Asked to recall her earliest memories of KET, Elizabeth Griffith Mudd laughs, lifting a well-worn coffee cup, the outlines of a KET logo still discernable on its face.

“I’ve been drinking out of a KET mug the majority of my life,” she said. “Which makes sense because KET has been part of my life for as long as I can remember.”

As a child, the television in her family’s Owensboro home was all but fixed to KET, where she watched Barney and Sesame Street, enthralled with their playful lessons on numbers and letters. As an adult, she gravitated to many of the same programs her parents enjoyed, joining them for Masterpiece series such as Downton Abbey and Victoria as well as programs that delved into Kentucky’s history, politics, people and places.

“We’ve grown up together on the sofa watching KET,” said Dan Griffith, her father. “And that’s still true today.”

The Griffith family have long shared a love for all things KET—and been one of the network’s most vocal supporters.

Dan Griffith, the former CEO of the Owensboro Symphony, began volunteering for KET in the mid-1980’s with The Friends of KET, helping with community outreach. In 2017, when Dan was appointed to KET’s Authority Board, the network’s governing body, he stepped away from that role, and Elizabeth jumped at the opportunity to volunteer with The Friends of KET.

“Just seeing my dad’s passion and involvement with KET led me to want to be involved as well,” Elizabeth said.

One of the things Dan and Elizabeth love about KET is the network’s statewide coverage, telling the stories of Kentuckians from every region through programs such as Kentucky Edition and Kentucky Tonight or the many KET Forums that do deep dives on issues such as healthcare, veteran’s affairs, early literacy and other subjects.

Whether educating our children, keeping people informed about what’s happening in Frankfort or sharing stories from our history, KET is a vital part of our state identity.

Dan Griffith

“In Owensboro, many of our news stations are from outside Kentucky,” Dan said. “So KET really is the main channel that gives us news that’s pure Kentucky. And those statewide conversations that KET facilitates are very important if all the different regions of the state are to work together on a common goal.”

As president of the economic development agency in Marshall County, Elizabeth said she’s come to depend on KET’s coverage of the Kentucky legislature, whether tracking bills through committee hearings or researching legislative topics in KET’s online archive.

“I can’t get to Frankfort as much as I’d like, so it’s great to have KET serving as my eyes and ears,” Elizabeth said. “As voters in a democracy, we need to be informed about what’s going on.”

Dan and Elizabeth add that they appreciate how KET stays abreast of changes in technology, making the network’s catalog of programs and resources freely accessible online or through a phone or tablet.

“KET really is everywhere now, and that’s a big deal for young professionals and people on the go who don’t have time to watch something as it unfolds,” Elizabeth said. “It’s nice knowing I can turn to KET when I need it.”

Dan adds that he’s supported KET for more than four decades because he believes it’s one of the Commonwealth’s best investments.

“Whether educating our children, keeping people informed about what’s happening in Frankfort or sharing stories from our history, KET is a vital part of our state identity,” he said. “And it’s important that we, as fellow Kentuckians, do our part to help support KET.”