KET Executive Director
Malcolm (Mac) Wall
From classrooms to television and computer screens, viewers are seeing the fruits of initiatives launched under KET Executive Director Malcolm (Mac) Wall.
Since 2003, KET has expanded its commitment to local programming, education, and health in Kentucky—while at the same time making the transition to digital transmission and the additional channels made possible by that technology.
As part of that commitment, on Oct. 1, 2009, KET launched KET ED On Demand, an online service providing educators with access to most of KET’s instructional series and resources. KET ED On Demand offers more than 200 instructional series and programs.
KET also has launched the Kentucky Channel, featuring programs by, for, and about Kentuckians. “In the vast digital media landscape, the greatest ‘risk’ is that local content will be lost. KET is serving our viewers by providing the Kentucky Channel as a stand-alone broadcast platform that champions all things local,” said Wall.
If KET’s viewers could know only one thing about him, Wall says, “I would want them to know that I have an absolute bedrock of commitment to this enterprise, for this business of educational television, and, moreover, for the legacy that is KET.”
Spotlighting health and education
Wall is especially proud of two new initiatives: KET EncycloMedia and Be Well Kentucky.
KET EncycloMedia is an Internet-based service that delivers multimedia materials on request to help teachers develop interactive lessons. It also offers rich resources to their technology-savvy students for their own projects. The service is available free to all K-12 public schools in Kentucky. “We’re overwhelmed with the response of teachers to this cutting-edge convergence of education and technology,” said Wall.
The Be Well Kentucky initiative aims to inspire a cultural shift in health attitudes and practices among Kentuckians. “Our children and grandchildren deserve the opportunity for a bright and successful future,” said Wall. “Unless we actively commit to improving our health and theirs, that future will be bleak.”
The initiative is marshaling an array of media and outreach activities to spotlight health issues and wellness solutions. The first step was the production of the 13-part series The CommonHealth of Kentucky, which was followed by an outreach campaign that included a toolkit for community engagement. The series was honored with Health Kentucky’s Medical Reporting Award.
Staying local
KET is a national leader in the number of hours of locally produced programming. Under Wall’s leadership, KET produced the three-part documentary Where the River Bends: A History of Northern Kentucky and has launched three new weekly Kentucky series: One to One with Bill Goodman, Connections with Renee Shaw, and Louisville Life.
One to One with Bill Goodman features in-depth interviews with a variety of interesting people drawn from a wide range of fields. Connections with Renee Shaw focuses on the people working to make a difference in a culturally blended society. And the Emmy Award-winning Louisville Life shows viewers what is distinctive about Louisville’s neighborhoods, introduces talked-about locals, and helps viewers plan the next go-see trip or night out on the town.
Going digital
Wall leads the statewide network as the television industry and KET are undergoing a breathtaking change—from analog to digital production and transmission. On April 16, 2009, KET ceased analog transmission statewide, after preparing viewers for the DTV transition through an expansive public awareness campaign.
In 2009, KET commissioned a cutting-edge HD production facility at its Network Center in Lexington. With an end-to-end, digital file-based workflow, KET houses one of the nation’s most innovative public television production facilities. Made possible by funding from state appropriations, KET will use this pioneering infrastructure to expand service to the Commonwealth.
“This funding provides another milestone in our continuing efforts to fully implement high-definition production,” Wall said. “We look forward to producing more high-quality local documentaries and educational programming that will have the added benefit of high definition.”
KET began broadcasting 24/7 in high definition on Oct. 1, 2009.
Building on strengths
Wall also is strengthening KET’s legacy as a national leader in adult education and lifelong learning. In 2008, pre-production began on a multimedia, multi-platform project to help adult learners in Kentucky and throughout America prepare for the new GED exam, to be launched in 2012. Nearly a million adults in Kentucky do not have a high-school diploma or equivalency.
The importance of KET’s educational and cultural mission is resonating with viewers, who continue to support KET with contributions. Individual and family membership support continues to grow, and a recent fund-raising campaign for the Endowment for Kentucky Productions exceeded the original $2 million goal. Utilizing those funds, work has begun on Thoroughbred, the first high-definition, full-length documentary focusing on the horse industry. Thoroughbred will premiere nationally in 2010.
In return, Wall has made it a priority to understand what Kentuckians expect from KET. He has traveled the state with his Listening Project to gain insight into ways KET can address community needs and state issues, meeting thousands of citizens, and frequently speaks to chambers of commerce and Rotary and Kiwanis clubs across the Commonwealth. In all, he estimates that he logged more than 60,000 miles.
“Public institutions like KET have an increased obligation to stay connected to the many publics they serve,” he explained. “One direct way KET is doing this is by listening. Actively listening to communities across the Commonwealth assures that we understand the issues and expectations about which Kentuckians feel most strongly. KET can serve best when we know what matters most.”
Wall is active in communities throughout Kentucky. He is a member of the Rotary Club of Lexington. He also serves on numerous civic boards, including those of Leadership Kentucky, the Center for Rural Development, and Vision 2015 Planning Northern Kentucky’s Future.
“What KET does so well is produce local programs with the best production values—scenic design, writing, graphics, video, and great content,” said Wall. “We’re sustaining this and expanding. We will continue to come into viewers’ homes with programs and services worthy of their time.”