The Daniel K. Miller PBS Station Leadership Award to Be Given Annually to Highlight Extraordinary Leadership and Impact at the Station Level
ARLINGTON, VA – August 10, 2016 – Today, PBS President & CEO Paula Kerger announced that Dan Miller, former Executive Director and General Manager of Iowa Public Television, has been presented with the inaugural Daniel K. Miller PBS Station Leadership Award, which is named in his honor. The award recognizes Mr. Miller’s outstanding contributions to public media, as well as the critical importance of leadership at the local level as well as to the system as a whole. Moving forward, this award will be presented annually to a recipient chosen by the Station Services Committee of the PBS Board of Directors and PBS senior management.
The Daniel K. Miller PBS Station Leadership Award is the first honor created to specifically highlight the critical work of PBS station leaders. Both PBS’ senior management and Board of Directors determined that it was time to establish an award that formally celebrates excellence in leadership at local stations and highlights its role in strengthening and ensuring the future of public media.
“I am so pleased that we have, at long last, created an award that honors outstanding station leadership,” said Ms. Kerger. “Our system is incredibly fortunate to include many talented and dedicated professionals who serve the American people in communities across the nation. In discussing the attributes that this award should recognize, we quickly came to the conclusion that the qualities of selflessness, humility, vision, commitment and courage were all represented in Dan Miller. Dan is fully and passionately dedicated to the mission of public media and worked tirelessly to protect and promote editorial integrity. It is therefore all the more fitting that not only should Dan be the recipient of the first award, but the award should also be named in his honor.”
Each year, the Daniel K. Miller PBS Station Leadership Award will honor a current or former PBS station manager or managers in the public media system whose leadership, vision, courage and commitment to the mission and principles of public media have inspired station staff and system colleagues to expand the impact of public media to become change agents in the communities they serve.
About Dan Miller
Daniel K. Miller, executive director and general manager of Iowa Public Television, retired from the statewide television network in 2013.
Mr. Miller was with the network for 37 years, and held the position as Iowa Public Television’s leader since 2002. During his tenure as executive director and general manager, Mr. Miller has guided the strategic direction of the network, including the tripling of Iowa Public Television’s broadcast offerings. He has also guided the network through the digital television transition, through difficult budget circumstances, and through the addition of new delivery mechanisms for content.
Mr. Miller is a nationally known leader in the public television system, and the recipient of numerous regional and national broadcasting and broadcast journalism awards. He has served on various boards and committees for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, the Public Broadcasting Service, WGBH-TV, the BBC, and other public television organizations.
A graduate of George Washington University and a Des Moines native, Mr. Miller was with Iowa Public Television since 1975. He has served as executive producer for public affairs programming, and led the network’s programming and production division for 16 years.
At the time of his retirement in 2013, Robert W. Hall, president of the Iowa Public Broadcasting Board, noted that “Through challenging budget circumstances and a rapidly changing media landscape, Dan has guided this statewide network to increased viewership, unmatched coverage of Iowa, and a national reputation for excellence. His steadfast commitment to quality has been a thread throughout his entire career, and nowhere was that commitment more clear than in his work as general manager. Iowans owe a debt of gratitude to Dan Miller for his 37 years of service to Iowa Public Television.”
About PBS
PBS, with nearly 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches nearly 100 million people through television and nearly 33 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. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. 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 devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
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Jan McNamara
PBS
703-739-5028
jmcnamara@pbs.org
