WASHINGTON — February 26, 2013 — The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) today presented its Champion of Public Broadcasting Award, the Association’s highest honor, to Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD).
The award is given to Members of Congress and other individuals who safeguard the ability of local public television stations to provide educational, informational, cultural and other essential public services to their communities.
“No one in Congress has been a more steadfast supporter of public broadcasting over many years than Senator Mikulski,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of APTS. “Long before she ascended to the Chair of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee, Senator Mikulski led the fight to secure funding for public broadcasting’s infrastructure program, the Public Telecommunications Facilities Program (PTFP), and she has been a stalwart advocate for Maryland Public Television and its educational service to her State. Senator Mikulski richly deserves this Association’s highest award, and we are honored to present it to her.”
“I’m honored to be recognized by the Association of Public Television Stations as a champion of public broadcasting,” Senator Mikulski said. “From Sesame Street to Wall Street Week, public broadcasting provides access to quality programming in living rooms, boardrooms and classrooms for more than 170 million Americans. In Maryland, public television supports a strong foundation for our kids that has helped make our students the best performing across the nation. Public broadcasting is a smart investment that creates jobs today and prepares our future workforce for jobs tomorrow. That’s a winning story. That’s an American story. That’s the story of public broadcasting.”
Senator Mikulski’s first election was a successful run for Baltimore City Council in 1971, where she served for five years. In 1976, she ran for Congress and won, representing Maryland's 3rd district for 10 years. In 1986, she ran for Senate and won, becoming the first Democratic woman Senator elected in her own right. She was re-elected with large majorities in 1992, 1998, 2004 and 2010. On March 17, 2012 she became the longest serving woman in the history of the United States Congress.
A leader in the Senate, Mikulski is the Dean of the Women, serving as a mentor to other women Senators when they first take office. There are now 20 women serving in the Senate, a record number.
The Champion of Public Broadcasting Award was presented to Senator Mikulski during The APTS Public Media Summit on Tuesday, February 26.
About APTS
The Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization established in 1979. The mission of APTS is to conduct – in concert with member stations – advocacy, planning, research and communications activities in order to achieve strong and financially sound noncommercial television and advanced digital services for the American people. APTS provides consistent leadership and information that helps our members better accomplish their own missions and goals. Through its affiliate APTS Action, APTS promotes the legislative and regulatory interests of noncommercial television stations at the national level through direct advocacy, and grasstops and grassroots campaigns designed to garner congressional support. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
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