WASHINGTON – February 22, 2021 – America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) today presented the Champion of Public Broadcasting Award to Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb, in recognition of his support for Indiana public television stations’ initiative to provide remote learning services to students without broadband access.
“With Governor Holcomb’s early investment in public television’s datacasting work, nearly 11,000 Hoosier students without broadband access will soon be connected to essential learning resources, using a portion of our broadcast spectrum as an education lifeline,” said Patrick Butler, president and CEO of APTS.
“More recently, Governor Holcomb expanded the State’s investment in educational datacasting to a statewide scale, and Indiana’s public television stations will ultimately reach the more than 84,000 Indiana students who cannot access the internet.
“Governor Holcomb has been an essential partner in helping Indiana public television stations rise to the challenge of educating Hoosier children during the coronavirus pandemic, and ensuring that standards-based, curriculum-aligned digital educational content will be available to all beyond this crisis. He has richly earned the 2021 Champion of Public Broadcasting Award.”
“It’s an honor to receive this recognition and, as a lifelong supporter of public broadcasting, I remain grateful for public broadcasting’s tremendous impact on our community,” Gov. Holcomb said. “This year has kept us further apart than anyone would like and it’s been public broadcasting that’s helped make sure we’re still together. From the escapism of their programming, to their assistance in distance education for Hoosier students, public broadcasting continues to enrich our lives. I’ll remain a dedicated viewer and supporter for years to come.”
Eric Holcomb is the 51st Governor of Indiana. In 2020, he was elected to his second term with the most votes for governor in Indiana history.
A lifelong Hoosier, Gov. Holcomb is a veteran of the United States Navy, served as the state’s 51st Lt. Governor, was a trusted advisor to both Gov. Mitch Daniels and Sen. Dan Coats, worked for Congressman John Hostettler and is a former state chairman of the Indiana Republican Party.
In his first legislative session as governor, Gov. Holcomb rallied bipartisan support from Indiana lawmakers to expand pre-kindergarten for qualifying Hoosier kids and unveiled Next Level Recovery — a one-stop-shop for information and resources on the state’s comprehensive and community-based effort to fight the opioid crisis.
Gov. Holcomb called workforce readiness the defining issue of the decade. To meet the state’s rapidly changing workforce needs, he unveiled the Next Level Jobs program to help connect more Hoosiers to high-demand, high-wage careers.
Gov. Holcomb previously served as the policy chairman of the Republican Governors Association and in 2018 was named one of 10 governors shaping the future of politics by The Hill.
The governor is a graduate of Pike High School in Indianapolis and Hanover College in southeastern Indiana where he majored in U.S. History with a focus on the American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era. He is a collector of presidential signatures and currently has documents signed by all 44 of our nation’s presidents.
Gov. Holcomb and his wife, Janet, live with their Miniature Schnauzer, Henry, in the Governor’s Residence on North Meridian Street in Indianapolis.
The Champion of Public Broadcasting Award was presented to Governor Eric Holcomb (R-IN) during the APTS Public Media Summit on Monday, February 22, 2021.
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About APTS
America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) is a nonprofit membership organization ensuring a strong and financially sound public television system and helping member stations provide essential public services in education, public safety and civic leadership to the American people. For more information, visit www.apts.org.
Contact:
Stacey Karp
202-654-4222
skarp@apts.org