The APTS Public Media Summit is the largest annual gathering of public broadcasting general managers and community leaders who come together to explore issues that are vital to the future and mission of public service media. The 2020 Public Media Summit was being held Monday, February 24 - Wednesday, February 26, 2020 at The Ritz-Carlton Washington, D.C. hotel, 1150 22nd Street NW, in Washington, D.C. Enjoy the videos of the Summit presentations below.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 24
11:45 a.m. – 1:15 p.m.
Welcome Luncheon and Presidential Address
Welcome to the 2020 Public Media Summit
Bert Schmidt, Board Chair, APTS and APTS Action, Inc., and President and CEO, WHRO Public Media, Norfolk, VA
The Value of Collaboration
Remarks by Paul Siefken, President and CEO, Fred Rogers Productions
President’s Annual Address
Patrick Butler, President and CEO, America’s Public Television Stations
1:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
General Session
John Lansing, President and CEO of NPR, on the future of NPR
Tributes to Cokie Roberts and Jim Lehrer
A Look Ahead at the 2020 Elections
- Judy Woodruff, Anchor and Managing Editor, PBS NewsHour
- Sara Just, Executive Producer, PBS NewsHour, and Senior Vice President, WETA
- Mark Shields, Political Analyst, PBS NewsHour
- Tamara Keith, NPR White House Correspondent and Co-Host of NPR Politics Podcast
Moderated by Lisa Trapani Shumate, Associate Vice President and General Manager, Houston Public Media
Watch a recording of the tribute to Cokie Roberts and Jim Lehrer.
Watch a recording of this panel discussion looking ahead to the 2020 elections.
Tribute to Bobbi English, Vice President of North American Television, Sesame Workshop
Remarks by Scott Chambers, Senior VP and General Manager, North America Media and Licensing, Sesame Workshop
3:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
Advocacy Session (Members Only)
Making the Case for Increasing Federal Investment
The APTS legislative staff provided a dynamic presentation and discussion of the best way to make the case for increased public media federal funding.
The session will also cover the importance of our grassroots and grasstops advocacy tools in our legislative success.
- Kate Riley, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs, APTS
- Cait Beroza, Advocacy & Social Media Manager, APTS
- Jennifer Kieley, Director, Government Relations, APTS
- Colleen McGowan Florio, Congressional Liaison, APTS
Watch a recording of this session. (Members Only)
Making the Case for Increasing State Investment
The APTS legislative staff and our state funding consultants from 50 State provided a dynamic presentation and discussion of the best way to make the case for increased public media state funding.
- Kate Riley, Vice President, Government and Public Affairs, APTS
- Will Glasscock, Legislative and Policy Consultant, APTS Action
- Phil Cox, Founding Partner, 50 State, former Executive Director, Republican Governors Association
- Colm O’Comartun, Founding Partner, 50 State, former Executive Director, Democratic Governors Association
Watch a recording of this session. (Members Only)
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Dinner Session
NHK WORLD-JAPAN Launches New Studio in New York City
Please join us at dinner where Mr. Takaaki Takai, Deputy Managing Director of NHK WORLD-JAPAN, will introduce a new co-production with KRCB; NHK NEWSLINE anchor Ms. Catherine Kobayashi will discuss the launch of the new studio; and Mr. Taku Kato will present his new drama, A Stranger in Shanghai.
Watch a recording of this dinner session.
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 25
7:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
Breakfast Session
The Secrets of Successful Teamwork
Remarks by Ted Leonsis, Founder, Chairman, Principal Partner and Chief Executive Officer of Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the 2018 Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals and 2019 WNBA champion Washington Mystics.
A Progress Report on NextGen TV
Remarks by John Taylor, Senior Vice President of Public Affairs and Communications, LG Electronics USA
Remarks by Commissioner Michael O'Rielly, Federal Communications Commission
9:00 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
General Session
Collaboration with National Partners on Spectrum Opportunities
New business and service opportunities, in fields ranging from precision agriculture to national security to weather alerting, await your exploration. Hear all about the exciting new spectrum partnerships America’s Public Television Stations are creating with national companies and institutions, and an exciting platform for making ATSC 3 practical, versatile and successful.
- John McCoskey, Chief Operating Officer, SpectraRep
- Molly Phillips, Executive Director and General Manager, Iowa PBS
- Lieutenant General (Retired) Reynold N. Hoover, RNHoover Consulting LLC
- Susi Elkins, Director of Broadcasting & General Manager, WKAR Public Media, East Lansing, Michigan
Moderated by Craig Fugate, Former Administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Watch a recording of this panel.
Presentation of the 2020 Pillar of Public Service Award to Tom Axtell, General Manager of Vegas PBS
11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
General Session
APTS/APTS Action, Inc. Annual Membership Meetings
Bert Schmidt, Board Chair, APTS and APTS Action, Inc., and President and CEO, WHRO Public Media, Norfolk, VA
Acknowledgement of retiring Board members, welcome to newly elected Board members, recognition of new Board officers
Celebration of retiring General Managers
Welcome of new General Managers
Presentation of the 2020 David J. Brugger Lay Leadership Award to Edward H. Kaplan, Chair of the Maryland Public Broadcasting Commission
Presentation of the 2020 National Advocacy Award to Marty Ryall, Director of External relations at Arkansas PBS
The Power of Collaboration
Inspiring examples of collaboration in education, public safety and civic leadership
- DeAnne Hamilton, Executive Director and General Manager, KBTC Public Television, Tacoma, Washington
- Vickie Lawson, President and CEO, East Tennessee PBS, Knoxville, Tennessee
- Bohdan Zachary, Vice President and General Manager, Milwaukee PBS, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Watch a recording of this session.
1:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.
Lunch Session
Public Media: Local Strong, Local Matters
In 2011, CPB and public media stations launched an initiative, American Graduate: Let’s Make It Happen, to help young people stay on the path to a high school diploma. Nine years later, the largest collaboration across public media resulted in the national graduation rate rising to an impressive 40-year high, 84.6%. Further, a recent study affirmed that for the first-time black students’ graduation rates are on par with white youth. Public media stations working with more than 1700 local partners from the private and public sector made significant contributions to this national success. Now, in partnership with stations and communities, CPB is funding the next phase, American Graduate: Getting To Work, helping students build the right skills for success in our changing workforce.
CPB President and CEO Pat Harrison was our lunch host. Remarks provided by APTS President and CEO Pat Butler, the new CEO of Nine Network Amy Shaw, President and CEO of ideastream Kevin Martin, American Graduates’ Keihen Kitchen, and a very special and impactful announcement from Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL) as American Graduate connects graduates to jobs.
Watch a recording of this lunch session.
2:45 p.m. - 3:10 p.m.
Special Presentation:
National Security, Information Technology and Public Television
Remarks by Lieutenant General Bruce T. Crawford, Chief Information Officer/G6, United States Army
3:15 p.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions
General Managers Session: Leading Into The Future
Success in leading local public television stations in the 21st century will require the embrace of new technology, diversity and inclusion in the station workforce, and closer-than-ever connections with the community.
The Business Case for Diversity & Inclusion
- Maria Ghazal, Senior Vice President and Counsel, Business Roundtable
Double Your Annual Revenues by Listening to Your Community
- Tom Karlo, General Manager, KPBS, San Diego, California
Moderated by Milton Clipper, Clipper and Company, and President Emeritus, Public Broadcasting Atlanta
Watch a recording of this session.
Highlights of The Grant Center for Public Media
Remarks by Meegan White, Project Director, The Grant Center for Public Media, APTS
Lay Leaders Session: Laying the Groundwork for the Future (Members Only)
Lay leaders learned more about the APTS strategic vision for the future, our goals to help ensure stations have the resources needed for success, and the important role of lay leaders in this work. Also: the secrets of successful congressional meetings, and practicing your pitch to Members of Congress for more public media funding.
- Will Glasscock, Policy and Legislative Consultant, APTS Action
- Kate Riley, VP, Government and Public Affairs, APTS
- Jennifer Kieley, Director, Government Relations, APTS
- Colleen McGowan Florio, Congressional Liaison, APTS
Listen to an audio recording of this session. (Members Only)
6:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Dinner Session
Paula Kerger, PBS President and CEO, marked PBS's 50 years of service to the American public. Followed by an update on PBS American Portrait, the signature initiative of PBS's 50th anniversary.
Additional participants include:
- Bill Margol, PBS Senior Director of Programming, PBS
- Jon Kamen, CEO of Radical Media, Executive Producer of American Portrait
- Dave Sirulnick, Partner at Radical Media, Executive Producer of American Portrait
- Courtney Pledger, Executive Director and CEO, Arkansas PBS
Watch a recording of this dinner session.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26
8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
Breakfast Program – Members Room, Library of Congress
Welcome by Patrick Butler, President and CEO, APTS
Remarks by Sharon Percy Rockefeller, President and CEO, WETA
Remarks by Congressman Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Co-Chair of the Public Broadcasting Caucus
Presentation of the 2020 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award to Congressman Fred Upton (R-MI)
Presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Congresswoman Nita Lowey (D-NY)
Presentation of the 2020 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award to Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT)
Presentation of the 2020 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award to Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK)
Presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Maryland State Senator Nancy J. King (D-Montgomery County)