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Member
Spotlight |
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Allan Pizzato, APT's Executive
Director |
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(Posted October 1, 2003) In 1955, Alabama became the
nation’s first state with an educational television network. WCIQ on Mount Cheaha and
then, WBIQ in Birmingham started broadcasting that year. They were the beginning of the
network that is now Alabama Public Television (APT), nine public television stations
licensed to the Alabama Educational Television Commission. |
"APT is Alabama's storyteller. It is in a unique position to cover Alabama
arts, history, culture, and news," said Executive Director Allan Pizzato. |
For the Record, APT’s nightly
news and public affairs program, is celebrating its twenty-fifth anniversary this year.
The show, winner of a Best Local News Broadcast CPB Award, covers political debates,
legislative sessions, and the daily news. A recent addition, "Alabama Town Hall"
meetings, links viewers from various cities to discuss current issues, such as education
and tax legislation. |
The Alabama@Work series
covers business news and profiles local companies. A recent program addressed
Hispanic-owned businesses, private and government contracts, and challenges facing women
business owners. |
Doug Phillips
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For more than a decade, Discovering
Alabama has been exploring
Alabama's
forests, rivers, mountains, and shores.
The natural history series features Dr.
Doug Phillips, a University of Alabama
professor. In addition to its popularity
with the general public, Discovering
Alabama is one of the most-used
programs in the state’s classrooms. |
Phillips recently completed an
elementary and middle
school curriculum integrating natural history in every subject area.
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Bookmark
is a series of interviews with prominent authors. It is produced at the University of
Alabama Center for Public Television, which also produces documentaries for APT each year.
A Bird in the Hand won a 2001 NETA Award in the Science & Nature Documentary
category, and APT has presented works of some of Alabama’s most talented
independent filmmakers for national broadcast.
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| Viewers’ appreciation for these types
of programs results in pledge drives that routinely exceed goals. During the past two
years, APT has achieved major increases in on-air and direct mail contributions increases
and has just celebrated its most successful August pledge drive. Increases are attributed
to changes in pledge program selection and to changing direct mail houses. |
As APT works to provide programming to meet viewers’ needs and increase viewer
support, the network’s digital
transition continues. Several digital transmitters signed on in May, and the start
date for full-service digital broadcasting statewide is November 1. One of the first
services will be datacasting educational content. APT has a three-year agreement to use
AIMS Multi-media streaming video service and will datacast AIMS content.
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| The Alabama Young Heroes Awards, another partnership
project, honor students who excel in academics, provide public service, overcome
adversity, and inspire others. Books-A-Million, the Birmingham Rotary Club, Blue Cross and
Blue Shield of Alabama, and Southwest Airlines are project sponsors. |
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| APT
Director of Education Nancy Hill (left) and Rose Winkler, a child care management trainer,
at a Ready to Learn Train the Trainer event |
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Each year, APT conducts more than 200 Ready to
Learn workshops and family events.
The Five Star Group (APT and Arkansas, Georgia, Louisiana, and Mississippi state networks)
is launching a "Birth to School" project this year to provide workshops and
distance learning classes for parents and childcare providers. |
A project with Honda Manufacturing of Alabama includes a manufacturing course, factory
tours for students, and teacher training. "All of our partnerships are tremendous for
APT. Business and industry in the state share our vision to meet the needs of Alabama
schools and to continue to tell Alabama’s story," Pizzato said. |
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 Visit the Alabama PTV Web site: APTV.org |
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