ALEXANDRIA, VA, February 5, 2001 - Former Congressman John E. Porter (R-Ill.) has been elected to serve as a director of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). The announcement was made yesterday at the PBS board of directors meeting in Santa Barbara, California.
"Rep. Porter has been a steadfast and effective ally of public broadcasting over the years," said Colin Campbell, chairman of the PBS board of directors. "PBS member stations are fortunate to have the benefit of his expertise and wisdom in this dynamic media environment. We are delighted to welcome such a distinguished public servant to the public television family."
Since 1995, Rep. Porter chaired the House Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and public television's key education programs, including Ready to Learn and Mathline. Rep. Porter, who was elected to the House of Representatives in 1980, retired at the end of the 106th Congress last year. He is now a partner in the Washington-based law firm, Hogan & Hartson.
"PBS is the steward of the best of American culture, history and citizenship," said Mr. Porter. "I am delighted to join a board that is devoted to community-based educational and public-service media for all Americans."
The PBS board of directors is comprised of 35 members: 17 PBS station managers, 17 lay members and the PBS president. Board members serve without pay.
PBS, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, is a private, nonprofit media enterprise owned and operated by the nation's 347 public television stations. Serving nearly 100 million people each week, PBS enriches the lives of all Americans through quality programs and education services on noncommercial television, the Internet and other media. More information about PBS is available at PBS.org.
- PBS -
Dara Goldberg
PBS
703/739-5031