On a recent spring morning, Bob Jackson, president of Murray State University, juggled a typically busy schedule.

While obligations kept him on the school’s campus, his attention also was on Frankfort, where the General Assembly was wrapping up the legislative session.

Normally, he’d like to be in person at the Capitol, but the eight-hour roundtrip to Frankfort wasn’t feasible given his responsibilities elsewhere.

So he did what he usually does in these circumstances: He turned to KET’s online legislative stream, letting him stay abreast of everything at the Capitol while maintaining his work and activities in Murray.

“KET’s coverage was extremely helpful today — it saved me so much time,” he said. “And it just goes to show what a gem of a resource KET is for the entire state. For those of us who live outside Frankfort, to be able to tune in and follow a topic that’s important to us, all without leaving our homes, well, that’s something that’s easily taken for granted.”

Jackson, who served as a state senator from 1997 to 2004, said he’d always been a fan of KET’s, but didn’t fully appreciate everything the network did to keep Kentuckians informed on the state’s public affairs until he held elected office.

It was always an honor to support KET because I think the educational resources it provides our Commonwealth are valuable and essential.

Bob Jackson, president of Murray State University

“There’s so much going on in the state capital, in the legislative committees and at the public agencies,” he said. “But I’ve consistently found KET to be a great source for trustworthy information and legislative insight through programs such as Comment on Kentucky and Kentucky Tonight. Renee Shaw is a real pro. And you can see her touch – and KET’s touch – on everything they do as it relates to legislative reporting. From an informational standpoint, KET really is one of the best public television stations in the country.”

KET and Murray State University, he noted, share much in common in the way they embrace their public mission to help people continue lifelong learning and improve their quality of life.

“I always say there’s no better place to be than a university campus – and that’s because it’s such a vibrant place where you’re constantly doing something new and different. It helps keep you feeling young and your mind healthy,” he said. “We’re much alike in that regard – Murray State and KET – we both have a responsibility to educate our citizenry.”

Growing up on his family’s farm in LaRue County, Jackson said his parents always wanted him and his five siblings to reach their potential for a better life, stressing the importance of getting a good education. It’s a lesson, he said, that’s stayed with him.

“I’ve seen firsthand the power of education and what it can do for people in Kentucky,” Jackson said. “When I was in the legislature, it was always an honor to support KET because I think the educational resources it provides our Commonwealth are valuable and essential. We want our children to be educated, and we want their children to be educated. That’s how we become a better state for all.”