LOUISIANA PUBLIC BROADCASTING 2016 LOCAL CONTENT AND SERVICE REPORT LPB partnered with The Council for A Better Louisiana who in- vited five candidates to participate in the U.S. Senate debate. The debate originated from the campus of Louisiana Tech University in Ruston. The candidates invited to participate were L to R: U.S. Rep- resentative John Fleming, State Treasurer John Kennedy, attorney Caroline Fayard, Public Service Commissioner Foster Campbell, and U.S. Representative Charles Boustany. Since 1975, Louisiana Public the highly publicized shooting of content, and trained personnel to Broadcasting has been the public Alton Sterling and then the shoot- continue providing employment television network for the state of ing of six Baton Rouge Police services to a nine parish area. Louisiana with stations in Alexan- Officers that left three dead. One Through a grant from Entergy dria, Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake month later, record setting floods Corporation, LPB early childhood Charles, Monroe and Shreveport. devastated several regions, leav- educators provided monthly work- LPB is also affiliated with WLAE- ing 20 parishes declared federal shops to teachers at ten childcare TV in New Orleans. Louisiana disaster areas, 146,000 homes centers in New Orleans. The train- Public Broadcasting is a statewide damaged, and 21 schools damaged ing focused on how to effectively resource - on the air, on the web, or destroyed. LPB news and public use the curriculum and resources in the classroom, and in the home. affairs programs provided timely from the popular Sid the Science Our mission is to provide program- information and coverage of these Kid series. Quarterly workshops ming that is intelligent, informa- events, conducted town hall discus- for parents focused on teaching tive, educational and entertaining. sions, held a telethon that benefited them how to use the resources to LPB strives to connect the citizens flood damaged schools, and even continue their children’s learning of Louisiana by creating content brought comfort to the youngest at home. Children at two centers that showcases Louisiana’s unique flood victims with visits from our created their own science activities, history, people, places and events. popular kids show characters. based on Sid the Science Kid, for LPB is engaged in informing our LPB continued its pledge to be their centers’ science fairs. LPB audiences about public affairs and relevant throughout our state’s also hosted the culminating cele- news that impacts them, but LPB communities. In 2016, LPB part- bration for all ten centers at Story- is also engaged in our communities nered with the Catholic Charities land in City Park in New Orleans. through educational outreach for of the Diocese of Baton Rouge Friends of LPB, LPB’s support children and adults, job training, (CCDBR) on a Walmart Founda- organization, hosted some spectac- veterans affairs, community service tion grant to provide job skills, ular events for their members. Over and coverage of health and envi- career counseling and employment 60 guests attended LPB’s preview ronmental issues. LPB was honored services to nearly 300 participants. of the finale of the hit seriesDown - with three nominations at the 40th In addition to the training materi- ton Abbey with a “Champagne and Annual Suncoast Regional Emmy als, the Employment Services of Chocolate” event in March. Guests Awards for its public affairs pro- the CCDBR received laptop com- had an opportunity to be the first to ductions. puters to create a mobile training see the final episode of the popular LPB was on the forefront of our lab for offsite employment training. series. state’s biggest challenges in 2016. Because of this project, CCDBR In July, Louisiana was rocked by has the equipment, instructional As part of the buildup sur- rounding the PBS Ken Burns documentary Jackie Robinson, LPB held two screening events. In March, at the East Baton Rouge Parish Library, former LSU Baseball Coach Skip Bert- man, Southern University Base- ball Coach Roger Cador, and LPB’s Charlie Whinham dis- cussed the social impact of Jack- ie Robinson’s legacy. The next week, Whinham headed north to the Eddie Robinson Museum on the campus of Grambling State University, where he and re- Louisiana Veterans Coming Home tired Grambling Baseball coach Wilbert Ellis hosted a screening and panel discussion featuring Louisiana Public Broadcasting erans. The show brought together former major leaguers Ralph is dedicated to producing relevant veterans of the armed forces with Garr, George Stone, and Mackie public affairs programming on is- panelists from different branches, Freeze, and former sports writer sues impacting our state. as well as civilians who provide Paul Letlow. Attendees drew for Louisiana Public Square is outreach and support for returning door prizes, and participated in a LPB’s monthly public affairs soldiers. As part of the episode, 16 lively discussion. program designed to be a forum local veterans support organiza- for citizens’ opinions and concerns tions participated in an information about issues affecting Louisiana to fair before the screening. leading experts and key decision Other episodes included coverage makers, with the goal of encourag- of the overdose epidemic in Loui- ing civic engagement and civil dis- siana with Opiates & the Bayou course - the foundations of a strong State; the state’s public defender democracy. LPB has received shortage, which leaves those who state and national recognition for are accused and indigent without the series and we are proud that it representation on Justice on Hold; serves as a model for other stations and minority community policing around the country. Topics this on Police POV: Body Cameras in year included Medicaid expansion Louisiana. The November epi- in Louisiana, the state’s criminal sode of Louisiana Public Square justice and prison system, educa- sought to bring attention to the tion challenges, veterans issues, flood recovery effort, bringing Election 2016, and Recovery from together affected homeowners the 2016 Floods. and panelists including representa- Through a grant from the Entergy tives from FEMA, the federal Corporation, LPB continued work agency that is disbursing aid, along on its Louisiana: Veterans Com- with members of the business com- ing Home initiative with a Public munity and the state’s workforce Square episode that targeted an un- commission. derserved audience: post-9/11 vet- In April, LPB hosted the The 21st Annual Louisiana Young Heroes Awards. LPB and partner, Rotary Club of Baton Rouge, honored eight outstanding Louisiana students in grades 7 through 12. For the first time, the award ceremony was livestreamed online. The nighttime banquet and awards ceremony was also live- streamed. LPB’s Louisiana Legends, for the 26th year, spotlighted some of the best and brightest of Louisi- ana’s sons and daughters who have distinguished themselves in a vari- ety of disciplines and have brought honor to the state. The 2016 honor- ees at the gala in May were Hollis Conway, two-time Olympic Medal- ist, National Track and Field Hall Of Fame Inductee; Charlie Cook, political analyst, Editor and Pub- lisher of the Cook Political Report; William Doré, leader in the marine construction industry, 2000 Horatio Alger Award Winner; Sylvia Good- man, philanthropist and community leader, Shreveport’s Citizen of the Year; W. Henson Moore, Louisi- ana Congressman, George H. W. Bush Deputy Chief of Staff; and Charlie Weems, community Leader and philanthropist, LSU Law Cen- ter Hall of Fame Honoree. Again this year, LPB hosted approximately 45 in attendance. the affected areas. Teachers whose three week-long summer camps. In August, following the floods homes and/or schools were af- The first week in June was a Lit- that devastated parts of the Greater fected by the flood went on the air eracy Camp for 4-year-olds. The Baton Rouge area, LPB donated to share the stories of devastation. next two weeks were Math, Sci- 10% of the money raised in the Louisiana’s First Lady Donna Ed- ence, and Technology Camps, first August/September membership wards also appeared on air, encour- for 4-year-olds, and the second for campaign towards flood relief aging viewers to help the schools 5-year-olds. victims. We also devoted one night dealing with such overwhelming In July and September, LPB of the pledge drive that was entitled destruction. During this special, Senior Producer Kevin Gautreaux Education and Recovery: LPB 100% of donations were desig- gave a presentation to the Loui- Gives Back. During this 90-min- nated for supplies for the schools siana Legislative Youth Advisory ute special, LPB shared personal affected by the flood waters. The Council (LYAC) at the State Capi- stories from people impacted by program was also streamed live on tol about the monthly LPB series, the flooding, and raised funds to the Louisiana Public Broadcasting Louisiana Public Square with support students and teachers in Facebook page. LPB continued to track the state’s recovery by producing seg- ments for Louisiana: The State We’re In. The December Not Home for the Holidays piece high- lighted a family of five still living in a hotel and a couple living in a shed beside their flooded trailer. In 2016, candidates were vying for retiring U.S. Senator David Vitter’s vacant seat. On October 18, 2016, LPB and the Council for A Better Louisiana hosted Decision 2016: The Race for the Senate, In response to the floods, LPB role this hotel played in World War a candidate forum featuring the received donations from more than II. Also, Charlie cast his line at the major candidates in the 2016 U. S. 80 public television stations across Toledo Bend Reservoir, rated the Senate race. The debate was aired the country. An auditorium full #1 bass fishing lake in the nation. live from the campus of Louisiana of flood relief supplies including Louisiana: The State Were In, Tech University in Ruston, and clothes, cleaning supplies, pillows, LPB’s weekly newsmagazine, hit a included questions from the univer- blankets, diapers, household items, milestone in September, 2016 – its sity’s students.