In 1980, America’s public television stations created the Association of Public Television Stations (APTS) to represent their interests.
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APTS is a non-profit membership organization established to represent the interests of its members — the nation’s public television stations. The goal of APTS is to secure federal funding and policies to help stations work as effectively as possible. The APTS mission is to support the continued growth and development of a strong and financially sound non-commercial television service for the American public. APTS provides advocacy for public television interests at the national level, as well as consistent leadership and information in marshaling grassroots and congressional support for its members. APTS works closely with individual station representatives to produce effective legislative strategies that allow stations to fulfill their individual missions.
APTS advocates stations’ interests on taxation, budget, education, cable, digital television and related issues. APTS’s regulatory and legal efforts continue to focus on ensuring access to new technologies for public television services; advocating the interests of public television stations in regulatory proceedings at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and IRS; participating in litigation when our members’ interests are at stake; and providing timely information about legal and regulatory issues to stations.
APTS serves stations by communicating the concerns and values of public television to many audiences, including: legislators, regulators, opinion leaders, business leaders, educators and the general public. APTS relies on media relations, the Internet, social media publications, special events and public relations for effective communications.
APTS helps stations build a solid advocacy foundation, so that members can develop their own efforts. This advocacy foundation is built from: publications, brochures, fact sheets, congressional testimonies and position statements covering services and programs offered by stations; exhibits and events for members of Congress, the Administration, the media and the public; and maintaining a presence on the web.
APTS works to identify current and emerging issues which directly influence public television’s ability to serve audiences—both now and in the future. Every change in the media environment reminds us of our important planning and research role. APTS provides the means for stations to define themselves in the legislative and regulatory arenas.