Kentucky Educational Television

Description

These interviews give a history of the development of the Kentucky Educational Television (KET) network, from its beginnings in the 1960s to 1971. Interviewees include political figures and others who helped to put the network together, including financial advisors, engineers, and executive director O. Leonard Press. They discuss the political background of KET's development, the difficulties in starting an educational television network, and many of the behind the scenes activities.

These interviews were conducted in preparation for a doctoral dissertation in mass communications at Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York.

Title

Kentucky Educational Television

Project Interviews

Don Bradshaw discusses the formative years of KET.

Roy Owsley discusses the formative years of KET.

Bill Ladd discusses the formative years of KET.

Former Kentucky Legislator Richard Van Hoose discusses the formative years of KET.

Lucile Blazer discusses the formative years of KET.

Former Kentucky Governor Bert T. Combs discusses the formative years of KET.

Leonard Press discusses the formative years of KET. The interview is the fourth of a four part series in the Kentucky Educational Television Project.

Former Kentucky Governor Edward Breathitt discusses the formative years of KET.

James Harris discusses the formative years of KET.

Holman Wilson discusses the formative years of KET.

Pete Manchikes discusses the formative years of KET.

Lyman Ginger discusses the formative years of KET.

Al Temple discusses the formative years of KET.

Harry Lowman discusses the formative years of KET.

Gordon Browning discusses his role in evaluating program development at Morehead State. Morehead's programming endeavor for a linguistics production series failed to produce airable, or KET approved/certified, programs. Browning's account can be considered an authentication of other project interviewee's conclusions that KET maintained strict…

James Harris discusses KET's early philosophy on educational television, its stated priorities, and his involvement with KET during its formative years. Harris established EKU's TV production facility with a KET provided $200,000 budget. The initial plan was for each of the five major state universities to create such a facility so they could…

Jack Blanton explains how budget analysts convinced a somewhat skeptical Governor Nunn and his administration to continue to invest in KET. Blanton also discusses aspects of Governor Breathitt's approach to ETV and KET.

Adron Doran, House Speaker in 1950 and Kentucky's Representative in the Southern Education Regional Board, discusses his involvement with KET during its formative years. Doran was a liaison of sorts under the Governor Wetherby, who did not give ETV any consideration, until he took a faculty position at Morehead State. Thereafter, and not until…

Former Kentucky Governor Louie B. Nunn comments on the ways that he and his administration approached KET's development and funding. Governor Nunn shares his administration reasoning for supporting a Democratic initiative as a Republican governor; his reasons being, the investments had already been made and the educational advantages outweighed…

Jim Peyton speculates about why higher education and university contributions to KET have been relatively low; he cites low budgets and lack of compensation for programming production as two possible reasons. Peyton also comments on the conflict between the ICC and KET, and perceived differences in the educational philosophies of the various groups…

Wendell Butler discusses his role during the various stages of KET's development under the Administrations of Governors Combs, Breathitt, Nunn, and Carroll. He also comments on Leonard Press's commitment to making KET a reality, and provides information on the role that the Kentucky Department of Education played during the formative years of…

Elizabeth Taylor, a retired University of Kentucky faculty member discusses her involvement with KET in the early years of its existence. Taylor provides insight into the roles that she, Leonard Press, Dr. Lyman Ginger, Mr. Ronald Stewart, and other relevant educators played in making KET a success in Kentucky's statewide television and educational…

Ronald Stewart, the chief engineer of technical activity at all the KET production centers, discusses various technical challenges that KET faced during its early years. Interview topics include discussions over broadcast system site selections, the reasons behind utilizing microwave systems over cable broadcast technologies, major KET network…

Leonard Press answers numerous questions that Jerry Paul Perry submitted prior to the interview's taping. Although the recording is technically not an unrehearsed taped interview, the answers' relevance to the project's overall scope justified its inclusion in the project interviews. In particular, the posed questions investigate certain…

Leonard Press discusses early budgeting pitfalls and successes and various technological complications that appeared while launching KET and Educational Television programming. Press continues his comments on the roles that Governors Combs and Breathitt played in bringing in the required state funding and legislative support that was needed to make…

Leonard Press discusses his personal commitment to supporting, legislating, and promoting Educational Television programming and KET. Press comments extensively on various high level meetings with Governors Breathitt and Nunn, and other state government officials who were either reluctant to support or possessed a deep personal commitment to…

Don Bale, the Assistant Superintendent for Public Instruction with the Kentucky Department of Education and member of the KET Authority Board of Directors, discusses his involvement with KET. Bale comments extensively on the role he played in negotiating KET legislation, and launching and running KET operations. He also comments on the opinions and…

Edward Prichard discusses the politics of funding and launching KET. The interview provides a glimpse of the behind the scenes financial politicking that took place during the formative years of KET. Prichard shares his knowledge and opinions on the ways that the state government and Governors Combs, Breathitt, Nunn, and Ford approached KET's…
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