Here’s today’s dispatch from the crossroads of faith, media and culture.

You’ve still got it, Charlie Brown! Members of the Arkansas Society of Freethinkers may not have not have been among them, but millions tuned into watch ABC’s airing of A Charlie Brown Christmas which continues to be a ratings powerhouse.

From Entertainment Weekly: Wednesday night’s annual telecast of A Charlie Brown Christmas won the 8 p.m. hour for ABC and was up 4 percent from last year. The Peanuts gang’s 47-year-old special — the most popular of the Peanuts franchise’s animated programs — delivered 8.9 million viewers and a 2.9 adults 18-49 rating. That outdrew CBS’ Survivor: Philippines (10.4 million, 2.7 rating) and Fox’s The X-Factor (8.1 million, 2.8) among adults 18-49.

Comment: When will the networks finally learn that kind, gentle, uplifting programming endures? And is actually pretty cool.

Encourage one another and build each other up – 1 Thessalonians 5:11