It seems that almost every discussion of public TV eventually devolves into talk of highbrow snobbery, pledge drives, and the always-popular subject of Caucasian corniness. But let's throw all that aside to take note of how much TPT has done for our state with the Minnesota-centric offshoot of the PBS affiliate. While the mothership station offers the internationally focused news, education, and entertainment programs that have defined public television since the '60s, TPT MN's local variation serves up close-to-home programming that spotlights everything from indigenous politics (Native Report) to outdoorsy travelogues (Venture North) to showcases for area music and art figures (Minnesota Original). And if you want to get a direct line to what's going on at the Capitol, the station's weekday feed of the Minnesota House of Representatives and State Senate is our very own C-SPAN analogue.