The 2016 Public Media Summit Presentations

APTS held The 2016 Public Media Summit on February 21-23, 2016, at the Fairmont Hotel, in Washington, D.C. The theme of this year's Summit was Turning Point: The Future of Public Media. This Summit was particularly important and timely, coming just a month before the FCC's spectrum auctions. In addition, there were discussions of the political environment in which public broadcasting will be operating during this presidential election year and beyond -- an environment as dynamic and unpredictable as we have ever experienced. We also explored the future of broadcasting and media technology -- and the intriguing new revenue and service opportunities they may hold for America's public television stations.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 21

1:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
General Session
Welcome to The 2016 Public Media Summit. Opening remarks from Eric Hyyppa, APTS and APTS Action, Inc. Board Chair and Director and General Manager, MontanaPBS.

Patrick Butler, APTS President & CEO, gave his Annual Address.

Turning Point: The Elements of Transformation
Martin Baron, Executive Editor of The Washington Post, discussed the Post's remarkable transformation from a print legend to a digital powerhouse -- and lessons public television can learn from the Post's reinvention strategy. Movie buffs will recognize Marty as the hero of Spotlight, the Oscar-nominated story of the Boston Globe during his tenure as the Globe's editor.

Roberto J. Rodríguez, Deputy Assistant to the President for Education in the White House Domestic Policy Council, discussed the future of American education and public television’s role in it.

Annise Parker, the 61st Mayor of Houston, Texas and a Member of the FirstNet Board, discussed the public safety pilot that Houston Public Media conducted with the city and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security -- and what that initiative might portend for a future public television partnership with FirstNet, on whose board Mayor Parker serves.

4:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
General Session
Turning Point: The Role of Advanced Broadcast Technology in Enhanced Service and New Business Opportunities
This panel discussion not only included the technological aspects of these transitions but also some very intriguing potential new revenue opportunities. Speakers included: Rebecca Hanson, Senior Vice President, Sinclair Broadcast Group, former spectrum auction expert in the FCC Media Bureau; Mark O’Brien, President & CTO of SpectraRep, and a consultant to the APTS Public Safety Coalition; Anne Schelle, Managing Director, Pearl TV; and John I. Taylor, Vice President, Public Affairs and Communications, LG Electronics USA, Inc. This session was moderated by Eric Hyyppa, APTS and APTS Action, Inc. Board Chair and Director and General Manager, MontanaPBS.

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Award Presentations and Dinner

Award Presentations

The APTS Pillar of Public Service Award presented to Malcolm Brett, Director of Broadcast and Media Innovations for Wisconsin Public Television, by Ronnie Agnew, Professional Vice Chair, APTS and APTS Action, Inc. Boards, and Executive Director, Mississippi Public Broadcasting,

The 2016 David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award was presented to the National Friends of Public Broadcasting by Dr. Jo Ellen Chatham, Lay Vice Chair, APTS and APTS Action, Inc. Boards, and Board of Trustees of PBS SoCaL, Los Angeles.

NHK Dinner

A presentation about NHK with an introduction by Jay Campbell.

Remarks were made by Tsuruo Mochizuki, Deputy Managing Director, NHK WORLD TV; Miki Ebara, Editor-in-Chief, NEWSLINE; and Yosuko Takahashi, Senior Manager, NHK World TV Worldwide Distribution, JIB.

  • Please take a moment to watch the video of this NHK dinner.

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 22

8:00 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.
Breakfast Session
Turning Point: The Future of Public Broadcasting
Gordon Smith, President & CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters, offered his view on the future of broadcasting.

9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
General Session (Closed to Press)
Turning Point: The Politics of Public Broadcasting
The APTS Action, Inc. legislative consultants spoke about the current political environment in Washington D.C., the 2016 Presidential election and how federal funding for public media could be impacted. Speakers included J. Keith Kennedy, Principal, Kennedy Enterprises; The Honorable Steve LaTourette, President, McDonald Hopkins Government Strategies;Danica Petroshius, Principal, Penn Hill Group; and Domenic Ruscio, Partner, Cavarocchi Ruscio Dennis Associates, LLP. Moderated by Kate Riley, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs, APTS.

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
General Session (Closed to Press)
Turning Point: A Consistent Case for Public Funding
The APTS legislative staff will provide a dynamic presentation of the public television issues that are front and center in Washington, D.C. – federal funding requests, and grassroots and grasstops advocacy. Speakers included Kate Riley, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs, APTS; Cait Beroza, Advocacy & Social Media Manager, APTS; Jennifer Kieley, Director, Government Relations, APTS;  and Will Glasscock, Legislative and Policy Consultant, APTS.

1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Lunch Session
"The Power of Public Media"
This special lunch session hosted by CPB included remarks by CEO and President Patricia de Stacy Harrison and special guests Representative Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA); Victor Rios, professor and TED Talks Live Speaker; Stan Law, CEO, Birmingham YMCA; and Roy Clem, Executive Director, Alabama Public Television. The program highlighted the power of public media focused on community service and education. Through in-depth reporting, diverse perspectives and dialogue that connects our children and our communities, American Graduate public media organizations are advancing new models in local service and citizen engagement. The CPB Thought Leader Award was presented to Representative Roybal-Allard.

  • Please take a moment to watch the video of this CPB lunch.

2:45 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
General Session
Turning Point: The Spectrum Auctions and Beyond
This panel discussion included conversations about the broadcast spectrum auction, channel repacking and what comes next with Howard Symons, Vice Chair of the FCC Incentive Auction Task Force, and William Lake, FCC Media Bureau Chief. Moderated by Allan Pizzato, Chair of the APTS Board Regulatory Committee, and General Manager, WYES, New Orleans, LA, and Lonna Thompson, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, APTS.

4:30 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Lay Session with Legislative Staff (Closed to Press)
Turning Point: New Challenges for Lay Leaders
Lay attendees discussed legislative issues, advocacy strategies, the creation of strategic partnerships with public service allies and the entrepreneurial expertise lay leaders can bring to the future of public media. Moderated by Cait Beroza, Advocacy & Social Media Manager, APTS.

6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Dinner
This special PBS dinner event included Paula Kerger, President and CEO, PBS; Lesli Rotenberg, General Manager, Children's Media and Education, PBS; Jerry Wareham, President and CEO, ideastream in Cleveland; Lisa Henson, CEO, The Jim Henson Company; Bill Isler, CEO, The Fred Rogers Company; and Joanne Byrd Rogers, wife of Fred Rogers.

  • Please take a moment to watch the video of this PBS dinner.

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 23

8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Breakfast Program – Room LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building, Library of Congress
Presentation of The 2016 Champion of Public Broadcasting Awards to U.S. Congressman Tom Cole (R-OK) and U.S. Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-AK).

Presentation of The 2016 National Advocacy Awards to Ronnie Agnew, Executive Director, Mississippi Public Broadcasting, and Jamie Waste, Executive Director, Alaska Public Broadcasting.