Ballou sees Jackson as a crossroads city with big potential
Jackson television newsman Howard Ballou spoke to the Canton Rotary Club on Thursday, saying he was nervous about coming to Mississippi four decades ago but quickly realized it was the "best place in the world to be."
An anchor and reporter at WLBT, the NBC affiliate owned by Gray Media, Ballou loves fishing and hunting in Mississippi. He left briefly in 1989 to work at CBS in Dallas, but returned to Mississippi and "never looked back."
Ballou said Jackson’s recent mayoral race was a “mandate for change.”
The television news anchor is highly optimistic about Jackson’s future.
“Jackson is poised to be a crossroads city — Memphis, New Orleans, Dallas, Birmingham — needing next-level leadership to capitalize on its potential,” he said.
Jackson is often unfairly criticized, he said, but acknowledges issues with crime and infrastructure that need to be fixed.
He pointed to "Taking Back Our Neighborhood,” an award-winning series he did, highlighting positive changes. It’s important to address issues and get involved rather than ignoring them, he said.
All three of Ballou’s children were born in Mississippi, and he said they are glad to be here.
Ballou was born in Montgomery, Alabama, and recalled growing up during a time of significant civil rights events.
The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a frequent guest in their home and a fraternity brother of his dad.
King asked his mom to help with the Montgomery Improvement Association and an upcoming bus boycott.
His mom became King's first personal secretary. He described King as a nice, friendly guy who told jokes. King and his dad would enjoy beverages that men of their age enjoyed at the time.
In response to a question from a Rotarian, Ballou said the station is allowed to be independent in news gathering, although it is part of Gray Media, a national broadcasting conglomerate with 180 terrestrial TV stations across the country.
Gray owns stations in every Mississippi market except Greenville and Columbus-Tupelo. According to some of the latest figures available, the company reported $3.28 billion in revenue in 2023.