASICALLY, YOU KNOW, WE JUST ADHERE TO, TO, YOU KNOW, THE TIME HONORED JOURNALISTIC STANDARDS THAT THAT WALTER CRONKITE COULD PROBABLY AGREE TO, YOU KNOW, FOR INSTANCE, ON A, ON A, IF WE'RE GOING TO DO A DEBATE, YOU KNOW, THERE'S SO MANY CANDIDATES AND SO MANY RACES THAT OFTEN WE HAVE TO BE SELECTIVE ON WHAT WE WHAT WE CHOOSE TO, TO HOST OURSELVES.

AND SO IN, FOR INSTANCE, IN THE CASE OF THIS THIS FALL IN SOME RACES, WE JUST LOOKED AT THE ONES THAT WERE PROBABLY THE MOST COMPETITIVE.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE THERE ARE RACES WHERE THE INCUMBENT OR SOMEBODY HAS A BIG ADVANTAGE AND NOT MUCH THAT WE'RE GOING TO SHOW THEM IS GOING TO SWAY OPINION THAT TO THAT MUCH.

BUT IF IF IT'S A COMPETITIVE RACE OR IT'S, YOU KNOW, A CRITICALLY IMPORTANT POSITION, SUCH AS, YOU KNOW, A CONGRESSIONAL SEAT, YOU KNOW, WE SINGLE THOSE OUT FOR OUR ATTENTION.

AND THEN WE, YOU KNOW, WE APPROACH THE CANDIDATES AND WITH A REQUEST TO DEBATE, SOMETIMES WE'RE TURNED DOWN, SOMETIMES THERE'S, THERE'S AN EIGHT MISTRUST IN, IN THE MEDIA AND A FEELING THAT PUBLIC TV IS, IS NOT GOING TO BE.

YOU KNOW, ADVANTAGEOUS TO THEIR WHAT THEY'RE DOING.

BUT, YOU KNOW, WE, WE GO, WE TREAT EACH, EVERY, EACH PARTY THE SAME, EVERYBODY FOLLOWS THE SAME RULES AND OUR, OUR DEBATES, FOR INSTANCE, YOU KNOW, WE DON'T EDIT THOSE, YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT WE'RE NOT IN THE EDITING BUSINESS, WHETHER BETTER OR WORSE, WHATEVER THEY SAY IS WHAT WE PRESENT.

AND, AND, YOU KNOW, IN SOME CASES, YOU WISHING THAT YOU COULD DO, YOU KNOW, REAL TIME FACT CHECKING ON SOME OF THE THINGS THEY SAY, YOU KNOW, BUT THAT'S JUST NOT, YOU KNOW, FOLKS THAT DO THAT HAVE BECOME EXHAUSTED OVER THE LAST NUMBER OF YEARS.

SO THAT'S JUST SOMETHING WE DON'T WE DON'T DWELL ON TOO MUCH.

WE, WE, BUT WE HAVE JOURNALISTS THAT ARE ANSWERING THE ASKING THE QUESTIONS, AND THEY'VE GOT THE BACKGROUNDS AND THE KNOWLEDGE BASE THAT IF THEY HEAR SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T SKEW RIGHT, THEY'RE ABLE TO ASK A FOLLOW UP.

SO I GUESS THAT'S, THAT'S REALLY HOW WE HOPE TO, YOU KNOW, EDUCATE OUR AUDIENCE ON THESE ELECTIONS IS JUST TO BE FAIR AND, AND AS ACCURATE AS WE CAN.

THANK YOU.

ANYTHING ANOTHER ONE THAT CAME IN ONLINE.

LET'S SEE.

DOES LOSING FEDERAL FUNDING MEAN SPS?

PBS IS NO LONGER PART OF PBS, SO NO, WE ARE STILL A PBS STATION AND PBS IS STILL AROUND.

THIS IS THIS IS KIND OF ANNOYING, LIKE THE THE NEWS.

I DON'T WANT TO CALL IT NEWS.

THE COVERAGE OF THE RESCISSION WAS VERY COMPLICATED FOR PEOPLE TO KEEP TRACK OF.

THERE WAS AN EXECUTIVE ORDER.

THERE WAS A YOU KNOW, THAT EXECUTIVE ORDER WAS OVERTURNED.

THERE WAS THE RESCISSION, THERE WERE THE DOGE HEARINGS.

IT WAS WILD THERE FOR A WHILE.

AND SO I CAN'T TELL YOU HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAVE TOLD ME, OH, I HEARD PBS CLOSED.

I HEARD I HEARD YOU GOT ALL YOUR FUNDING BACK.

IT GOES ALL OVER THE PLACE.

I MEAN, THERE THERE IS A LOT OF MISINFORMATION OUT THERE.

SO PBS IS STILL THERE.

NPR IS STILL THERE.

NPR WORKS MUCH THE SAME WAY.

THERE'S AN NPR IN IN DC, AND THEN THERE ARE ABOUT 1100 RADIO STATIONS THAT PAY MEMBERSHIP DUES TO BE AN NPR STATION.

AND SO BOTH PBS AND NPR ARE STILL THERE.

IT WAS THE CORPORATION FOR PUBLIC BROADCASTING, WHICH ACTUALLY CLOSED THE CPB INITIALLY WAS ESTABLISHED.

THAT WAS AN ORGANIZATION THAT BASICALLY CONGRESS GAVE THE MONEY TO THE CPB INITIALLY, AND THE CPB DISTRIBUTED IT TO STATIONS AND TO PBS AND NPR.

WHEN FEDERAL FUNDING ENDED, THEY HAD NOTHING LEFT TO DO.

AND SO THE CPB IS WHAT CLOSED ITS DOORS.

BUT PBS AND NPR ARE STILL THERE.

STATIONS ARE STILL THERE.

I'LL SAY THAT WITH AN ASTERISK.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE STATIONS FOR WHOM THE LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING WAS MUCH MORE SEVERE.

LIKE YOU SAW IN OUR PRESENTATION AT KSPS PBS, IT WAS AN 18% CUT FOR US, BUT THERE WERE STATIONS FOR WHOM IT WAS 40 OR 50%.

THESE ARE RURAL STATIONS THAT HAVE LARGE BROADCAST AREAS, BUT NOT LARGE POPULATIONS FROM WHICH TO DRAW DONOR SUPPORT, AND THEY ARE HAVING A MUCH HARD TIME, HARDER TIME OF IT RIGHT NOW.

THEY'RE DEPLETING THEIR RESERVES AND THEY'RE HANGING ON.

BUT WITHOUT FEDERAL FUNDING, I DO SEE A FUTURE WHERE THERE WILL BE FEWER PUBLIC MEDIA STATIONS.

AND THAT'S JUST THAT'S WORSE FOR THE COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW, IT MAY SEEM ADVANTAGEOUS.

OH, WELL, IT SEEMS INEFFICIENT TO HAVE SO MANY STATIONS.

WHY DO YOU NEED SO MANY STATIONS?

AND I WOULD SAY, YOU KNOW, WE HERE IN THE INLAND NORTHWEST COULD IMAGINE WHAT IT WOULD BE LIKE IF THERE'S ONE STATE STATION AND IT'S IN SEATTLE, HOW RELATABLE WILL THE CONTENT FROM SEATTLE BE?

PARTIALLY, BUT IT WON'T BE TOUCHING ON THE ISSUES THAT THAT OUR TEAM IS DOING HERE IN THE NORTHWEST.

SO I'M VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THE OF THE SYSTEM OVERALL.

OH HOW THINGS ARE DONE HERE.

YEAH, YEAH.

YEAH.

THE QUESTION IS ABOUT THE GOVERNANCE OF THE STATION AND TO WHOM WE REPORT AND WHAT OUR RESPONSIBILITIES ARE.

KSPS PBS IS A 501 C THREE ORGANIZATION.

IT'S A NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION HEADQUARTERED HERE IN SPOKANE.

AND WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IT IS GOVERNED BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS THAT HAS GOVERNANCE CONTROL OVER THE MANAGEMENT OF THE EXECUTIVE.

AND THEN WE, THE MANAGEMENT TEAM, MANAGE THE THE STATION DIRECTLY.

SO THERE'S NOT A THERE'S NOT A NATIONAL INFLUENCE OTHER THAN US, YOU KNOW, PAYING FOR THE PROGRAMING AND BRANDING FROM PBS.

WE ARE A LOCAL ORGANIZATION THAT IS 100% ACCOUNTABLE TO LOCAL COMMUNITY MEMBERS.

OUR BOARD IS A BOARD OF VOLUNTEERS.

THAT'S OUR THAT'S OUR GOVERNING BOARD.

WE ALSO HAVE AN ADVISORY BOARD.

PEOPLE FROM THE COMMUNITY CAN CAN APPLY TO BE ON EITHER BOARD.

THE GOVERNING BOARD HAS HAS MORE RESPONSIBILITY, FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITIES, ETC.

BUT IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE ON THE BOARD WHERE YOU JUST ARE ADVISING AS A COMMUNITY MEMBER, YOU CAN ALSO BE ON THE ADVISORY BOARD.

AND THEN THE THE GOVERNING BOARD HAS SEVERAL COMMITTEES AS WELL THAT ARE FOCUSED ON VARIOUS AREAS OF OUR MISSION.

BUT YEAH, I GUESS AT THE HIGHEST, HIGHEST LEVEL.

KSPS PBS ANSWERS TO COMMUNITY MEMBERS HERE, HERE, I WILL SAY INCLUDES CANADA.

WE HAVE CANADIAN BOARD MEMBERS.

WE HAVE BOARD MEMBERS WHO ARE NOT JUST LIVING HERE ON THE SOUTH HILL OF SPOKANE.

GREAT QUESTION.

DO YOU HAVE ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH NATIONAL PBS?

THE QUESTION WAS, DO WE HAVE ANY INVOLVEMENT WITH NATIONAL PBS?

AND THE ANSWER IS, YEAH, ACTUALLY, WE HAVE TWO STAFF MEMBERS WHO HAVE JUST JOINED ADVISORY BOARDS AT PBS.

ANGIE'S ONE OF THEM.

TELL THEM WHAT'S UP, YOUR ADVISORY BOARD THAT YOU'RE ON.

YEAH, THE PBS KIDS NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL, I'VE BEEN NOMINATED TO BE A PART OF THAT.

AND THAT'S A THREE YEAR TERM THAT WE'LL BE ABLE TO MEET QUARTERLY AND GO OVER ALL THE DIFFERENT THINGS.

PBS KIDS, THAT'S GOING TO AFFECT THE ENTIRE, YOU KNOW, UNIT, THE WHOLE ALL PBS STATION.

SO I'M A I AM A PART OF THAT BOARD.

AND MADISON DYKEMAN ON OUR MEMBERSHIP STAFF IS ON THE DEVELOPMENT ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR ALL PBS AS WELL.

OVER MY TENURE HERE, I'VE SERVED ON A COUPLE OF COMMITTEES AND BOARDS WITH PBS, WITH PBS, AND I'M ON THE.

THE STREAMING SERVICE PASSPORT IS OUR IS OUR STREAMING SERVICE.

SO I'M ON THE BOARD FOR THAT AND A COUPLE OTHER COMMITTEES AS WELL.

SO WE DO WE ARE CONNECTED AT THE AT THE NATIONAL LEVEL.

AND I WOULD JUST SAY KSPS PBS IS A MID-SIZED STATION, SQUARELY MID-SIZE, BUT WE DO PUNCH ABOVE OUR WEIGHT.

WE CONTRIBUTE A LOT TO THE NATIONAL SYSTEM.

WE'VE INVENTED 1 OR 2 THINGS AROUND HERE.

AND, AND WE'RE WELL RESPECTED IN THE IN THE SYSTEM OVERALL.

YEAH.

GREAT QUESTION.

LET'S SEE.

THERE'S ONE UP HERE FROM THE FROM THE COMMUNITY.

DO MOST OF THE DONATIONS COME FROM THE CITY OF SPOKANE OR SPOKANE COUNTY, OR DO YOU OR DO YOU GET ALL OF YOUR.

OR DO YOU SEE SUPPORT SPREAD ACROSS THE ENTIRE SERVICE REGION?

YEAH, I, WE, WE RECEIVE DONATIONS FROM ALL THE HECK OVER THE, THE REGION.

AND THAT INCLUDES OUTSIDE OF OUR BROADCAST AREA.

SO THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE WHO ARE USING WHO ARE USING KSPS PBS, MAYBE THEY LIVED HERE AT ONE TIME AND MOVED SOMEWHERE ELSE AND STILL WATCH OUR LIVE STREAM FROM ELSEWHERE IN THE COUNTRY, BUT JUST OUT OF SHEER, SHEER DENSITY, SPOKANE IS THE SOURCE OF MOST OF OUR DONATIONS.

SECOND IS CALGARY, THIRD WOULD BE EDMONTON, AND THEN LARGER TOWNS AROUND THE AROUND THE REGION OUR BROADCAST REGION IS IN POINTED OUT GOES ALL THE WAY OVER TO BASICALLY THE CASCADES ON ONE SIDE AND THEN CROSSES OVER TO MISSOULA AND THAT AREA OF MONTANA.

SO WE HAVE ALL OF THAT.

THE NORTHERN IDAHO, WE GO RIGHT DOWN JUST SOUTH OF THE BORDER IN OREGON, AND THEN UP TO THE EDGE OF EDGE OF THE COUNTRY AT THE 49TH PARALLEL FOR OUR BROADCAST REGION.

AND THEN CABLE AND SATELLITE GOES GOES QUITE A BIT FARTHER THAN THAT.

BUT YEAH, I'D SAY SOME SOME LARGER PORTION OF OUR OF OUR DONATIONS COMES FROM SPOKANE AREA, AND I DON'T HAVE THAT NUMBER RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME.

ANY LAST QUESTIONS FROM THE AUDIENCE AS WE THINK ABOUT WRAPPING UP HERE?

WHERE CAN I BUY A STICKER?

OH, WE WILL WE WILL SHOW THOSE WHO ARE HERE WHERE THE STICKERS ARE RIGHT OUT FRONT.

THAT WAS THE QUESTION.

OR FEEL FREE TO GO ONLINE AS WELL.

BUT YEAH, YEAH, ONE MORE QUESTION OVER HERE TO YEAH.

THE QUESTION WAS, HOW DO WE, HOW DO WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ALL THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF TALENTS THAT VOLUNTEERS MIGHT HAVE AND ALL THE, THE VOLUNTEER TALENTS THAT ARE AVAILABLE IN THE REGION?

WE HAVE A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR, COORDINATOR, MARINA.

AND IN THE VOLUNTEER APPLICATION, I BELIEVE YOU KIND OF TICK OFF THE LITTLE AREAS OF INTEREST AND AREAS OF STRENGTHS.

SO IF YOU'RE SOMEBODY WHO REALLY LIKES WORKING WITH CHILDREN, YOU MIGHT BE ABLE TO HELP WITH ANGIE.

IF YOU ARE THE KIND OF PERSON WHO LIKES TO PUT ON SOME HEADPHONES AND SORT SOME MAIL, YOU CAN DO THAT AS WELL.

IF YOU'RE THE KIND OF PERSON WHO IS SMALL OF STATURE AND WOULD GET INTO A COSTUME, THERE ARE ROLES FOR THAT AS WELL.

SO.

SO I THINK IF THERE ARE NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND YOU CAN ALWAYS ASK US QUESTIONS, WE ARE ALWAYS HERE AS AS POINTED OUT, WE ARE 100% ACCOUNTABLE TO YOU.

SO DON'T HESITATE TO REACH OUT.

BUT I THINK WE'LL WRAP THE EVENING FOR NOW BY JUST SAYING, THANKS FOR JOINING US THIS EVENING.

AS WE LOOK FORWARD TO 2027, WE ARE GRATEFUL TO EACH OF YOU FOR YOUR COMMITMENT TO PUBLIC TELEVISION AND KSPS PBS.

DON'T FORGET TO SUPPORT US IF YOU CAN, AND GOOD NIGHT.

AND