Wisconsin Public Television Director Malcolm Brett Receives PBS' Highest Award for Station Leadership

PBS Annual Meeting, NEW ORLEANS; May 8, 2018 - PBS has named Malcolm Brett, director of Wisconsin Public Television (WPT), as this year's recipient of the Daniel K. Miller Station Leadership Award. The annual award recognizes a current or former PBS station manager or a manager in the public media system whose leadership, vision, courage and commitment to the mission of public media have inspired their colleagues and had a lasting impact in their communities. PBS President and CEO Paula Kerger presented the award today at the company's annual gathering of member stations in New Orleans.

Malcolm has always understood that our service to the American people is only as successful as our ability to forge strong ties between stations and communities, Kerger said. He has contributed so much to his hometown of Madison, the state of Wisconsin and indeed the entire country. It's hard to imagine our system without him, but I know that public broadcasting will benefit from his extraordinary legacy for years to come.

Brett's three decades of service have spanned strategic planning, corporate development, production management, government relations and community relations, and he held roles including director of television and executive director of Friends of WPT. As station leader, he directed WPT's digital conversion and helped shape national public television models with community partners, such as the Safe Night USA project, which created youth-focused events to prevent violence.

Brett has been recognized throughout his career for sharing his knowledge and expertise with colleagues across public media and serving as a mentor to those coming up in the field. In 1998, he was named PBS Development Professional of the Year. From 2008 to 2014, he served as a director on the PBS Board, including a term as vice chair. He also served as a member of the PBS Development Advisory Committee.

In addition to his role at WPT, Brett serves as director of the Broadcast and Media Innovations extension program at the University of Wisconsin.

The Daniel K. Miller Station Leadership Award is named in honor of Dan Miller, a longtime executive director and general manager of Iowa Public Television who died in February 2018. Receiving the inaugural PBS Station Leadership Award in 2016, Miller was recognized for his outstanding contributions to public media as a leader at the local level as well as across the system as a whole. In 2017, former executive director of Arkansas Educational Television Network (AETN) Allen Weatherly was named the recipient and was posthumously celebrated for his dedicated leadership.

About PBS

PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 90 million people through television and 30 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS' broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry's most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS' premier children's media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV - including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.

Media Contacts:

Aparna Kumar, PBS, ahkumar@pbs.org, 703-739-5028

LINK:	http://www.pbs.org/about/blogs/news/wisconsin-public-television-direct...
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