To the editor:

The tornado warning last night was a reminder about Mississippi Public Broadcasting’s role in public safety. As the weather tracked its way across Mississippi, the weather service alerts broadcast on MPB radio kept me updated on the progress of the storm.

I was home last night and I could have easily received the weather updates other ways. The real value of MPB radio is when I travel around the state during inclement weather. When I’m driving, it’s not always convenient to stop and look at my phone. So I leave the radio tuned to one of the MPB radio stations. The weather alerts broadcast over the MPB network gives me situational awareness of the weather as I travel, without obligating me to remove my attention from the road.

The MPB radio network in Mississippi is unique in providing this service to drivers in the state of Mississippi. It’s a service that won’t be easily filled by local television, radio or smart phone applications. The statewide scope of the MPB radio network is what makes it special.

The moves in the Mississippi legislature to pull the state funding from MPB is a mistake. It will hurt public safety in Mississippi. It will also hurt a very reliable source of arts and education in Mississippi that commercial broadcasters probably won’t step in to replace.

I’ll be reaching out to my legislators to protest these moves in the legislature. I encourage everyone else to do the same.

Robert Carleton

Vicksburg