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Childcare Challenges

Renee Shaw and guests discuss childcare challenges. Guests: State Sen. Danny Carroll, R-Benton, day care owner; Kristin Walker Collins, chief operating officer of the Foundation for Appalachian Kentucky; Benjamin Gies, director of early childhood policy and practice at the Prichard Committee for Academic Excellence; and Kevin Fields, president/CEO at Louisville Central Community Centers, Inc.
Season 28 Episode 23 Length 56:33 Premiere: 07/19/21

About

Kentucky Tonight

KET’s Kentucky Tonight, hosted by Renee Shaw, brings together an expert panel for in-depth analysis of major issues facing the Commonwealth.

This weekly program features comprehensive discussions with lawmakers, stakeholders and policy leaders that are moderated by award-winning journalist Renee Shaw.

For nearly three decades, Kentucky Tonight has been a source for complete and balanced coverage of the most urgent and important public affairs developments in the state of Kentucky.

Often aired live, viewers are encouraged to participate by submitting questions in real-time via email, Twitter or KET’s online form. Viewers with questions and comments may send an email to kytonight@ket.org or use the contact form. All messages should include first and last name and town or county. The phone number for viewer calls during the program is 800-494-7605.

After the broadcast, Kentucky Tonight programs are available on KET.org and via podcast (iTunes or Android). Files are normally accessible within 24 hours after the television broadcast.

Kentucky Tonight was awarded a 1997 regional Emmy by the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. The series was also honored with a 1995 regional Emmy nomination.

To purchase a DVD:
Call 800-945-9167 or email shop@ket.org.


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KET Mondays • 8/7 pm

Stream

Watch on KET’s website anytime or through the PBS Video App.

Podcast

The Kentucky Tonight podcast features each episode’s audio for listening.


Renee Shaw is the Director of Public Affairs and Moderator at KET, currently serving as host of KET’s weeknight public affairs program Kentucky Edition, the signature public policy discussion series Kentucky Tonight, the weekly interview series Connections, Election coverage and KET Forums.

Since 2001, Renee has been the producing force behind KET’s legislative coverage that has been recognized by the Kentucky Associated Press and the National Educational Telecommunications Association. Under her leadership, KET has expanded its portfolio of public affairs content to include a daily news and information program, Kentucky Supreme Court coverage, townhall-style forums, and multi-platform program initiatives around issues such as opioid addiction and youth mental health.  

Renee has also earned top awards from the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), with three regional Emmy awards. In 2023, she was inducted into the Silver Circle of the NATAS, one of the industry’s highest honors recognizing television professionals with distinguished service in broadcast journalism for 25 years or more.  

Already an inductee into the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame (2017), Renee expands her hall of fame status with induction into Western Kentucky University’s Hall of Distinguished Alumni in November of 2023.  

In February of 2023, Renee graced the front cover of Kentucky Living magazine with a centerfold story on her 25 years of service at KET and even longer commitment to public media journalism. 

In addition to honors from various educational, civic, and community organizations, Renee has earned top honors from the Associated Press and has twice been recognized by Mental Health America for her years-long dedication to examining issues of mental health and opioid addiction.  

In 2022, she was honored with Women Leading Kentucky’s Governor Martha Layne Collins Leadership Award recognizing her trailblazing path and inspiring dedication to elevating important issues across Kentucky.   

In 2018, she co-produced and moderated a 6-part series on youth mental health that was awarded first place in educational content by NETA, the National Educational Telecommunications Association. 

She has been honored by the AKA Beta Gamma Omega Chapter with a Coretta Scott King Spirit of Ivy Award; earned the state media award from the Kentucky Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution in 2019; named a Charles W. Anderson Laureate by the Kentucky Personnel Cabinet in 2019 honoring her significant contributions in addressing socio-economic issues; and was recognized as a “Kentucky Trailblazer” by the University of Kentucky Martin School of Public Policy and Administration during the Wendell H. Ford Lecture Series in 2019. That same year, Shaw was named by The Kentucky Gazette’s inaugural recognition of the 50 most notable women in Kentucky politics and government.  

Renee was bestowed the 2021 Berea College Service Award and was named “Unapologetic Woman of the Year” in 2021 by the Community Action Council.   

In 2015, she received the Green Dot Award for her coverage of domestic violence, sexual assault & human trafficking. In 2014, Renee was awarded the Anthony Lewis Media Award from the KY Department of Public Advocacy for her work on criminal justice reform. Two Kentucky governors, Republican Ernie Fletcher and Democrat Andy Beshear, have commissioned Renee as a Kentucky Colonel for noteworthy accomplishments and service to community, state, and nation.  

A former adjunct media writing professor at Georgetown College, Renee traveled to Cambodia in 2003 to help train emerging journalists on reporting on critical health issues as part of an exchange program at Western Kentucky University. And, she has enterprised stories for national media outlets, the PBS NewsHour and Public News Service.  

Shaw is a 2007 graduate of Leadership Kentucky, a board member of CASA of Lexington, and a longtime member of the Frankfort/Lexington Chapter of The Links Incorporated, an international, not-for-profit organization of women of color committed to volunteer service. She has served on the boards of the Kentucky Historical Society, Lexington Minority Business Expo, and the Board of Governors for the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. 

Host Renee Shaw smiling in a green dress with a KET set behind her.

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Season 28 Episodes

City and County Issues

S28 E38 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 12/13/21

Compensating College Athletes: Name, Image and Likeness

S28 E36 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 11/22/21

Trends in State and National Politics

S28 E35 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 11/15/21

Abortion Rights and Restrictions

S28 E34 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 11/08/21

Kentucky's Social Services System

S28 E33 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 11/01/21

School Choice in the Commonwealth

S28 E32 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 10/25/21

Historical Horse Racing: A Growing Pastime in Kentucky

S28 E31 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 10/11/21

New Developments and the Unknowns of COVID-19

S28 E30 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 10/04/21

COVID and the Classroom

S28 E29 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 09/27/21

Remembering 9/11, 20 Years Later

S28 E28 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 09/13/21

Kentucky's Response to COVID-19

S28 E27 Length 56:35 Premiere Date 08/30/21

Discussing the Surge of COVID-19 Cases in Kentucky

S28 E26 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 08/23/21

Fancy Farm Preview and State Politics

S28 E25 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 08/02/21

Back-To-School Issues in Kentucky

S28 E24 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 07/26/21

Childcare Challenges

S28 E23 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 07/19/21

The Urban-Rural Divide in Kentucky

S28 E22 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 07/12/21

Work Shifts: Kentucky's Labor Shortage and Hiring Challenges

S28 E21 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/28/21

Public Infrastructure: What Kentucky Needs

S28 E19 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 06/21/21

Debating Critical Race Theory

S28 E18 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 06/14/21

Kentucky's Rebound From COVID-19

S28 E17 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 06/07/21

Jobs and the Economy

S28 E16 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 05/17/21

The Future of Policing in America

S28 E15 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 05/10/21

President Biden's First 100 Days

S28 E14 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 05/03/21

Mass Shootings and Gun Laws

S28 E13 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 04/26/21

Voting Rights and Election Laws

S28 E12 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 04/20/21

The 2021 General Assembly: Debating Major Legislation

S28 E11 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 04/12/21

Wrapping Up the 2021 General Assembly

S28 E10 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 03/29/21

School Choice in Kentucky

S28 E9 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 03/22/21

No-Knock Warrants

S28 E8 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 03/15/21

Debating Legislative Priorities in the 2021 General Assembly

S28 E7 Length 56:35 Premiere Date 03/08/21

Proposed Legislation to Modify Kentucky Teachers' Pensions

S28 E6 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 02/22/21

Debating Historical Horse Racing Legislation

S28 E5 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 02/08/21

New Lawmakers in the 2021 Kentucky General Assembly

S28 E4 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 02/01/21

A Nation Divided

S28 E3 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 01/18/21

Recapping the Start of the 2021 General Assembly

S28 E2 Length 56:34 Premiere Date 01/11/21

Previewing the 2021 General Assembly

S28 E1 Length 56:33 Premiere Date 01/04/21

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Kentucky Tonight - S32 E25

  • Monday March 2, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday March 2, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET
  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 8:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 7:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 1:00 pm ET on KETKY
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  • Tuesday March 3, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
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Kentucky Tonight - S32 E26

  • Monday March 16, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday March 16, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET
  • Tuesday March 17, 2026 8:00 am ET on KETKY
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  • Tuesday March 17, 2026 12:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 17, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 17, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday March 18, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday March 18, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET

Kentucky Tonight - S32 E27

  • Monday March 23, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday March 23, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 7:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 1:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 12:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 24, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday March 25, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday March 25, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET

Kentucky Tonight - S32 E28

  • Monday March 30, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday March 30, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 8:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 7:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 1:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 12:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday March 31, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Wednesday April 1, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday April 1, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET
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2026 Legislative Session at Midpoint - S32 E24

  • Wednesday February 25, 2026 1:29 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 25, 2026 12:29 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 1:20 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 12:20 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 8:24 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 24, 2026 7:24 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday February 23, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday February 23, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET

K-12 Education - S32 E23

  • Wednesday February 18, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 18, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 8:00 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 17, 2026 7:00 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday February 16, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday February 16, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET

Public Education Legislation - S32 E22

  • Wednesday February 11, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 11, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 1:02 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 12:02 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 8:31 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 10, 2026 7:31 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday February 9, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday February 9, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET

Housing Shortage in Kentucky - S32 E21

  • Wednesday February 4, 2026 1:00 am ET on KET
  • Wednesday February 4, 2026 12:00 am CT on KET
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:30 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:30 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 1:00 pm ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:00 pm CT on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 8:17 am ET on KETKY
  • Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:17 am CT on KETKY
  • Monday February 2, 2026 8:00 pm ET on KET
  • Monday February 2, 2026 7:00 pm CT on KET
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