It’s a well-known irony in the public broadcasting system that, for a group of professional communicators, we can be rather bad at communicating about our own work. We get so busy serving our communities that we forget to take the time to talk about that service. 

I was visiting with a colleague recently and referenced the extensive work local public television stations do in the public safety realm. He stopped me and said, “Wait – what do you mean?” 

Of course, he knew that all broadcasters air life-saving messages from the Emergency Alert System. But his mind was blown when I explained that local public television stations provide the nationwide backup path for Wireless Emergency Alert messages – the various alert notifications you receive on your cell phone. 

He had no idea that local public television stations provide this critical piece of the national public safety infrastructure that protects all Americans. And why would he? It’s a completely invisible service that public television provides for the good of the country. A service that only we can provide, as it requires public television’s unique structure – the expansive and interconnected system of broadcast signals that reaches 99% of all Americans.

Public television does such highly visible work that it’s easy to assume folks know about all the services we provide. That conversation was a good reminder that taking the time to tell our story is so important. 

Thank you for supporting OPT – all the visible and invisible work we do to make the Ozarks a safe, informed, and inspired place for all. 

Rachel Knight
General Manager