With all the distractions on the road, I make it my business to stay focused on what’s going on around me. But every once in a while, I acknowledge seeing a car tag with clever wording that takes on the form of a puzzle. I’ve also long admired the prominence of car tags of our universities and others. I see them as special and an extension of a driver’s personality or support for a worthy cause.
Mississippi Public Broadcasting has been presented with such an opportunity. In the last legislative session, lawmakers gave approval for a tag in support and recognition of MPB. That was a big first step and one in which we are grateful. The next part requires the agency to secure 300 supporters to pay $31 so that the MPB tag can go into production, and debut in January.
MPB has thousands of members who on a monthly basis send financial support to help offset the cost of programming. While several members have sent in their $31, we have not reached our goal and can only do so with the help of our members and supporters. I certainly understand that MPB is competing with a number of other worthy agencies for car tags. My message to supporters, donors and friends is to further reach out again and tell the public broadcasting financial story.
Public broadcasting receives an average of about $1.32 per taxpayer nationally. For every dollar public broadcasters receive from the federal government, the industry raises $6 on its own. That has allowed our supporters to actively participate in offsetting the cost of many programs that would not be possible without our partners. Support for the MPB tag is but one way to help and, I might add, that for every tag we secure, the state will give the agency a significant part of the funds.
If you’d like to know more about the MPB car tag program, please call 601-432-6298, log on to mpbonline.org/cartag, or just send your $31 check to the attention of the communications department, MPB, 3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, Miss. 39211. Please make the check payable to Mississippi Public Broadcasting.
