APTS offers member stations the opportunity to subscribe to enhanced services, which include targeted coalitions organized around specific policy objectives. Coalitions serve as a resource group, peer review mechanism and sounding board for member stations. Based upon the challenges and opportunities currently facing stations, APTS is pleased to offer member stations two new coalitions: the Development Coalition and the Spectrum and Infrastructure Coalition. APTS will also continue to offer member stations the opportunity to join the Education Services Coalition.
Development Coalition
APTS is offering interested members the opportunity to join the Development Coalition. We are broadening the former Grants Service Center to include professional development in this important area. Stations subscribing to the Development Coalition as an enhanced service will receive benefits beyond those offered to other stations through the CPB-funded Grant Center. Emil Mara, Vice President, Finance and Administration, will oversee this coalition. For more information on the Development Coalition, contact Emil Mara at emara@apts.org.
Education Services Coalition
Local public television stations have a long history of working with educational institutions—from individual schools and school districts to universities and other post-secondary institutions—on their shared educational mission, dating back to the early development of “educational television.” Many of the nation’s public television licenses are held by universities and other educational institutions, and many of the early pioneers of public television were educators first, who then became broadcasters. Public television went on to pioneer the distance learning model, helping millions of Americans attain their GEDs and better their lives.
The Education Services Coalition was formed in 2006 through the merger of the former Higher Education and Workforce Skills/Adult Learning Coalitions, to continue an increased focus on the incredible work that public television stations do in the education space. The Education Services Coalition is made up of APTS member stations from every region of the country, representing all types of licensees. This coalition played a major role in updating the Ready To Compete legislation, which includes the reauthorization of Ready To Learn. Coalition members had “a seat at the table” as this legislation was drafted. Kate Riley, APTS Director of Government Relations, oversees the coalition. For more information on the Education Services Coalition, contact Kate at kriley@apts.org.
Spectrum and Infrastructure Coalition
The Spectrum and Infrastructure Coalition is being formed to provide coalition members with the resources necessary to assist them in examining the uses of their spectrum in this era of spectrum reallocation and reform, and to explore possible collaborations with public and commercial television partners in the use of facilities and spectrum.
APTS is folding the Rural Broadband Coalition into the Spectrum and Infrastructure Coalition. A recent survey of APTS member stations confirmed that local stations encourage APTS to take actions that will assist individual stations to analyze new business opportunities that may be available to them. With the Administration’s announced intent to reclaim large portions of the broadcast spectrum for mobile broadband use, as set forth through the Federal Communications Commission’s National Broadband Plan, leaders of local public television stations have numerous business and spectrum management issues to consider. The coalition will also focus on the importance of infrastructure funding. Lonna Thompson, Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and General Counsel, will oversee the coalition. For more information on the Spectrum and Infrastructure Coalition, contact Lonna at lonna@apts.org.