KET's Renee Shaw to retire from the public television network at the end of July. Shaw hosts Kentucky Edition weekly and Kentucky Tonight. * Published: 8:49 pm Jul. 20, 2026 Renee Shaw, a notable Kentucky journalist who has worked at KET for 29 years, will retire from the state's public television network at the end of July. Shaw, the director of Public Affairs and moderator at KET, hosts Kentucky Edition weekly and Kentucky Tonight, the network's public policy discussion series. Ahead of elections, she moderates forums with Kentucky politicians and candidate hopefuls and leads election coverage. KET announced Shaw's retirement in a Monday morning press release. It said Shaw "played a central role in the expansion of KET's public affairs coverage to include a daily current events series, townhall-style forums, and multi-platform initiatives around issues such as aging, opioid addiction and youth mental health." "Renee is one of the most trusted and respected voices in Kentucky journalism, known for her thoughtful reporting, in-depth interviews, and commitment to civil, informed public discourse," said KET Executive Director and CEO Shae Hopkins. "We are deeply grateful for everything she's done to serve communities across the state, and we wish her all the best in this next chapter." Shaw has won numerous awards throughout her tenure at KET, including three Ohio Valley Regional Emmy awards. She has also been inducted into the Silver Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame and Western Kentucky University's Hall of Distinguished Alumni. She also frequently travels the state to moderate and emcee at community events. She's been named a Kentucky Colonel twice - by former Republican Gov. Ernie Fletcher and by Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear - for her noteworthy accomplishments and service to Kentucky. "For nearly three decades, KET has been my professional home and offered me such rich opportunities. To sit across from governors, lawmakers, artists, educators and everyday Kentuckians has been a privilege. I have always believed that if the last thing I did becomes the last thing I did, it had better be the best thing I did," Shaw said in a statement. "As I look back on this journey, my heart is full of gratitude for the viewers who trusted me, the colleagues who inspired me, and the Commonwealth that allowed me to tell its stories." This article is republished under a Creative Commons license from Kentucky Lantern, which is part of States Newsroom, a network of news bureaus supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Kentucky Lantern maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jamie Lucke for questions: [email protected]. Follow Kentucky Lantern on Facebook and Twitter. McKenna Horsley covers state politics for the Kentucky Lantern. She previously worked for newspapers in Huntington, West Virginia, and Frankfort, Kentucky. She is from northeastern Kentucky.

Renee Shaw to retire from KET after nearly 30 years of service. For Release: 07/20/26 8:45 AM After 29 years of dedicated service, Renee Shaw will retire from KET at the end of the month. Beginning her KET career as a reporter and associate producer, Shaw has been key to connecting viewers with the issues, leaders and conversations shaping Kentucky. As Director of Public Affairs and Moderator, Shaw currently hosts Kentucky Edition each weeknight as well as Kentucky Tonight, KET's signature public policy discussion series. In addition, she moderates KET Forums and election coverage. "Renee is one of the most trusted and respected voices in Kentucky journalism, known for her thoughtful reporting, in-depth interviews, and commitment to civil, informed public discourse," said KET Executive Director and CEO Shae Hopkins. "We are deeply grateful for everything she's done to serve communities across the state, and we wish her all the best in this next chapter." Over the years, Shaw has played a central role in the expansion of KET's public affairs coverage to include a daily current events series, townhall-style forums, and multi-platform initiatives around issues such as aging, opioid addiction and youth mental health. "For nearly three decades, KET has been my professional home and offered me such rich opportunities. To sit across from governors, lawmakers, artists, educators and everyday Kentuckians has been a privilege. I have always believed that if the last thing I did becomes the last thing I did, it had better be the best thing I did," said Shaw. "As I look back on this journey, my heart is full of gratitude for the viewers who trusted me, the colleagues who inspired me, and the Commonwealth that allowed me to tell its stories." During her tenure at KET, Shaw won three Ohio Valley Regional Emmy awards and has been inducted into the Silver Circle of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, the Kentucky Civil Rights Hall of Fame, and Western Kentucky University's Hall of Distinguished Alumni. KET is Kentucky's largest classroom, providing trusted programming, lifelong learning opportunities and essential services to more than two million people each week. Learn more about Kentucky's preeminent public media organization at KET.org, on X @KET and at facebook.com/KET.

KET earns nine Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Award nominations. For Release: 06/09/26 8:02 AM KET is proud to announce that the network has earned nine Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Award Nominations this year. The nominations are across various programs and categories. "We are so honored to be recognized for the dedication and creativity of our team. These nominations reflect KET'S mission to inform and inspire through impactful content and we are grateful to the audiences and partners that make this work possible," says Nancy Southgate, Chief Content Officer. The full list of nominees is as follows: Magazine Program - Single Program Kentucky Life: Season 31, Episode 1 Produced by: Casey Harris, Chip Polston, Harrison Witt, Landon Antonetti, Reeve Daulton Informational/Instructional - Short or Long Form Content Cursive Connection: Letter H Produced by: Allison NeCamp Day, Zach Curry, Amy Grant, Lauren Terry, Joyce West Arts/Entertainment - Short or Long Form Kentucky Life: Poets of Kentucky - Silas House Produced by: Reeve Daulton Kentucky Life: Art Walks The Runway Produced by: Brandon Turner Historical/Cultural/Nostalgia - Short or Long Form Content Kentucky Life: Frozen History Produced by: Chip Polston Lifestyle - Short or Long Form Content The Farmer & The Foodie: Newsom's Country Ham Produced by: Brandon Turner, Maggie Keith, Lindsey McClave, Matthew Grimm, Nancy Southgate, Shae Hopkins Kentucky Life: Kentucky Caviar Produced by: Reeve Daulton, Zachary Curry Education/Schools or Children/Teen - Short or Long Form Content Kentucky Life: Engineered To Learn Produced by: Brandon Turner Photographer - Short or Long Form Content Kentucky Life: Composite Produced by: Landon Antonetti, Matt Stice KET is Kentucky's largest classroom, providing trusted programming, lifelong learning opportunities and essential services to more than two million people each week. Learn more about Kentucky's preeminent public media organization at KET.org, on X @KET and at facebook.com/KET.